The Metamorphosis: Franz Kafka

As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning, fromrestless dreams he found himself recast in hisbed into a gigantic insect.<br/><br/>He was laying on his hard, as it werearmour-plated, back and when he raised hishead a little he could see his domelike browntummy separated into stiff arched parts on topof which the bed quilt could barely keep in placeand was about to slide off entirely.<br/><br/>His numerous legs, which were pitifully delicatecorresponded to the remainder of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes.With its stunning, eccentric, yet surprisinglyfunny first opening, Kafka begins hischef-d'oeuvre, The Metamorphosis.It is the story of a youthful man who, changedovernight into a giant beetle-like insect, evolvesan entity of disrepute to his family, a stranger inhis own home, a quintessentially alienated man.