The Metamorphosis

After a night of "anxious dreams" (3), Gregor Samsa, a young man who works as a "travelling salesman" (3), awakens in his bed to find he has "been changed into a monstrous vermin" (3). Though Gregor lies in his familiar bedroom at his family's home, his body has completely transformed. He now has an "armour-hard [sic] back" (3) and an arched abdomen divided into "rigid bow-like sections" (3). Gregor has "numerous legs" (3) but, because of his shape, cannot move. He lies on his back in bed, wondering how he slept through his alarm and worrying about missing work. 

Gregor considers calling in sick but decides it wouldn't be a good idea. He hasn't called in sick in his five years of employment and worries his boss would show up with a doctor to examine him. Gregor, "unable to make the decision to get out of bed" (5), hears a soft knock on his bedroom door. Gregor keeps his door locked out of habit from his constant travelling. From the other side of the door, Gregor's mother asks if he'll be leaving soon as it's already a quarter to seven. Gregor usually leaves at five. Gregor tries to answer his mother but finds his voice, too, has changed. It's become "distorted" (5) with a "painful squeaking" (5) sound. Gregor says that he's getting up "right away" (5), and his bedroom door muffles his answer enough that his mother doesn't suspect anything. 

Gregor's conversation with his mother alerts Gregor's father and sister that he's still at home. Gregor's father begins to shout his name and Gregor's sister, Grete, knocks lightly and asks if Gregor needs anything. With "long pauses between the individual words" (5), Gregor answers that he'll be "ready right away" (5). His father leaves but Grete stays and begs Gregor to open the door. He does not.

Before he opens the door, Gregor wants to rise "quietly and undisturbed" (5), dress himself, and, "above all" (5), eat breakfast. Gregor remembers mornings past when he felt "a light pain" (6) while lying in bed that vanished once he got out of bed. This time, Gregor finds that, given the shape of his new body and uselessness of his many limbs, he can't easily get out of bed. Gregor maneuvers his wide body with "painful agitation" (6). He finds the lower half of his body "too difficult to move" (6), so he instead tries to roll over by leading with his head. Looking out at the "morning mist" (7), Gregor tells himself he must be out of bed by a quarter past seven since the office opens at seven o'clock. By then, someone from the office will come looking for him.

Gregor finds that by rocking on his rounded, hard back with "constant rhythm" (7), he can lift himself out of bed. Gregor realizes that with the help of just two people, he could easily get up. As he imagines his father and the servant woman hoisting him out of bed and placing his "diminutive legs" (7) on the floor, Gregor is "unable to suppress a smile" (7). 

Gregor hears the apartment bell ring. Freezing, with his legs dancing "around all the faster" (7), Gregor assumes it's someone from the office. After a pause, the maid opens the door. At the visitor's first word, Gregor realizes it's the office manager. As Gregor's mind swirls with anxiety and fear, he swings himself "with all his might" (8) out of his bed and lands with a "loud thud" (8) on his carpeted floor. He doesn't hurt his back, which is "more elastic" (8) than he'd thought, but Gregor hits his head. 

In the next room, the manager comments that something's fallen in Gregor's room. From the adjoining room, Gregor hears his sister whisper that the manager has come. Mr. Samsa says the same, in a louder voice, and tells Gregor that they don't know what to tell the manager about why Gregor didn't come into work. Mr. Samsa tells Gregor to open the door. The manager calls out "Good morning" (8) to Gregor and Mrs. Samsa begins to tell the manager that Gregor has "nothing in his head except business" (9), so he must not be well. Mrs. Samsa tells the manager that Gregor has spent every night that week with them and only taken a little time to construct a "small frame" (9) that now hangs in his bedroom. 

Gregor "slowly and deliberately" (9) says he's coming "right away" (9). From the other room, the manager says he hopes it's "nothing serious" (9), but "on the other hand" (9) the manager says sometimes businesspeople have to get over minor ailments "for business reasons" (9). Mr. Samsa impatiently asks Gregor if the manager can come into his room now. Gregor answers simply, "No" (9). From the adjoining room, Gregor hears Grete begin to sob. Gregor wonders if Grete is crying because she's worried he'll lose his job and his boss will begin to "badger his parents once again with the old demands" (9). Gregor doesn't indulge this worry, though. He feels that if they only knew his current condition, the manager and his family would leave him be. 

The manager, now upset, begins to shout at Gregor. The manager says he doesn't understand why Gregor won't open the door and only gives one-word answers. He also says he's "amazed" (10) at this obstinate behavior because he always knew Gregor as "a calm, reasonable person" (10). The manager tells Gregor that the Chief, or office boss, told him that Gregor might be acting neglectful because he was recently entrusted with a "collection of cash" (10). Although he was prepared to stand up for Gregor, the manager now sees Gregor's "unimaginable pig-headedness" (10) and thus can't defend him. The manager also brings up Gregor's recent lack of sales for which he sees no excuse. 

Gregor, "beside himself" (10), begins an impassioned speech in his defense. He says he is having "a dizzy spell" (10) which prevented him from getting out of bed. Gregor asks for the manager's patience and muses how sudden impositions can come over someone. Gregor says there's no basis for the manager's criticisms of his work and claims no one has mentioned this to him at the office. Gregor claims the manager hasn't seen his most recent orders and assures him that he'll be at the office "in person right away" (10). 

As Gregor says this, he moves towards his dresser and begins trying to "raise himself" (11) with its support. Gregor wants to open the door. He feels that if his appearance causes the manager and his family shock, then he has "no more responsibility" (11), but if they accept his appearance calmly, then he'll "get a move on" (11) and arrive at the train station at eight o'clock. Gregor finally manages to stand upright, ignoring the lingering pains in his lower body. He stands still for a moment and listens to the conversation outside his room. 

The manager asks if anyone understood "a single word" (11) and whether Gregor is "playing the fool" (11) with them. Mrs. Samsa, crying, says Gregor must be seriously ill. She calls to Grete and asks her and the maid to go fetch the doctor. The manager says that Gregor's voice was like "an animal's" (11). Mr. Samsa yells for Anna to fetch a locksmith, too. Gregor hears Grete and the maid's "swishing skirts" (11) moving through the hall towards the apartment's front door, still open from the manager's entrance. 

Gregor remains calm. He feels comforted that now people believe something is wrong and are "prepared to help him" (11). Gregor coughs "in a really subdued way" (11) to be sure it sounds like a "human cough" (12) and prepares to speak again. Gregor throws himself from the dresser to a chair to lean against his bedroom door. His limbs have "a little sticky stuff" (12) on their ball-ends and using that support, Gregor seizes the door's key with his mouth. He finds he has no teeth but strong jaws. As he uses his mouth to turn the key, "brown fluid" (12) drips from his mouth onto the key and floor. Gregor hears the manager say that he's turning the key. Gregor wishes they would give him words of encouragement, but they stay silent. 

After some frantic work, Gregor hears the "distinct click" (12) of the lock opening. Gregor leans his head against the door handle to open it. The open door partially obscures Gregor's body, but he maneuvers himself, careful not to fall onto his back, so that his head and upper body become visible. The manager sees Gregor first and gives a little cry then covers his hand with his mouth and begins moving back. Mrs. Samsa steps closer to Gregor then collapses onto the floor, concealing her face. Mr. Samsa clenches his fist in apparent hostility then covers his eyes and cries. 

With his bedroom door now open and his head peeking out from behind it, Gregor again begins to speak to the manager, defending himself. Gregor, aware that he's the only one who's "kept his composure" (13), says he'll gather his things and leave for the office immediately. He then asks the manager whether he'll speak truthfully to the Chief on Gregor's behalf. Gregor says he knows people don't like travelling salesman because they think they earn "pots of money and lead a fine life" (14). Gregor says he also knows that people in the office can talk poorly about the travelling salesmen because they're never there to defend themselves. Gregor asks the manager not to leave without conceding that he's "a little in the right" (14). 

The manager, however, remains silent and begins moving towards the open front door. He moves slowly towards the landing and staircase, without taking his eyes off Gregor, as though "some truly supernatural relief" (14) awaits him in the landing. Gregor realizes he won't keep his job, which his family needs, if the manager leaves on these terms. Gregor pushes himself out of his bedroom door and falls, first onto his back, then rocks himself onto his legs. For the first time that morning, Gregor feels "a general physical well being" (15) as his legs, on solid ground now, finally obey his commands. 

Gregor's proximity prompts Mrs. Samsa to flee to the dining table. In her fright, she spills a coffee container onto the rug. Seeing this upsets Gregor and he moves towards her, forgetting the manager for a moment. Mrs. Samsa screams and falls into Mr. Samsa's arms. Turning his attention back to the front door, Gregor notices that the manager has leapt down a few stairs and "disappeared" (15) without his hat or cane. 

Mr. Samsa, dumbfounded by the events, now grabs the manager's cane and a newspaper. He brandishes them at Gregor, trying to drive him back into his room. Gregor realizes that no protest of his will be understood and begins to move backwards, clumsily. Mr. Samsa moves forward, "pushing out sibilants, like a wild man" (16). Fearful of his father's hissing and menacing, Gregor maneuvers himself slowly so that his head faces his bedroom door. When he reaches it, Gregor realizes that his body is too wide for its opening. Instead of opening the door's other half, Mr. Samsa charges at Gregor. Gregor forces himself through the open door, scraping his side and legs. Gregor gets stuck and struggles until Mr. Samsa gives him "one really strong liberating push" (17) and Gregor falls into his room, "bleeding severely" (17). Mr. Samsa slams the door behind him.