Although I sometimes hate to admit it, the Metamorphosis has amused me pretty consistently throughout our reading of it. At first I thought the reason was that the situation was so goofy that it just came across as funny, but I now think it's much more than that.
Looking at the text, the element of the writing which causes everything to be so humorous is the style of writing itself. Everything is said such a matter-of-fact way and focuses on elements you wouldn't expect. Especially when juxtaposed to the simple and rapid progression of a scene in Hemmingway's writing, Kafka's tendency to dwell on mundane ideas makes the character seem ridiculous. Seeing Gregor's reasoned tone in the face of his transformation is just about as silly as a posh aristocrat retaining his composure while his hair is on fire.
While I do find a lot of humor in the text based on situation alone (the scene in which Gregor is desperately trying to turn around is particularly funny in my mind), the formality of the writing accentuates the humor already present. The comedy of Gregor's character is also emphasized, especially when it explains his odd priorities in this strange situation. Regardless of the source, the humor in The Metamorphosis is more tightly weaved into the story and characters than most comedy books I've read.
2 comments:
Although I have many problems with the book, I also enjoy the humor in it. The irony (if it can be called that) inherent in the ridiculous actions of Gregor coupled with Kafka's serious, dark tone is really enjoyable.
I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on David Foster Wallace's remarks on K's humor. For me, this book gets funnier every time I read it. It's radically self-deprecating humor, to be sure, so it's maybe a question of taste. But the fact that Gregor himself is never funny--this is all completely serious to him--is a big part of it. It reminds me of Buster Keaton's silent films, in some ways: the situation is crashing all around him, he faces a range of absurd and impossible hurdles, but he stoically brushes himself off and goes at it again, never cracking a smile or pausing to react to the absurdity. We laugh, but the protagonist isn't in on the joke.
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