The story in one page
Gregor Samsa wakes from troubled dreams to find he has become a massive, brown-bellied vermin. His primary concern is not his many waving legs but the fact that he has missed the five o'clock train to work. When his manager arrives to investigate his absence, the sight of Gregor triggers a family crisis. Gregor is driven back into his room by his father’s fist and cane. As months pass, his family transitions from pity to cold pragmatism, taking on jobs and boarders while Gregor slowly wastes away, covered in dust and forgotten scraps of food.
Who's who
- Gregor Samsa
A traveling salesman turned vermin who loses his voice and mobility.
- Grete
Gregor's sister who plays violin and eventually demands the family get rid of him.
- Mr. Samsa
Gregor's father who attacks his son with apples and regains his authority.
- Mrs. Samsa
Gregor's mother who faints at the sight of her son's new form.
- The Chief Clerk
Gregor's suspicious boss who flees the apartment in terror.
What it's really about
- Alienation
- A worker becomes a literal parasite when he can no longer produce.
- Domesticity
- The home transforms from a sanctuary into a claustrophobic prison.
Why it's memorable
- Gregor using his mouth to turn a key in a lock while bleeding brown fluid.
- An apple thrown by Gregor’s father becoming permanently lodged in his soft insect back.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
After Gregor dies alone in his room, the family takes a celebratory tram ride to the countryside, noting with satisfaction that Grete has grown into a beautiful woman ready for marriage.
For your book club
- The irony of a man feeling more shame about his job than his physical transformation.
- How the family’s health and finances improve only after Gregor is removed from the equation.