the last page of the metamorphosis

everyone reads the metamorphosis as a book about alienation.
a man wakes up as an insect. horror. loneliness. yes.

but read the first page again.
gregor wakes up as a bug
and his first thought is that he is going to be late for work.
not what happened to me.
he is worried about the train.

and read the last page.
gregor dies. and the family goes on a tram ride into the country.
the sun is out. they are making plans.
the mother and father look at grete
and notice, with pleasure,
that their daughter has grown into a beautiful young woman.

that’s the ending. that’s the last thing kafka gives you.

the horror was never the insect.
the horror is that they were fine.