This is one of those books we all should read once in our lives , in fact perhaps more than once. I read this story about 30 years ago and I’m sure it didn’t make me feel like it did now.
Poor Gregor Samsa who’s been kind, supportive, generous and hard-working for his whole life wakes up one morning to find he’s been turned into a giant beetle.
What has he done to deserve that? This question is never answered.
Has he deserved this fate? No he hasn’t, at least not from what we’re told in the story.
Gregor becomes an object of horror to his family with whom he lives in a large apartment he helped obtain for the rest: mother, father, and sister.
Gregor becomes an outcast in his own home, his sister throwing food into the room for him to eat. Things come to a head after his father starts throwing apples at Gregor, one of which causes a nasty injury which none of his family try to treat.
Three lodgers are appalled such an ugly monstrosity has been living in the same apartment where they’ve been renting a room and threaten to leave and sue the family.
There’s no salvation and no happy ending, other than for the remaining members of the family.
Recommended.
Julian Worker Fiction Writing 