The word surreal is an adjective used to describe things that are strange or freakish, things that seem unreal or uncanny and hard-to-believe. It has an eerie and unnatural connotation, and so surreal things often feel off-putting and confusing and even upsetting. Therefore, the opening event of the novel—when Gregor Samsa wakes up and discovers that "he had been changed into a monstrous vermin"—can certainly be considered surreal. In fact, "surreal" almost feels like a bit of an understatement! The narrator goes on to describe Gregor's strange, bug body: the hard shell that covers his back, his many little legs that seem to wriggle uncontrollably while he lies on his back, and so on. His family's relatively tacit acceptance of Gregor's new shape can also be called surreal. They are upset about his alteration, to be sure, but they try to live with him and even meet his needs, at least for a while.
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