Imagine That You Are A Monster

Summary

"Creative Adventures — 21" is an imaginative exercise inspired by Kafka's "The Metamorphosis," inviting readers to explore the concept of becoming a monster and dealing with the subsequent challenges, societal rejection, and personal transformation.

Abstract

The "Creative Adventures — 21" series challenges participants to step into the shoes of a monster, drawing inspiration from Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis." This dystopian storytelling adventure prompts readers to envision waking up as a terrifying creature, detailing their new appearance, emotions, and the struggles of performing daily tasks. The narrative explores themes of external appearance and societal response to otherness, confronting the horror and tragedy of being ostracized despite one's harmless nature. Participants are encouraged to reflect on their adaptation to a monstrous identity through a series of introspective prompts, including writing letters to oneself and composing an open letter against the discrimination and violence faced by monsters. The exercise culminates in a societal shift where monsters become the majority, compelling readers to consider the dynamics of a divided society and the potential for reconciliation.

Opinions

The exercise suggests that external appearance heavily influences how society perceives and values individuals, often leading to prejudice and mistreatment of those deemed different.
It implies that despite internal feelings of normalcy, being labeled a "monster" can result in complete alienation, including loss of employment and social support networks.
The narrative encourages empathy by asking readers to place themselves in the position of the marginalized and victimized, particularly those subjected to violence and discrimination.
The article posits that humor and satire can be effective tools in addressing and reflecting on serious societal issues like discrimination and genocide.
It prompts reflection on the historical, cultural, and evolutionary factors that contribute to society's bias against the unfamiliar or those who deviate from normative appearances.
The exercise challenges readers to imagine a world where the majority has shifted from humans to monsters, probing into the potential for conflict resolution and societal restructuring in a radically changed environment.
It raises the question of what personal sacrifices one would be willing to make to return to a life of normalcy and how one would adjust to such a profound transition.

Imagine That You Are A Monster

Do you remember Kafka’s story “The Metamorphosis”? One day, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes to find himself transformed into a huge insect. The story narrates the horrible fate of Samsa after this metamorphosis — it is a terrifying and tragic story. Inspired by this story, I invite you to a series of dystopian storytelling adventures.

In this exercise, you will not be a hero. You will be a monster!

Please respond to the following questions:

One day, you wake up as a monster. You are terrified of yourself and of this situation. Describe how you look like. How do you feel? What do you do next? How do you handle this situation?

Describe your typical day as a monster. What kind of a monster are you? How do you eat? What do you eat or drink? Do you ever go outside the house? Can you maintain your bodily functions and needs at home? Do you crawl? Can you use tools? How do you spend your time? Describe your struggles and how you try to solve them.

You learn painfully how much humans value external appearances. Even your friends, who love and adore you, are all turned against you. You lose your job and your safety net. Even if you are harmless, you are treated as a monster. How will you survive and continue this terrible life? Create a horror story or tragedy.

Write a letter to yourself on how you will adapt to your new identity as a monster. On the inside, you do not feel like a monster. However, you are treated as a monster. Your physical body also resembles a monster. How do you cope? How do you feel? Write a reflective letter.

Monsters are killed in countless movies and books. Realizing the terrible fate of monsters, you decide to write an open letter and manifesto against the violence, discrimination, and genocide faced by benign monsters. Why do we care so much about appearances? Why are humans so biased against monsters? Why is there so much discrimination against monsters? Reflect on the historical, cultural, and evolutionary reasons. Write this letter. Feel free to make this letter funny or satirical.

Imagine that 60% of humans are turned into monsters alongside you. You have now become the majority. Create a story that delves into the faultlines and conflicts of this divided society: Humans vs. monster-looking humans. How do you navigate and resolve these conflicts? What happens next?

Imagine that you can find a way to regain your humanity and resume your life as a human being. However, this method requires great sacrifice. What is this sacrifice? How do you turn yourself back into a human? How do you adjust and go back to your human life? Write your story.

Creative Adventures — 21

Imagine That You Are A Monster

Fahri Karakas is the author of the Self-making Studio. You can explore more here.