The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (1915)

One morning, Gregor Samsa wakes up to find he's turned into a giant insect — and somehow, that's the least shocking part. In this surreal masterpiece by Franz Kafka, we explore what happens when ordinary life collapses into absurdity. As Gregor's family recoils in horror, his slow isolation becomes a mirror of modern alienation — a world where productivity defines worth, and compassion crumbles under discomfort. This episode unpacks Kafka's strange genius: a story that's part horror, part heartbreak, and entirely human. The Metamorphosis isn't really about a bug — it's about what happens when the world stops seeing you as a person.