I can understand now how Utterson and Walton must have felt upon laying eyes on these monstrosities they can’t quite describe, but do anyways. Because that is exactly how I feel about Kafka’s Metamorphosis. Maybe it is the many books and literature classes I’ve taken in high school, but I feel so completely without words. Not even Raymond Carter’s weird stories could prepare me for this. I totally thought the entire time that he was going to turn back, that the entire story was a metaphor, had to have a sense for what it was as a written work. Man was the book depressing, each page you read the more it got horrible for Gregor. Surprisingly though it was still a book I didn’t have to take myself into turning, like maybe some of the more drier pieces had me. I just feel really depressed. I mean, they just up and forgot the bug thing was Gregor. Granted it was only a few pages for me and rather quite a length of time for them, but I can hardly believe that the parents would have forgotten that the thing spoke to them as Gregor before showing himself. I can see the sister not knowing, she went to fetch the doctor or whatever, but what did the parents think happened to their son then? He talked to them as he escaped out their apartment window only to leave a giant bug as a goodbye? Fair enough to say that thought may come through as his family are pretty naggy at the beginning and his job sounded pretty lame, like he hated it. But to give so much to his family over the years, them not having to lift a finger while he provided for them, and to repay him becoming a bug with stuffing him in a room… Hmmm… But I guess this helps me see the book in a new light. Perhaps I’m thinking to broad, but I guess Metamorphosis could refer to his family changing their living style in the passing of the brother, becoming more independent after having him take care if them so long. Maybe another ghost haunting type, looking over the shoulder, was too cliche for Kafka. Or maybe I am completely off mark. Overall I enjoyed the book. It was definitely a page turner and am excited to hear more about Kafka. Though now at the end of the blog, I take back my prior statement. Raymond Carter is wack. Anyone who reads him should get a gold star, his stories are seriously weird. Though I liked Raymond’s story called Fat. And the one where people were selling their furniture with the couple who wanted to buy from him… Or maybe that wasn’t him..?