Samsa in Love

     This was not my first time reading Samsa in Love. At first, I did not make the connection between Murakami's rendition and the Metamorphosis.  I think that Murakami did a very good job when he wrote this rebirth and continuation of Samsa's life as he turns back into a human during war-torn times in Prague. Though I do agree with what David wrote as the Metamorphosis seemed like it was going to focus on Gregor but it seems to focus more on his family and sister as they end up neglecting Gregor who has accepted his new form and continues to live out their lives. Especially once he had died his family had moved on with their lives with a sigh of relief that they would never have to deal with the hideous appearance of Gregor.

    For Murakami's take on the character Gregor, I would like to think that it takes some time soon after the events of the original as there is still food on the table when Gregor manages to make his way down to the kitchen. I would like to think that Gregor in this story is a completely different person than the one from the original, as it seems more of a swap than a rebirth. My main reason for this idea is the way Murakami describes the newly awakened Gregor as if he was never really human in the first place. Murakami takes time to go into detail about the way that Gregor is coming to comprehend his body and also question why he no longer has a shell for protection. So just as Gregor from the Metamopsis changed into an insect the Gregor in Samsa in Love probably started off as an insect before becoming Gregor Samsa. Gregor from the Metamoprhsis did not live as a human as he despised his life and surroundings thus becoming an insect and came to accept it easily; while Murakami's rendition learns about humans and wants to live as one.

 Michael