By: Guilhermo Felis ’27
After finishing Kafka’s classic novella The Metamorphosis, World Literature students were asked to reimagine the iconic opening sentence. Guilhermo Felis’ fantastic take on Kafka’s dilemma has a message for all of us.
When Guilhermo woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he transformed into a monstrous Golden Retriever. The sunlight warming his furry body, the missing hands replaced by paws, and the alarm ringing in the background all confirmed it: this wasn’t a dream. Panicked and sloppy, he fell out of bed, still learning to balance on four legs like a newborn. Alone in the dorm room, he tried to call for his roommate, Philip, but only a bark echoed back at him. Dizzy and confused, Guilhermo’s mind went crazy. Why me? Is this permanent? He pawed at his laptop, barely managing to email his teachers with a fake excuse: “Flu. Can’t come to class.” Just as he hit send, the door opened. It was his roommate and, without thinking, Guilhermo hid under his bed, holding his breath as Philip muttered something in Swedish about being late and rushed out, never noticing the oversized dog.
After an hour, Guilhermo crawled out, opened the door with his snout, and, without knowing why, driven by some new instinct, he turned and lifted his leg, peeing right on his door. A strange, primal satisfaction was released and he knew that he was changing, not just in body, but in ways he could no longer fully control. He sniffed the hallway, going to doors and picking up scents that told him far more than he ever wanted to know. Who skipped class, who had food, who needed a shower. He followed it down to the bathroom, looked into the mirror, and saw himself fully: a large, golden dog with the same anxious eyes. Horrified, he rushed back to his room and curled up in bed, hoping sleep would change it. But when he woke, nothing had changed. It was lunchtime. The door opened. Philip walked in and froze. “Whose dog is this?” he said aloud. But as he stepped closer, he noticed the Brazilian jersey around the dog’s neck. His eyes widened. “No way…”
The days that followed were strange and lonely. Guilhermo stayed hidden most of the time, sneaking around the dorms and only going out when it was quiet. Philip eventually figured out that this dog was Guilhermo, but there was little they could do. Guilhermo watched from the sidelines as life moved on without him. Classes, practices, and friendships all passed through his dog’s eyes while sitting quietly. Then one morning, after a nap filled with barking and strange dreams, he opened his eyes not in his dorm, but in a sunny backyard. The air was different with warness and the smell of cut grass. He blinked in disbelief. This was his home in Brazil. And standing across from him, was his childhood dog, Zeus. Another Golden Retriever. Guilhermo stepped forward, heart sped up. Somehow, in this place, they could understand each other. “You’ve finally made it,” Zeus said, his voice calm, almost human. “I brought you here for a reason.”
Guilhermo stared at him, stunned. “You… what? How? Why would you do this to me?” Zeus sat down in the grass, looking up at the sky. “Everyone thinks being a dog is easy. That we don’t worry, don’t stress, don’t think. But that’s not true. We feel everything, loneliness, fear, boredom. We just can’t tell anyone. You always said you wished you could be a dog, remember?” Guilhermo’s ears drooped. He had said that before. On rough school days or when the pressure got too high, he’d joke, “Man, I just wish I could be a dog: eat, sleep, play, and that’s it.” Zeus continued.“So I gave you a chance to see life from my side. You think it’s freedom, but it’s a different kind of cage. You don’t choose your schedule, your food, or even when you can go outside. You sit by the door, waiting. You sit by the window, hoping. You learn patience because you have no other choice.” Guilhermo looked down. The memory of those quiet hours at school, lying curled in his dorm, suddenly felt heavier. He hadn’t been free as a dog. “But why me?” he asked. Zeus gave a small, kind bark. “Because you needed to understand. You were starting to forget how lucky you are. To think for yourself, to learn, to speak, to dream. So I chose you to live like me. Just for a while. So you could come back grateful.” The words hit hard. Guilhermo felt tears in his eyes, even though his body couldn’t cry the same way anymore. Zeus stood and walked closer, nose to nose. “It’s time to go back now. Remember what you’ve seen. And never wish to be anything other than yourself.”
When Guilhermo woke up the next morning, he was back in his human form. His hands, his voice, his body. Everything had returned, but his thoughts were not the same. That summer, he flew back to Brazil. The moment he stepped into the backyard, Zeus came running. They embraced, man and dog, and in that silent hug, there was no need for words.