Franz Kafka’s work has left an indelible mark on literature, influencing countless writers, filmmakers, and artists. Even those who haven’t read a word of Kafka often know about “The Metamorphosis” or the concept of the "Kafkaesque." Metamorphosis and Two Other Stories is a collection of three of his most celebrated works, guided by acclaimed writer and professor Deb Olin Unferth.

Unferth’s deep, lifelong engagement with Kafka’s work brings new life to three of his most iconic stories: “The Metamorphosis,” “In the Penal Colony,” and “A Hunger Artist.” She guides readers through the author's exploration of the alienation and absurdity of modern life, themes that feel especially relevant now in our digitally saturated, hyper-mechanized age.Unferth’s deep, lifelong engagement with Kafka’s work brings new life to three of his most iconic stories: “The Metamorphosis,” “In the Penal Colony,” and “A Hunger Artist.” She guides readers through the author's exploration of the alienation and absurdity of modern life, themes that feel especially relevant now in our digitally saturated, hyper-mechanized age.

As you read these stories, Unferth will be right there with you, asking and answering thoughtful questions throughout the text. Unferth’s knowledge of and passion for Kafka provide a rich, immersive experience that sheds light on why his work continues to resonate and inspire.

SNEAK PEEK

Here are some questions Unferth will invite you to ponder while reading Metamorphosis and Two Other Stories:

• This is a pretty strange way to start a story, with a man turning into a bug...and yet, the way Kafka writes it, it also seems like the most natural thing in the world. What sort of mood does this layering of absurdity and ordinariness create? Does Kafka want us to identify with Gregor Samsa?
• What do you think Kafka is telling us about human freedom and our personal situation? Are we all living in penal colonies of our own making—or are or are the penal colonies the societies in which we are thrown and forced to negotiate?

Deb Olin Unferth is an author of six books across a wide range of genres, including the critically acclaimed novels Barn 8 and Vacation. Unferth’s work has appeared in some of the most prestigious literary magazines and journals, including Harper’s, The New York Times, The Paris Review, Granta, and McSweeney’s.

Unferth is a professor of creative writing and literature at the University of Texas at Austin. She is also a director of the Penn City Writers, a creative writing program at a maximum security prison in South Texas. She has taught Kafka to her students for decades and is now sharing her hard-earned insights on these stories on Rebind.

Unferth first encountered Kafka at 17 as a college freshman, and was instantly captivated. “I can never get through a year without having at least a brief Kafka phase, where I sink into his world,” she says. Unferth welcomes you to experience Kafka’s writings in conversation with her, only on Rebind.

Selections of Deb Olin Unferth’s Published Work

• Barn 8
• Wait Till You See Me Dance
• I, Parrot
• Revolution

Deb Olin Unferth’s Accolades

• National Book Critics Circle Award (Finalist)
• Guggenheim Fellowship
• Pushcart Prize
• Creative Capital Fellowship for Innovative Literature

Deb Olin Unferth In the News

• Believer: A Review of Prairie, Dresses, Art, Other
• The New York Times: In 'Barn 8,' a Plot to Steal a Million Chickens
• The Guardian: Barn 8 by Deb Olin Unferth review – riotous chicken rescue

Metamorphosis and Two Other Stories is a compilation of Franz Kafka’s most celebrated short stories.
Here’s a short introduction of each one:

The Metamorphosis is perhaps Kafka’s most iconic story—a darkly humorous yet deeply moving tale that remains one of the most recognizable pieces of modern fiction. Even if you haven’t read it, you likely know the premise: a man, Gregor Samsa, wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a monstrous insect. As the story unfolds, Kafka turns his transformation into a powerful metaphor for the dehumanizing effects of modern life and the ways we disconnect from each other.

In the Penal Colony, published two years after “The Metamorphosis,” takes a much darker and more brutal tone than its predecessor. The story, set in a far-off penal colony in a colonized, tropical land, focuses on a massive machine used for torture and capital punishment. The reader, through the eyes of a traveler visiting the colony, is forced to confront this gruesome apparatus and the twisted logic of the officer who operates it.

The Hunger Artist, published just two years before Kafka's death, introduces us to a fading performer whose art, fasting for extended periods, has fallen out of favor. The “hunger artist” is driven by a desire to prove his mastery over his body, but ultimately finds himself misunderstood and forgotten. With “The Hunger Artist,” Kafka invites us to contemplate the complex relationship between art, life, and the search for meaning in a world that often fails to appreciate true artistry.

Franz Kafka (1883-1924) was a Prague-born writer whose haunting, surreal, and often unsettling stories have left a lasting impact on modern literature. Kafka’s unique voice captures the alienation and absurdity of the early 20th century, exploring themes of bureaucracy, existential angst, and the fragmented nature of the self in a rapidly modernizing world.

Best known for stories like “The Metamorphosis”, “The Hunger Artist,” and “In The Penal Colony,” Kafka's narratives often depict individuals caught in nightmarish, labyrinthine systems beyond their understanding or control. His sparse, enigmatic prose and use of the grotesque reveal a world where reality teeters on the edge of the surreal, blending humor with a profound sense of dread.

Kafka’s influence stretches beyond the literary sphere, giving rise to the term "Kafkaesque," a descriptor for any situation marked by absurdity, oppression, and an eerie, inescapable sense of powerlessness. Despite publishing only a handful of his writings in his lifetime, Kafka’s work has since become a touchstone of modern literature, resonating due to its incisive portrayal of the human condition and societal complexities.