OT: Franz Kafka's Lighter Side
Frank J. Lhota
by Franz Kafka. This assignment came with a worksheet with questions
that the students may wish to consider in their essays. These questions
include:
"Why did Kafka choose the ending we have? How would the story differ if
Gregor lived happily ever after?"
This makes me wonder: given that the novella begins with traveling
salesman and protagonist Gregor Samsa being transformed into a giant
insect, what would the "happy ending" of this story be like?
If the story took place in the 1960's, the "Metamorphosis" happy ending
would be that Gregor would inspire an ad executive at McMann and Tate to
come up with a brilliant new ad campaign.
--
"All things extant in this world,
Gods of Heaven, gods of Earth,
Let everything be as it should be;
Thus shall it be!"
- Magical chant from "Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi"
"Drizzle, Drazzle, Drozzle, Drome,
Time for this one to come home!"
- Mr. Wizard from "Tooter Turtle"
Derek Janssen
> My son is working on a literary essay on the novella "The Metamorphosis"
> by Franz Kafka. This assignment came with a worksheet with questions
> that the students may wish to consider in their essays. These questions
> include:
>
> "Why did Kafka choose the ending we have? How would the story differ if
> Gregor lived happily ever after?"
>
> This makes me wonder: given that the novella begins with traveling
> salesman and protagonist Gregor Samsa being transformed into a giant
> insect, what would the "happy ending" of this story be like?
And of course, that's leaving aside
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MCTjgQi-2A
Derek Janssen (nah, it's too GOOD!)
eja...@verizon.net
Jim Ellwanger
"Frank J. Lhota" <FrankLh...@rcn.com> wrote:
> "Why did Kafka choose the ending we have? How would the story differ if
> Gregor lived happily ever after?"
>
> This makes me wonder: given that the novella begins with traveling
> salesman and protagonist Gregor Samsa being transformed into a giant
> insect, what would the "happy ending" of this story be like?
If "Metamorphosis" had been written by Jack L. Chalker, it would turn
out that Gregor Samsa was only the first; everyone on Earth ends up
transformed into a giant insect, they all eventually learn to adjust to
their new forms, and they all live happily ever after.
--
Jim Ellwanger <use...@ellwanger.tv>
<http://www.ellwanger.tv> welcomes you daily.
"The days turn into nights; at night, you hear the trains."
Joseph Nebus
>In article <gcbch0$ulq$1...@aioe.org>,
> "Frank J. Lhota" <FrankLh...@rcn.com> wrote:
>> "Why did Kafka choose the ending we have? How would the story differ if
>> Gregor lived happily ever after?"
>>
>> This makes me wonder: given that the novella begins with traveling
>> salesman and protagonist Gregor Samsa being transformed into a giant
>> insect, what would the "happy ending" of this story be like?
>If "Metamorphosis" had been written by Jack L. Chalker, it would turn
>out that Gregor Samsa was only the first; everyone on Earth ends up
>transformed into a giant insect, they all eventually learn to adjust to
>their new forms, and they all live happily ever after.
Except it'd be at least fifty millixanths on the creepy/squicky
scale when the Chalker Book Sexuality gets into things.
--
Joseph Nebus
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Frank J. Lhota
> And of course, that's leaving aside
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MCTjgQi-2A
Youtube also has the rock opera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_dFpKZo54w
> Derek Janssen (nah, it's too GOOD!)
> eja...@verizon.net
Frank J. Lhota
> If "Metamorphosis" had been written by Jack L. Chalker, it would turn
> out that Gregor Samsa was only the first; everyone on Earth ends up
> transformed into a giant insect, they all eventually learn to adjust to
> their new forms, and they all live happily ever after.
.. and if Stan Lee wrote the story, Gregor would discover that becoming
a large beetle has given him super powers, allowing him to battle the
existentialist super villians such as the Stranger, the Plague and No
Exit Man.
Chris "Sampo" Cornell
"Frank J. Lhota" <FrankLh...@rcn.com> wrote:
> Jim Ellwanger wrote:
> > If "Metamorphosis" had been written by Jack L. Chalker, it would turn
> > out that Gregor Samsa was only the first; everyone on Earth ends up
> > transformed into a giant insect, they all eventually learn to adjust to
> > their new forms, and they all live happily ever after.
>
> .. and if Stan Lee wrote the story, Gregor would discover that becoming
> a large beetle has given him super powers, allowing him to battle the
> existentialist super villians such as the Stranger, the Plague and No
> Exit Man.
Let's not forget Elayne Boosler's "The Call."
Sampo (on second thought, let's DO)