Metamorphosis by Franz KafkaII

Outside his room, Gregor Samsa’s family waits anxiously for him. Gregor is getting late for the office and the chief clerk has arrived to inquire into the delay in reporting for work. In fact, Gregor wakes up from a dream to find himself transformed into a gigantic dung beetle. He is taking time to adjust to this sudden change. He does not know how long he will remain in his present strange state, but he is sure that he does not want to offend his boss. 

As the chief clerk chastises him, Gregor tries to shout out an explanation. He manages only a squeak that makes everybody outside quite suspicious. As the change is only physical, Gregor still thinks like humans. His ability to act like humans, however, is severely compromised. Actually, Gregor finds it difficult to unbolt the door as the transformed physique makes the simple manoeuver of opening the door a staggering task for him. He is so anxious to salvage his loyalty to his firm that forgetful of his sudden and surreal transformation, he manages to come out and scare everybody present in the house. 

Gregor is a commercial traveller and his one aim in life is to provide for his family and to send his sister to an arts academy is his only wish. The irreversibility of change dawns on him slowly. His earlier social and professional concerns start appearing ridiculous as the human readers also understand the utter absurdity of human thoughts in a dung beetle.

Gregor comes to term with his new life as a lower animal- his appetite, his wishes and his idea of threats change: losing a job is not more crushing than his father’s stomping foot. The routine life of his family is disrupted and they have to adapt to a changed financial condition. They also have to struggle with keeping this strange happening a secret. 

Initially, Gregor’s sister with her youthful enthusiasm readily serves the dung beetle but as the novelty wanes, she loses interest and finds Gregor to be a hindrance to a more fulfilling life. However, only after his metamorphosis into a dung beetle does this traveling salesman find some leisure and attention. He also discovers a latent passion for music that was suppressed in his human life but surges forth in his insect spirits.

Forgetting public shame and caring nothing for the family embarrassment, he makes an unabashed social appearance as his sister plays the violin in the living room. But this soulful enjoyment of life, even as an insect, is brief as society abhors the repulsive creature and the family gears up to discard this unbearable burden. In fact he is prompted to a suicide and voluntary renunciation of life by his sister. 

The charwoman entrusted with cleaning the secret room soon discovers the lifeless body of the giant dung beetle. She pokes it with her broom and disposes it off, ridding the family of the ignominy, forever. The family rediscovers the lost rhythm of their life. 

Humans have an anthropocentric outlook, that is, we think that man is the centre of universe. Things and events are perceived from an intellectual and social point of view shared by humans. Metamorphosis, however, is a story is written from an alternative perspective. The story is radical as it revolves around the thoughts and perceptions of a disadvantaged creature, a human turned into a dung beetle and the author invites the reader to empathize with this insect. It is special also in its expression of the subjectivity representative of what may be called a ‘subaltern’ and hounded community in the War period.