The Metamorphosis

1. What is the book about as a whole?

Metaphorical fiction about a salesman who wakes up one day and finds himself in the body of a huge insect. The story focuses on how he and his family handle this new situation.

2. What is being said in detail, and how?

Prior to his unfortunate transformation into an insect, Gregor - a young salesman - supports his whole family - two indebted parents and a sister of working age. They live somewhat boring but comfortable lives and the new situation changes their circumstances - Gregor realizes how dependent his family was on his ability to work duties and he struggles to accept the inescapable reality that this has to change now that he's an insect.

As an insect, he is hideous and unable to communicate. His family immediately isolates him in a single room. Gregor never improves and increasingly becomes a burden. He falls into a depression and refuses to eat which ultimately results in his death. Meanwhile, all three family members have started to work and realize they are happy to have a new purpose in life and one less burden to carry.

3. Is the book true, in whole or part?

The book is fiction, and short one at that. To me, the book is a metaphor for how meaningless a career can be - a person can fool himself into thinking he's earning well to provide for others. But if you take the job away, the others find a way to provide for themselves.

4. What of it?

That's the first book I read by Kafka. I find it fascinating that all the action happens in two rooms.