Axolotl And Julio Cortázar's Metamorphosis

In Julio Cortazar’s short story, Axolotl, the young man is searching for answers to his life. He finds these answers in the small, Mexican salamander trapped within its enclosure at the Jardin. The axolotl challenges the young man to see the simplicity behind the mysterious guise of the small amphibian. The young man’s daily visits to the Jardin only make the appeal of the axolotls greater. In those visits he begins to see not only the creatures simplicity, but also their neotenous tendencies and connection to death; all of which contribute to his association and union with them.

Some people consider a book to be magical realism based on the author or the part of the world it was written in. Just because an author has written a book that is magical realism does not mean that all of the books that author writes will be magical realism. Though most magical realism stories are written by Latin American authors, a story is not necessarily magical realism if the author came from that region. Julio Cortazar is an Argentine writer who has published many short stories and novels. In 1956, he wrote a short story called "Axolotl". A careful reading of this work will reveal that it is not an example of magical realism.

The Metamorphosis (Die Verwandlung 1912), Franz Kafka’s best known short story, is a master work of incredible psychological, sociological and existential malaise. Although his points are simple and straightforward, this richly layered and textured story is open to many interpreta-tions, making it complex, yet critical to decipher. There is an incredible amount of theories based off of what this story could possibly symbolize or represent, but it is of the autobiographical in-terpretation that is undeniably the most enlightening. This interpretation allows the reader to gen-uinely understand the tale on an intense level that would not be able to be reached, otherwise. In order to gain true insight on the autobiographical approach to The Metamorphosis, a brief examination of his life is required; his thoughts, his beliefs, the acknowledgment of the cruel circumstances of his life, especially his home life, must be made clear that the anguish of his own world is the model for the themes in his stories.

In Yuri Herrera’s “The Objects,” Herrera uses the floors in a building to represent social classes in today’s world by transforming humans into animals when passing through a vestibule. Rafa, the main character, transforms into a louse, and the narrator is transformed into a rat. In the short story, the narrator tells how Rafa dislikes the vestibule and hopes it can one day be destroyed. A few days later, the narrator explains that he cannot find Rafa anywhere. He remembers that Rafa sometimes works double shifts to postpone becoming a parasite when the day is complete. The narrator decides that he is going to go and look for Rafa on other floors of the building. He makes his way through each floors until finally, he reaches the top. Rafa also at the top when the narrator sees him, is crouched down with his head between his thighs. In “The Objects,” Herrera is able to convey how people fit into certain social classes in today’s world by using the physical, mental,and psychological transformation of the characters in the short story as they transform from humans to animals.

Ralph Freedman’s critical essay titled “Kafka’s Obscurity” on Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis delves into the idea that from changes in the protagonist’s physical limitations, familial bonds, and his being “[he] is finally reduced to a mere speck of self-awareness which is ultimately extinguished” (Freedman 131). General questions of “why” and “how” are almost immediately dismissed due to the calm and monotonous tone that Kafka implements throughout the novel. Instead, the reader is encouraged to ponder the consequences of separating one’s mind from their body, in particular, how long can their humanity stay intact when the rest of them is replaced. Freedman reveals the “paradoxical” (Freedman 131) nature of The Metamorphosis in which the demise of one’s life may also be blissful release, especially when the individual in question was arguably inhuman to begin with. The transformation itself is emphasising the character’s current dejection and is highlighted by the transformations mirrored in the family as well.

Authors composing creations in an existentialist atmosphere are regularly sadistic in the ways they ponder. Existentialist novels incorporate bizarre concepts, but they also contain concealed pragmatic themes. In The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, the author utilizes existentialism and the id of mortal creatures and the theme of isolation to dehumanize the protagonist throughout the novel; thus, Kafka produces a petrifying novel.

In Julio Cortázar’s “Axolotl”, the magical realism characteristics of hybrid environments and supernatural and natural helps readers acquire a deeper understanding of reality.

There are many parallels and differences between Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” and "A Hunger Artist". Kafka portrays these differences and similarities very effectively through his utilization of elements such as transformation, dehumanization, and dedication to work. Through his works, Kafka communicates with the reader in such a way that almost provokes and challenges one’s imagination and creativity.

In the metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, there are significant actions and transformations which make the story sad, and strange with a happy ending. Explanations that are dramatic events that intensify the excitement of all these actions. Reality and reflection play an important role in this story because the events that happened could be applied and assimilated with modern society.

“The Making of an Allegory,” by Edwin Honig and “Franz Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis’ as Death and Resurrection Fantasy,” by Peter Dow Webster illuminate how sacrifice and transformation are a vital part of the deeper meaning of "The Metamorphosis." Gregor Samsa is an ordinary young man until he wakes up one day as a giant vermin; metamorphosised into something horrendous and reviled by the world. Through Honig’s and Webster’s critical essays, this transformation, as well as many more, and sacrifice made by all involved are explored in a thorough and definitive way.

Transformations from one shape or form into another are the central theme in Ovid's Metamorphoses. The popularity and timelessness of this work stems from the manner of story telling. Ovid takes stories relevant to his culture and time period, and weaves them together into one work with a connecting theme of transformation throughout. The thread of humor that runs through Metamorphoses is consistent with the satire and commentary of the work. The theme is presented in the opening lines of Metamorphoses, where the poet invokes the gods, who are responsible for the changes, to look favorably on his efforts to compose. The changes are of many kinds: from human to animal, animal to human, thing to

story. While he had expressed earlier satisfaction with the work, he later found it to be flawed, even calling the ending "unreadable." Whatever his own opinion may have been, the short story has become one of the most popularly read and analyzed works of twentieth-century literature. Isolation and alienation are at the heart of this surreal story of a man transformed overnight into a kind of beetle. In contrast to much of Kafka's fiction, "The Metamorphosis" has not a sense of incompleteness. It is formally structured

Born in Medellin, Spain, he was a Spanish Conquistador who conquered most of Central America. He also gave Spain three-hundred years of control over Mexico. Cortez started exploring in the early 1500’s. He explored to find riches and conquered by being observant of the natives. With a small army, he conquered the Aztec Empire. Cortez went to the university in Salamanca, Spain. He attended the university to study Latin and Law. Unfortunately, Cortez completed only two years of school. He returned to his family in Medellin, Spain. However, life became boring for him. Nevertheless, Christopher Columbus inspired Cortez to explore the New World. Finally, Cortez was able to

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is a novella that begins with an absurd concept. A man wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. While this concept for a story is certainly absurd, Kafka contrasts this plot with a rather dull, plain narrative. It may initially seem novel to explain a ridiculous situation in a simple manner, but this causes the novella to be quite boring.

The Metamorphosis, written by Franz Kafka and The Awakening, written by Kate Chopin are two very unique and diverse novels that both tell the story of a person who realizes they are insignificant. The characters, Gregor and Edna, go through a metamorphosis only to realize their lives are pointless and there simply is no escaping it. There are significant actions, figurative and literal transformations, and reality checks for that the characters go through to find their discovery. The characters together experience a sense of emptiness, darkness, vulnerability and essentially freedom. The biggest struggle they experience is individuality versus society.