Bed Quote by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
“One night a friend lent me a book of short stories by Franz Kafka. I went back to the pension where I was staying and began to read The Metamorphosis. The first line almost knocked me off the bed. I was so surprised. The first line reads, “As Gregor Samsa awoke that morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. . . .” When I read the line I thought to myself that I didn’t know anyone was allowed to write things like that. If I had known, I would have started writing a long time ago. So I immediately started writing short stories.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, 1915
The shocking opening line reveals how absurdity can jolt consciousness, inspiring creative impulse.
In simple terms: A bizarre opening can spark creativity.
Key Takeaway
Embrace unexpected ideas immediately.
Themes
creativity
inspiration
literature
transformation
courage
Mood
curious
excited
reflective
Type
literary
motivational
inspirational
When to use this quote
- writing workshops
- personal journaling
- creative brainstorming
- overcoming writer’s block
Key Concepts
existential absurdity
identity
awakening
Questions to Reflect On
- What unexpected image could you write about?
- How can you turn surprise into a story?
A Different Perspective
The impact may fade without practice and discipline.
![“In Guinea I could read [Franz] Kafka. I re-discover in him my own discomfort.” quote by Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5fa/jean-paul-sartre-220_books_in-guinea-i-could-read-franz-kafka-i-re_241162.jpg)
![“When I was quite young I came across a collection of [Franz] Kafka stories and read "The Judgment." I was just floored by that story. I couldn't understand it. I still don't. I'm talking about something I read more than 50 years ago. That story left a little scar on me.” quote by Stephen Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/550/stephen-greenblatt-10786_collections_when-i-was-quite-young-i-came-across-a-c_701892.jpg)
![“I'm humbled and enormously grateful to be connected to [Franz] Kafka in a any way. He is one of the writers I admire. I think he has been a big influence on me. I appreciate the idea of the individual person battling the society - which is true in all his books.” quote by Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/215/alan-lightman-2270_admire_i-m-humbled-and-enormously-grateful-to-b_1542144.jpg)
![“Leave a cavity behind the [wall] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick or lava in courses, and then bind them to the fronts by means of iron clamps and lead. The beds and builds, all settling equally and bonded at the joints, will not let…” quote by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d76/marcus-vitruvius-pollio-7498_bed_leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-a_5922.jpg)
