The Metamorphosis is a novella written by Franz Kafka which was first published in 1915. One of Kafka’s best-known works, The Metamorphosis tells the story of salesman Gregor Samsa. Profoundly inspirational The Metamorphosis quotes will encourage you to think a little deeper than you usually would and broaden your perspective.
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Famous The Metamorphosis Quotes
As he heard his mother’s words Gregor realized that the lack of all immediate human contact, together with the monotonous life surrounded by the family over the course of these two months must have confused his understanding, because otherwise, he couldn’t explain to himself that he in all seriousness could’ve been so keen to have his room emptied. — The Metamorphosis
One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin. — The Metamorphosis
Hardly she entered the room than she would run straight to the window without taking time to close the door—though she was usually so careful to spare everyone the sight of Gregor’s room—then tear open the casements with eager hands, almost as if she were suffocating, and remain for a little while at the window even in the coldest weather, breathing deeply. With this racing and crashing, she frightened Gregor twice a day; the whole time he cowered under the couch, and yet he knew very well that she would certainly have spared him this if only she had found it possible to stand being in a room with him with the window closed. — The Metamorphosis
Was that really his father? The same tired man as used to be laying there entombed in his bed when Gregor came back from business trips, who would receive him sitting in his armchair in his nightgown when he came back in the evenings. — The Metamorphosis
Oh, God … What a strenuous career it is that I’ve chosen! — The Metamorphosis
And now he could see him, standing closest to the door, his hand pressed over his open mouth, slowly backing away as if repulsed by an invisible, unrelenting force. His mother—in spite of the manager’s presence she stood with her hair still unbraided from the night, sticking out in all directions—first looked at his father with her hands clasped, then took two steps towards Gregor, and sank down in the midst of her skirt spreading out around her, her face completely hidden on her breast. With a hostile expression, his father clenched his fist, as if to drive Gregor back into his room, then looked uncertainly around the living room, shielded his eyes with his hands, and sobbed with heaves of his powerful chest. — The Metamorphosis
Growing more silent and almost unconsciously understanding each other in their glances, they thought that the time was now at hand to seek out a good honest man for her. — The Metamorphosis
Her life up till then had been very enviable, consisting of wearing nice clothes, sleeping late, helping out in the business, joining in with a few modest pleasures and most of all playing the violin. — The Metamorphosis
I am speaking here in the name of your parents and your employer, and I am requesting you in all seriousness for an immediate and clear explanation. — The Metamorphosis
If it was possible, he felt that he must go away even more strongly than his sister. — The Metamorphosis
Before, he had taken great pride in how considerate he was but now it hardly occurred to him that he had become so thoughtless about the others. — The Metamorphosis
Into a room in which Gregor ruled the bare walls all alone, no human being beside Grete was ever likely to set foot. — The Metamorphosis
Gregor’s serious wound, from which he suffered for over a month since no one ventured to remove the apple, it remained in his flesh as a visible reminder, seemed by itself to have reminded the father that, in spite of his present unhappy and hateful appearance, Gregor was a member of the family, something one should not treat as an enemy, and that it was, on the contrary, a requirement of family duty to suppress one’s aversion and to endure—nothing else, just endure. — The Metamorphosis
One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug. — The Metamorphosis
In his present situation, such futile ideas went through his head, while he pushed himself right up against the door and listened. — The Metamorphosis
There he remained the entire night, which he spent partly in a state of semi-sleep, out of which his hunger constantly woke him with a start, but partly in a state of worry and murky hopes, which all led to the conclusion that for the time being he would have to keep calm and with patience and the greatest consideration for his family tolerate the troubles which in his present condition he was now forced to cause them. — The Metamorphosis
It was very easy to throw aside the blanket. He needed only to push himself up a little, and it fell by itself. But to continue was difficult, particularly because he was so unusually wide. He needed arms and hands to push himself upright. — The Metamorphosis
It even happened that various pieces of family jewelry, which previously the mother and sister had been overjoyed to wear on social and festive occasions, were sold, as Gregor found out in the evening from the general discussion of the prices they had fetched. — The Metamorphosis
It’ll be the death of both of you, I can see it coming. — The Metamorphosis
Those had been wonderful times, and they had never returned, at least not with the same glory, although later on Gregor earned enough money to meet the expenses of the entire family and actually did so. They had just gotten used to it, the family as well as Gregor, the money was received with thanks and given with pleasure. — The Metamorphosis
Just from each other’s glance and almost without knowing it they agreed that it would soon be time to find a good man for her. — The Metamorphosis
Their business misfortune had reduced the family to a state of total despair, and Gregor’s only concern at that time had been to arrange things so that they could all forget about it as quickly as possible. — The Metamorphosis
When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin. He was lying on his back as hard as armor plate, and when he lifted his head a little, he saw his vaulted brown belly, sectioned by arch-shaped ribs, to whose dome the cover, about to slide off completely, could barely cling. His many legs, pitifully thin compared with the size of the rest of him, were waving helplessly before his eyes. — The Metamorphosis
Why was only Gregor condemned to work for a firm where at the slightest omission they immediately suspected the worst? Were all employees louts without exception? Wasn’t there a single loyal, dedicated worker among them who, when he had not fully utilized a few hours of the morning for the firm, was driven half-mad by pangs of conscience and was actually unable to get out of bed? — The Metamorphosis
I won’t pronounce the name of my brother in front of this monster, and so all I say is: we have to try and get rid of it. We’ve done everything humanly possible to take care of it and to put up with it; I don’t think anyone can blame us in the least. Grete, — The Metamorphosis
Once during the long evening, one side door and then the other door was opened just a tiny crack and quickly closed again. Someone presumably needed to come in but had then thought better of it. — The Metamorphosis
He was especially fond of hanging from the ceiling; it was quite different from lying on the floor; he could breathe more freely; his body had a light swing to it. — The Metamorphosis
What the world demands of poor people they did to the utmost of their ability; his father brought breakfast for the minor officials at the bank, his mother sacrificed herself to the underwear of strangers, his sister ran back and forth behind the counter at the request of the customers; but for anything more than this they did not have the strength. — The Metamorphosis
Growing quieter and communicating almost unconsciously through glances, they thought that it would soon be time, too, to find her a good husband. And it was like a confirmation of their new dreams and good intentions when at the end of the ride their daughter got up first and stretched her young body. — The Metamorphosis
