The Metamorphosis/变形记

The absurdity of isolation and survival, captured through the image of a beetle.

一只甲壳虫写进孤独与生存的荒诞

The Metamorphosis opens with one of the most startling sentences in modern literature: Gregor Samsa awakens to find himself transformed into a giant insect.From this surreal premise, Franz Kafka constructs a haunting exploration of alienation, guilt,and the fragility of human identity.As Gregor struggles to adapt to his new condition,his family's initial concern gradually gives way to fear,resentment, and neglect. The transformation exposes the emotional and moral dynamics that governed his life long before his physical change. Kafka's spare,precise prose heightens the story's unsettling power.Both darkly comic and deeply tragic, The Metamorphosi sremains a defining work of twentieth-century literature. Its portrayal of isolation and dehumanization continues to resonate in a world shaped by bureaucracy,obligation, and silent despair.

《变形记》中主人公格里高尔·萨姆沙在一家公司任旅行推销员，长年奔波在外，辛苦支撑着整个家庭的花销。当萨姆沙还能以微薄的薪金供养他那薄情寡义的家人时，他是家中受到尊敬的长子，父母夸奖他，妹妹爱戴他。当有一天他变成了甲虫，丧失了劳动力，对这个家再也没有物质贡献时，家人一反之前对他的尊敬态度，逐渐显现出冷漠、嫌弃、憎恶的面孔。父亲恶狠狠地用苹果打他，母亲吓得晕倒，妹妹厌弃他。渐渐地，萨姆沙远离了社会，最后孤独痛苦地在饥饿中默默地死去。