Franz Kafka - The Metamorphosis

[ridethejetski]

So I recently finished reading this short novel. I heard somewhere that the transformation of the man into the bug like creature is supposed to represent the transformation of Jewish people in the eyes of Central Europe's population at the turn of the century, from the hard working (as the character is at the start) to a an 'ugly beast' that is a leach on the rest (as the character after his transformation causes great burden upon the family). Im not too sure of that interpretation though; any opinions?

[Blake's Baby]

I thought it was about alienation. But why not? Are you reading it for fun, or is it a course text? If it's for fun, yeah, sure, it could be about the Jews. we interpret art as it has meaning to us. If it's for a course, as long as you argue cogently and cite your sources, your teachers are going to be well impressed. I once got brownie points for arguing that 'Lucky' in Waiting for Godot reperesented the native Irish and their story telling tradition under English dominion...

[Koba Junior]

I couldn't really write much on the political meaning of The Metamorphosis. I am, however, very certain that Kafka just really had a thing for building up a human protagonist and then just shitting on him for absolutely no reason.

[blake 3:17]

i think it is way more about family life than anything else. Kafka only escaped his father`tyranny when he got tuberculosis.

[pastradamus]

What exactly are you reading by Kafka?

Kafka is an excellent author and I dont think he'd come up with something as racist as that. Kafka was of Jewish decent and many accused him of being zionist. He would never tell either way but the one thing he was not quite about was his support for anarchism. He's a vastly intellectual man and we can learn from his thoughts.


But.....I am an Orwellian....I dont believe in Intrepreting ones thoughts. I believe people should speak openly and plainly and use languague instead instead of philosophy to describe feelings towards something.

[Blake's Baby]

Why on earth do you think that that interpretation is 'racist'?

[Brosip Tito]

So weird, my brother was talking to me about Kafka at the bookstore today. I wanted to read/buy a dystopian novel, and he suggested "The Trial" as a sort of dystopian themed novel. He mentioned that The Metamorphosis was good. Kafka looks interesting.

[corolla]

I love Kafka. Jackals and Arabs is probably my favorite.