by Franz Kafka
First published 2020
Gregor Samsa opens his eyes one morning to find his body has become that of a giant insect. The traveling salesman faces an impossible reality: he can no longer work, communicate with his family, or move through the world as he once did. His parents and sister Grete must now care for someone they barely recognize. Gregor worries about his job and the burden he places on his loved ones. As days pass, his family's initial concern turns to frustration and disgust. His sister, once sympathetic, begins to see him as a creature rather than her brother. The family struggles with practical questions about food, space, and money while Gregor grapples with his new existence. His transformation forces everyone to confront uncomfortable truths about duty, love, and human nature. This darkly comic tale explores how quickly compassion can turn to resentment when faced with the unbearable.
Genres: fiction, classics, literary-fiction, 20th-century
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, identity-crisis
Setting: Europe
Period: 20th-century
41 pages · Paperback · Independently published
Content warnings: body-horror, mental-illness