They expect more from Gregor than he can give, and Gregor’s boss is clearly no better.Īs an insect, Gregor can no longer work and must now rely on the mercy of his family to keep him alive. They refuse to work and contribute in any way and even stash away money in their own savings (the father) that Gregor doesn’t discover until after he has turned into a cockroach. This guy’s family has become so comfortable with Gregor to taking care of everything, that they expect it. To the point, the whole story is just sad. Only his sister cares for him by feeding him and trying to keep his quarters clean, but it eventually even becomes too much for her and her disgust over him takes priority over her sisterly love. Once his family realizes what he has become, they are angered and disgusted by him and violently force him back into his room, where he stays. Getting back to the whole “giant cockroach’ thing, Only worried that he is running late for work, he scrambles out of bed and dismisses his new form as a dream.

sounds like a great life you live there, Gregor. Day after day, he gives his 100 percent all for a complete dick of a boss who is convinced Gregor is trying to scam him anytime Gregor calls in sick or is even slightly late for work.

He’s a traveling salesman that works ungodly hours to support his parents and sister, as his father’s business has gone bankrupt. Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find that he has turned into a giant cockroach but seems to be more concerned that he is running late for work. Metamorphosis is one of Kafka’s best-known works, and more than likely ahead of its time. Haruki Murakami’s Samsa in Love is his tip of the hat to Kafka’s classic, depicting a cockroach who awakes one morning to discover he is a human. Because these stories are so short and closely related, I decided to do a double review for them, so that they might be properly compared and discussed without the headache of switching back and forth between two different posts.įranz Kafa’s Metamorphosis is a familiar classic that tells the tale of an overworked young man whom awakes one morning to discover he has turned into a giant cockroach.

Kafka cockroach