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This is one of the few books that has ever managed to make me cry. The only word I can think of to describe the events that befall Gregor Samsa is tragic. The horror his family direct at him and the largely accepting response from Gregor is heartbreaking to read. I was particularly affected by the moment when Gregor hears his mother say she wanted to keep the furniture in his room as it was so everything remains the same and he suddenly can't understand how he tricked himself into believing he would be happier without the remains of his old life staying intact. Seeing the psychological changes he goes through throughout the story are fascinating as he both adapts to and rebels against his new existence. Overall just an amazing story.

He is an ordinary man experiencing an ordinary death after an ordinary life. Tolstoy presents the struggles Ivan Ilych experiences in life and death in a simple yet effective way as he experiences pain, loneliness, anger and eventually an end. While it took me until half way to really get into, it was a moving and thought provoking read.

There were interesting parallels between Ivan's perspective on his own impending death throughout most of the book and Peter Ivanovich's perspective that death is something that happens to other people and Iva can't accept until directly confronted with it. I also particularly liked Gerasim as he showed a sympathy towards Ivan's pain few other characters did, who chose instead to view him and his suffering as more of an inconvenience.

Kafka highlights the human desire for judgement and revenge that, for better of for worse, is present throughout human history. In the case of the officer in the story, justice is swift and brutal, seeing guilt as beyond doubt. The perspective of the visitor, however, shows us the fanaticism of the officer and cowardice of the crowds who came to watch the machine in the past yet now object to it's use when they are no consequences on them for doing so. Kafka never attempts to provide a solution to the problems in many justice systems, only showing us the moral failings and condemnations that we ignore. Even the officer, in his dedication to his morals and justifications for his actions, submits himself to the machine in the end as he sees the shift in perspective around him and is ultimately killed by his refusal to reconsider his actions. It clearly represents to us the excuses and justifications that have been used all throughout history to justify actions that would normally seem reprehensible to those who commit them.

While this is not my favourite of Kafka's works, I think it teaches many important lessons and has nuances I am not smart enough to fully understand, but even on the surface the level the messages it includes about our attitudes to justice and morals, and how we justify our actions are clear and important.

Kafka's view of not only the way his father shaped his life, but also the intentions behind his fathers actions and the way they both shaped their relationship was incredibly insightful. He maintained a mature and objective perspective throughout the letter whilst still holding his father accountable for his actions and outlining the lasting affects they had both on him and others in their lives. It is one of the best pieces of non-fiction i have ever read.