It's FLY to be absurd!

What google images says an "enormous vermin" is

Translations oftentimes can get very tricky, especially when dealing with literature littered with metaphors, imagery, and other stylistic devices are must be maintained in very language. Here are some examples from the novella Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.

#1:Gregory Samsa woke from uneasy dreams one morning to find himself changed into a giant bug.

• "Gregory" instead of "Gregor"
• uneasy--sounds unpleasant but not scary or particularly bad
• bug--less threatening than the word insect
• comma from the original quote is missing
• find--present tense

#2:When Gregor Samsa awoke from troubled dreams one morning he found he had been transformed in his bed into an enormous bug.

• comma from original quote missing
• transformed--more dramatic, more positive connotation
• troubled dreams--again sounds unpleasant but not extremely bad
• past tense
• enormous--creates imagery of a very massive insect
• clarifies that he was in bed

#3:As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.

• uneasy--same as quote #1 showing this is the most common translated adjective
• describes him waking up and finding out his condition as happening back-to-back
• gigantic--imagery is larger than "giant"
• missing comma from the original quote
• "he found himself"--makes it seem like it was just him or that he was alone

#4:One morning, upon awakening from agitated dreams, Gregor Samsa found himself, in his bed, transformed into a monstrous vermin.

• Has the most scary/disgusted diction--agitated, monstrous, vermin
• four commas compared to the original's one
• shortest syntax
• mentions he was in bed
• transformed--contrasting from the darker diction

     From all four of these quotes, the most salient difference is the different imagery that arises from reading each one. Examples of this include quote #1 not specifying the setting of the event in question and the different words used to describe the insect creating different mental images, despite none of them being very specific. Though all four quotes are left with the same overall meaning, that Greg woke up to find himself turned into some sort of bug, they all leave the reader with different tones and moods, and overall different effects. I think the word choice's biggest effect is on the imagery because it creates the tone and because this is the very first line of the book, you assume the look of the characters and setting will match that tone. For example the "monstrous vermin" word choice creates an image of something ungodly and not necessarily an insect, where as "giant bug" creates a less strong tone and the image of, for me, a life size beetle bug (gross). Quote #4 has the shorted syntax which quickens the pace and adds anticipation because it leads the reader in chunks to the actual subject and surprising element. The syntax is shortened by the use of an abnormal amount of commas, while using no commas and longer syntax makes the bug revelation seem less abnormal and surprising, as compared to quote #4.

     I have never read the full text of Metamorphosis so it is difficult for me to say which one is more effective in setting up the rest of the text or setting the tone that is most accurate to the rest of the text and plot. However, I can access which one if the most effective in creating a clear image and hooking the reader. I would argue translation #4 gives the most vivid imagery and tone that would both hook the reader and allow them to know what to expect for the rest of the text, making it the most effective. Overall, this exercise showed the importance of acknowledging when you are reading a translated work because a lot of the original style is tied to the cultural and societal ties to certain words and structures that can get (I knew I wouldn't get through this blogpost without this cliche) lost in translation.

I've got you covered...

Cover key:
Cover 1: blonde girl, top left
Cover 2: boat, top right
Cover 3: grey organs, bottom left
Cover 4: blue dress, bottom right

For the intended purpose for cover 1, I think it is to portray the story as whimsical because the first thing it brings to mind is a secret garden and the girl looks very natural and possibly barefoot. As for cover 2, I think its purpose it to show this story as one of human experience and as very normal and realistic because it brings about a nostalgic mood with the muted colors. Cover 3's intended purpose is definitely to portray NLMG as more scary and horror because of the barbed wire and grey background. Lastly, the intended purpose of cover 4 is to show this story as more mysterious and fleeting because you cannot see the girl's face and she looks to be moving or running.

I think covers 1 and 2 are meant to be more literal and realistic because they both have a familiar and earthy background, causing the audience to see the book as a realistic work. Cover 3 is the most unique because it is significantly darker in color and tone than the rest of the covers. It also gives away more information by having the barbed wire in the shape of organs, alluding to the donations in the novel. Covers 1 and 4 are the only covers with a person on them, making NLMG seem more character oriented and allow the audience to be guided as to what Kathy, and more broadly, clones would look like.

When I see cover two the first thing it makes me think of is a Nicholas Sparks novel because it has a very nostalgic mood by portraying the abandoned boat at see, which gives an aura of bittersweet, which is usually what his covers remind me of. If I saw this on a shelf at a bookstore this would definitely be something I would pick up because it would make me think it was realistic fiction and was about life, which is what I look for in many of my book choices. In terms of images, it would make me think of the view from the pier in the background and who was standing there looking out. I think this better represents Never Let Me Go than cover 3 because it brings to mind themes of relationships and importance of setting, which I think are very prevalent in the text. However, I do think this paints the text to be much happier and light-hearted than it is. I would say this cover would be how Kathy sees the story because she is not bitter about what has happened and simply sees it as a sad reality, but is very nostalgic for the times with Tommy and Ruth, which is why she is telling the story. In both covers 2 and 3, I think they are very American in nature because they appeal to the two extremes that are most common in American literature, whereas cover 4 seems more Japanese in nature because it is less distracting and more clean, simplistic, and symbolic. I think this cover would be more appealing to more emotional readers and people who prefer stories about life and the relationships between people, good and bad, which I think is true to NLMG.

In the complete opposite direction, cover 3 reminded me of a Stephen King novel cover in that it screams fear factor and has layers (the forest behind the barbed wire) giving a mysterious mood. The image it brings to mind is the prison from the TV show the Walking Dead because that show also utilizes a lot of texture and dark color choices to create a similar mood. In my opinion, this does not represent the true mood of Never Let Me Go because though they could not leave Hailsham and it could be seen as a prison, the kids never felt imprisoned because of their ignorance. However, I feel that Tommy would have felt this accurately portrayed his and Kathy and Ruth's positions as he reached completion, especially after seeing his reaction to not being deferred and revealing that he really has felt so trapped all along. I think horror readers would go for this cover, but I would guess after reading the description on the back of the book they would wonder why the cover is so dark and evil looking.