The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
I have read this book in 2023, and it has been stuck in my mind since.
The story follows a man named Gregor Samsa, a man that works hard to support his family, one day he wakes up to realize he has become a giant insect. From this, although he was a model employee at the company he worked on, he was quickly fired, and now, his family, that relied on him and his job, loving him unconditionally for what he did, treats him as a burden, disgusted by his new looks, treating him like he is nothing, clearly taking care of him for mere obligation, even refusing to look in his face.
There are multiple ways to look at this story. One way I like to think about it is how individuals in capitalist societies are often valued only for their economic contributions. Once he loses his ability to work, he is dehumanized and discarded.
Another form of interpretation that resonates with me is the way Gregor’s transformation mirrors the experience of many LGBTQI+ individuals who are rejected by their families after coming out or revealing their true selves. How him transforming into something different from what his family expected him to be, was the reason he was no longer treated as a member of the family, distancing themselves from him. Also, how he had to hide every time someone went to see him, so he wouldn't disturb the other person, that instead of trying to understand his new self, shunned him in every way possible, even threatening his life at some point.
