The Metamorphosis and Other Stories – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Metamorphosis and Other Stories

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book1996

52%

WISE Score

4.6

Amazon

Kafka's surreal, deeply unsettling classic about a man who wakes up as a bug—brilliant literature, but emotionally brutal and genuinely hard to read.

The Metamorphosis and Other Stories

book

1996

52%

WISE Score

4.6

Amazon

Kafka's surreal, deeply unsettling classic about a man who wakes up as a bug—brilliant literature, but emotionally brutal and genuinely hard to read.

4.6

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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be honest: this is a literary classic that most modern kids will find incredibly hard to engage with. Kafka's prose is dense, deliberately confusing, and emotionally punishing. The stories are brilliant—genuinely imaginative and intellectually rich—but they're also bleak, disturbing, and offer zero emotional payoff.

If you have a mature 16-year-old who loves challenging literature and can handle graphic body horror plus family cruelty, this could be formative. But for most teens? It's going to feel like homework at best, traumatizing at worst. The 4.5 Amazon rating reflects adult appreciation; this is not a book kids will pick up for fun.

If you're determined to introduce Kafka, read it together and discuss as you go. Otherwise, wait until college when they're assigned it and have a professor to guide them through.

Age Fit

BookTrust pegs this at 14+ interest and 15+ reading age, and parent reviews confirm it's genuinely disturbing even for mature readers. This is absolutely not for middle schoolers or sensitive teens. Best for older high schoolers (16+) who are ready for dark, existential literature and can handle graphic imagery and emotional bleakness.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Kafka's stories are deliberately bleak, alienating, and emotionally disturbing. The family's cruelty toward Gregor after his transformation, the graphic bodily horror, and the pervasive sense of hopelessness make this emotionally taxing rather than healthy. There's no kindness modeled, no cooperation—just isolation, rejection, and existential dread. This isn't about being prudish; it's that the emotional tone is actively dark and can be genuinely upsetting.

Imaginative

Kafka's surreal premise—a man waking up as a giant insect—is wildly original and has influenced countless works of literature and art. The absurdist scenarios and symbolic depth invite readers to think creatively about identity, transformation, and the human condition. The stories leave more questions than answers, which can spark deep intellectual curiosity. This is imaginative in the literary sense, even if it doesn't invite playful exploration.

Safe

Multiple parent sources warn this is 'disturbing' and 'very well written, therefore very disturbing.' The graphic descriptions of bodily transformation, the emotional cruelty of Gregor's family, and the overall bleakness can be genuinely traumatizing for younger readers. The graphic-novel adaptation is specifically called out as 'traumatizing' for a 10-year-old. Recommended age is 14-15+, and even then, it requires emotional maturity. This isn't shocking in a jump-scare way, but it's deeply unsettling content that sensitive readers will struggle with.

Enriching

This is a literary heavyweight—Kafka's work is foundational to understanding modernist literature, existentialism, and absurdism. For mature teens who can handle the content, it offers profound insights into alienation, family dynamics, and the absurdity of modern life. The dense prose and symbolic depth build critical thinking and literary analysis skills. However, the enrichment is locked behind a high barrier of emotional maturity and reading sophistication.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

A foundational text for understanding modernist literature, existentialism, and absurdism—this is the real deal
Wildly imaginative premise that has influenced countless works of art, film, and literature
Dense with symbolism and moral ambiguity; builds serious critical thinking and literary analysis skills
For the right mature teen, this can be a formative reading experience that changes how they see the world

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What to Watch For

Graphic descriptions of bodily transformation and decay that multiple parents call 'disturbing' and 'traumatizing'
Emotionally bleak throughout—family cruelty, isolation, rejection, zero moments of hope or kindness
Dense, challenging prose that's deliberately opaque; not a page-turner, requires real effort
Best reserved for 14-15+ with strong reading skills and emotional maturity; definitely not for sensitive readers

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think Gregor's family reacts the way they do? What would you do if someone you loved changed dramatically?"
"Kafka never explains why Gregor transforms—why do you think he left that out? Does it matter?"
"The story feels deliberately uncomfortable and leaves you with questions. What do you think Kafka was trying to say about family, work, or modern life?"
"Did you find the ending satisfying? Why or why not?"

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