At first I thought Gregor’s change was mental rather than physical. I thought the “bug” was just a metaphor for how small he felt in the world, and the fact that he could not get out of bed as a metaphor for his desperation and hopelessness. This reminded me of a cover art for Modest Mouse’s “Dramamine.”

In chapter three, Kafka describes “Gregor’s serious wound, from which he suffered for over a month – the apple remained imbedded in his flesh as a visible souvenir since no one dared to remove it – seemed to have reminded even his father that Gregor was a member of the family, in spite of his present pathetic and repulsive shape, who could not be treated as an enemy; that on the contrary, it was the commandment of family duty to swallow their disgust and endure him, endure him and nothing more.”(40) In a musical version of Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”, I could picture Simple Plan’s “Perfect” playing faintly in the background as this quote is being reenacted.

The ending of the story, Kakfa writes,”Growing quieter and communicating almost unconsciously through glances, they thought that it would soon be time, too, to find her a good husband. And it was like a confirmation of their new dreams and good intentions when at the end of the ride their daughter got up first and stretched her young body.”(58) Which made me think of another cover art by Modest Mouse:

Gregor was surely not the first to uphold his family since generations and generations precede him, but this quote suggests (to me atleast) that Grete is next in line, whether she is going to be supporting her parents like Gregor, or her new family.

Finally, the story as a whole expresses the hopeless sense of alienation and loneliness that is incredibly human. We have all experienced a feeling of “not belonging” at some point in our lives. The book also reminds me of a song by Three Days Grace called “Home”.

Three Days Grace – “Home”

“No matter how hard I try
You’re never satisfied
This is not a home
I think I’m better off alone”

The chorus above reminds me of Gregor’s situation throughout the novel because he’s constantly being unappreciated by his family. He tried to hide himself so they wouldn’t have to suffer. He ended up with an apple imprinted in his back, crippled by his own father. Yet he still feels nothing but love for his family. Kakfa writes, “He thought of his family with tenderness and love. The decision that he must disappear was one that he held to even more strongly than his sister, if that were possible. In this state of vacant and peaceful meditation he remained until the tower clock struck three in the morning. The first broadening of light in the world outside the window entered his consciousness once more. Then his head sank to the floor of its own accord and from his nostrils came the last faint flicker of his breath.”(29) Gregor was abandoned by his family and rejected by his sister, his only friend. He was unable to meet the expectations his family set up for him and was therefore subjected to constant degradation until his woeful end. Which made me think of the cover of Three Days Grace’s album “One – X”. Gregor would be the “One X”, the only one that does not belong.