Before reading Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, I expected the book to be about butterflies. Teachers have always linked the term “metamorphosis” to the transformation of butterflies into adulthood, so that was my initial thought. Maybe I was not thinking abstractly enough, but did anyone else think of butterflies?
After reading the first paragraph of the book, and discovering that my initial thoughts on the story were completely wrong, the image on the cover of James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl came to mind. The illustrations are so ugly and the bugs that James befriends reminded me of Gregor and how the characters would be portrayed if it was written as a children’s book. I haven’t read James and the Giant Peach in years, and it was strange to have the sudden memory of the story, but I interpret the characterization of Gregor and the Samsa family as dreadful and odd.
I actually had the exact same thoughts when I heard the title of the book. I think it’s because of elementary school that we associate the word metamorphosis with butterflies. I remember actually seeing a caterpillar turn into a butterfly in science classes in 3rd or 4th grade and so I always think of that when I hear “metamorphosis”. I think we all had similar experiences in elementary school learning about the caterpillar turning into the butterfly, but I never realized I would forever attach the word to a specific insect. However, after reading this I’m sure we’ll be thinking of Gregor when we hear metamorphosis. It’s also interesting the way you linked James and the Giant Peach to this, because that book never crossed my mind while reading Metamorphosis, but now I completely see the parallel that you brought up. I’m surprised I didn’t notice it before!