The Metamorphosis

Redesign of Franz Kafka’s 1915 classic novella “The Metamorphosis”. While other designs of the cover utilize the bug imagery associated with Gregor Samsa’s transformation within the novella, Kafka insisted that bug imagery not be used on the cover when published, as he didn’t feel it properly represented his story. The original German title of the novella is “Verwandlung,” which, unlike in English, does not suggest a natural change of state like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly, but instead a word often used in fairy tales to describe a more magical transformation. Plus, Gregor’s transformation is not literal, but instead figurative, so instead of focusing on the bug imagery Kafka disliked so much, I wanted to highlight the more literal experience Gregor faces in the story, specifically his isolation. Gregor is observed by his family through his door, rarely confronting him physically, so using the imagery of the door and the keyhole, I wanted to emphasize the separation and seclusion Gregor faces from his family in light of his sudden change of state.