This story about a man who turned into a type of insect has been called surreal, humorous. a horror story, neurotic, and “the greatest short story in the history of literary fiction.” I visited a museum devoted t0 Kafka in Prague. It was the weirdest, most unpleasant museum I’ve ever been in. Its mission is to evoke the feelings of depression and paranoia and loneliness that run throughout Kafka’s work. As I walked through the maze of small hallways – which were painted black – I found myself hurrying to get to the end. It was powerful, but one visit will suffice.
Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. Translated by David Wyllie. Classix Press, 2009. Originally published in 1915, p.7.