If the original Metamorphosis was a commentary on the existential dread and discomfort of the human condition, Murakami's Samsa In Love is a completely reversed reinterpretation of the short story. They are so different, in fact, that one might think Murakami was mocking Kafka's take on humanity.
In this rework, or sequel to the original, if you will, Murakami combines masterful storytelling with vivid imagination to redeem the original bleak and drastically grim sentiments of Gregor Samsa's life. If Gregor Samsa can one day senselessly wake up to find himself a monstrous cockroach, then why--asks Murakami--can't the same thing happen in reverse? Not only did he reverse the main event of the story, he also reversed and retorted the central message of it. Metamorphosis was an absurdist piece that conveys the ridiculousness and raucous undertone of human existence: Gregor Samsa's manager doesn't show him the least bit of kindness, and his family gives up on him despite all his good graces when he was once human. The story had an infinitely negative ending. If one were to take a look at
It is interesting as well to consider how Kafka employed the "metamorphosis" as a symbolism for humanity--Samsa's absurd condition is no better than that of a cockroach--yet Murakami's use of the metamorphosis serves as a distinction between humans and simple vermin. He chooses to explore what is it after all that separates humans from just an ordinary fish or sunflower. His answer is our fear of the mundane, our voracious desire for company, and the transcendence of memories. Murakami is saying that if he chose to start this all over again, much like Gregor Samsa in his remix, he would still have the unwavering and relentless faith in the humanity that resides within the human heart, despite everything, despite the tanks and cannons dispersed through the city of Prague.
Casting the similarities aside, Samsa In Love has many original elements that were in all honesty nothing short of captivating. What's the deal with the hunchback woman? Obviously, she is the love interest suggested in the title. But some questions I have are: what is the significance behind her role as an apprentice locksmith? and why is she a hunchback? We know Murakami likes to utilize special characteristics to promote a certain idea: for example, the ears of the narrator's girlfriend in A Wild Sheep Chase signifies an extraordinary ability to listen to the sounds of the universe. What is the significance of the hunchback, then, in this case? Is this also a nod at Gregor Samsa in the original, where he was flat on his back and unable to get out of bed?
There is also--quite prominently, actually--a Biblical allusion in this short story. This again calls to Murakami's status as an international writer: you don't really see references to the Bible in Japanese stories. In Samsa In Love, Samsa's house is clearly a miniature Garden of Eden--the protagonist awakes in stark nakedness, unaware of the idea of clothes and garments, saving but a desire to protect himself from the pecking of birds (what is the significance of birds in this short story? There were at least three mentions of it). As if he had bitten the forbidden fruit, he covers himself up in the most comfortable piece of clothing he could find: a dressing gown. In that sense, not only does this story subvert the intentions of Metamorphosis, in some ways it also retorts the sentiments expressed in the Book of Genesis. To Murakami, human desires that were considered a sin worthy of expulsion from Eden in the holy book is transcended into a source of profound joy and humanity. Learning and understanding humanity is a mission that by itself alone is enough to serve as life's purpose. Instead of being condemned for knowledge, humanity is blessed with the search to find out the definition of the things that we once did not understand: clothes, brassiere, war, tanks, fucking, and even God. No longer is it a curse, but rather a newfound motivation for Samsa that leads to a new life for him.
Despite Murakami's efforts to provide a more optimistic outlook compared to the original, one cannot help but view his riffing on the original as somewhat of a mockery. I'm conflicted about this message because one has to choose what to believe between Kafka and Murakami's messages--the two cannot simply co-exist. One side of the coin is a desire to trust that humanity was good after all (because of our simple, pure, and dear desire for company), and the tail side reveals the harsh truth about the darkness of the human soul that is ungrateful and seeks to rid of all inconvenience and abandon all liabilities, even those that were once so near and dear. If nothing else, this story conveys one thing with certainty: humans may be vile and knowledge may be cursed, but the desire for human company and the quest for knowledge unlearned will always be pure.
--Bruce
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