Metamorphosis is a drastic physical change that some animals experience during their development.
The term metamorphosis comes from the Latin word metamorphosis , which in turn derives from a Greek word meaning transformation . The most precise sense of the word, therefore, refers to mutation , evolution or the change of one thing that becomes something different.
Metamorphosis can be physical (concrete, real) or symbolic (abstract). The change from one state to another, such as from poverty to wealth or from singlehood to marriage, can also be referred to as a metamorphosis. For example: “Susan won the lottery and underwent a metamorphosis: she now lives in a mansion on the beach and has a luxury car.”
Metamorphosis in zoology and geology
In zoology , metamorphosis is the modification that certain animals experience as they grow and develop. In this process, the animal can change shape and even gender .
It is possible to distinguish between simple, straightforward or incomplete metamorphosis (where the animal goes through different moults until it becomes an adult, without periods of inactivity, as is the case with grasshoppers) and complicated or complete metamorphosis (the larva is very different from the adult and goes through stages where it does not move and may even stop eating, as is the case with butterflies).
In geology , metamorphism is the change (without a change in state) in the mineral or chemical formation of a rock, which occurs when it is under the influence of a pressure or temperature different from that which gave rise to it.
Kafka's masterpiece
"The Metamorphosis" is a short story by the Czech author Franz Kafka , published in 1915 , with the original title "Die Verwandlung" .
The play begins when Gregor Samsa, a man who works as a traveling salesman, wakes up and discovers that his body has changed ; he no longer has a human body but instead has the shell and limbs of an enormous insect, as if it were a giant cockroach.
From that moment on, Gregorio begins a life in which he secludes himself in his bedroom and stops communicating normally with the outside world. At first his sister takes care of him, brings him food, cleans and tidies his room and makes sure he doesn't lack anything; however, as time goes by, everyone forgets about Gregorio and the maid is the one who has to take care of feeding him. Forgotten by his family, Gregorio feels sadder and more alone every day. He hears their conversations and is able to understand them, but when he opens his mouth to communicate, monstrous sounds come out of his mouth. Finally he dies in his bedroom, completely alone.
Franz Kafka is the author of "The Metamorphosis."
Analysis of “The Metamorphosis”
The Metamorphosis is one of Kafka's fundamental works, a novel about which there are absolutely opposite opinions: some say that it is one of the best stories ever written, others say that it is a far-fetched story . However, beyond the tastes of readers, it is important to point out the issues that stand out in this novel, its meaning and Kafka's reasons for writing it.
This work may refer to the loneliness, frustration and guilt that become protagonists in a person's life when certain forces act upon him that he is unable to control . The character undergoes a change that he cannot explain and the others, instead of trying to get closer to him and learn to communicate from another plane, remain in their place, being exactly the same people; this leads to a circle of frustration and loneliness that the protagonist is unable to face and whose only solution is death, the breaking of those relationships, the journey to a different dimension where only beings capable of understanding him exist.
The supernatural and the absurd vs. the realistic
All of Kafka's novels are characterized by presenting different supernatural or absurd mechanisms with a realistic and true look, achieving a logical explanation for those issues that seem incomprehensible; his characters do not fully understand whether what is happening is the product of a dream or part of reality and, nevertheless, they continue forward. Gregorio does not believe that he is a cockroach, but that it is all a bad dream that will end when he wakes up and can go to work.
On the other hand, when he discovers that there is nothing he can do to reverse this, he tries to accept it. Despite his efforts, the lack of understanding and coldness with which his family treats him forces him to take refuge in solitude. It is a work where fundamental themes of life can be analyzed, such as tolerance and the meaning of existence beyond appearances.