Franz Kafka 
Metamorphosis 

A man struggles to maintain his humanity when he transforms into a monstrous insect in this masterful novella by the celebrated author of The Trial.A young traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa is the sole breadwinner in his family—a role he can no longer fulfill when he awakes one morning to discover he has transformed into a “horrible vermin.” While Gregor is unable to communicate and forced to relearn how to move in his new body, his family is preoccupied with the question of their financial stability. Epitomizing the term “Kafkaesque, ” the tale of Gregor and his absurd fate have become emblematic of modern existential dread. A truly iconic work, The Metamorphosis remains one of the most famous and analyzed works of twentieth-century literature.