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Gregor's Room: Screaming of the Space

Gregor's Room_short ver.Jiin Ko
00:00 / 01:08
Gregor's Room_full ver.Jiin Ko
00:00 / 54:40

Gregor's movement sonified based on text analysis of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Presented at Kafka Transformed International Conference, University of Oxford, 2024. Abstract can be read here

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Overview

This project explores sound and space through text, focusing on the role of space depicted as letters in the flat world of Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis (1915). It examines how the space transcends being a mere backdrop to act as an independent entity, emphasising the movements of Gregor Samsa, the protagonist, who increasingly embodies the alienation and isolation of modern individuals. Gregor's transformation, marked by his sudden loss of the ability to walk upright and his status as a trusted family member and breadwinner, goes beyond a simple physical change. It fundamentally alters his relationship with height, perspective, and space—elements that structure life.

     Through Gregor's post-transformation existence, we observe the significance of height in human life, the limitations of communication caused by a lowered perspective, and the constraints imposed by a restricted field of vision. By sonifying Gregor's movements, we hear his voice and see a space as an agent with a context transcending the physical limits of a room. As sound, Gregor traverses space as oscillation without form, acquiring a new self. This reimagining presents a narrative-driven approach to data, exploring the transformative potential of the 'metamorphosis'. I call this sound, defined as the sound of an insect devoid of meaning, 'Gregor’s voice', and I aim to restore to him his lost voice. It is the voice he was deprived of, as well as his cries and anger. The vertical position and range of activities displayed before and after Gregor’s transformation reveal his physical and social status. As he grows weaker and more useless, he becomes less active and closer to the ground. In music and sound, movement serves a similar role. Notes moving up and down form the melody line, and the vertical movement of waveforms determines pitch and amplitude. The faster the waveform vibrates, the higher the pitch is; the bigger the waveform is, the louder the volume gets, adding dynamism and vitality to the composition. Just as silence signifies the end of sound, Gregor’s stillness signifies his death.

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Methodology

To translate Gregor’s movements into sound, specific criteria are used to assign numerical values to his movements, which are then converted into corresponding digital audio values. Every sentence in The Metamorphosis describing Gregor’s movements is analysed, and verbs in selected sentences are assigned values from 1 to 10. When he is closer to the ground, low values are assigned, and movements involving upright postures or gaining elevation through tools are assigned higher values. For instance, the verb 'lay' is given a value of 1, 'crawl' 6, 'climb up' 9, and 'stand upright' is given 10. Sentences without any description of movement are given a base value of 0 with an offset value added to generate a low-frequency oscillation that shows the continuous presence of Gregor. This approach acknowledges that even when motionless, Gregor is still breathing and thinking.

     Subsequently, the numbers from 0 to 10 are converted into acoustic values to ensure they fall within the human audible range, and appropriate values are added or multiplied for amplitude and frequency modulation. The total length of the piece is approximately one hour, during which silence-like vibrations dominate when Gregor is inactive, allowing listeners to wait quietly for his next movement. When he finally moves, the audience can follow his cries. In the waveform generated by a single oscillator that represents Gregor’s voice, we sense only 'sound' rather than 'music'. This creates an auditory experience distinct from traditional musical structures, allowing Gregor’s existence and emotions to resonate purely as sound. 

     Dragging his extremely weakened body, both mentally and physically, Gregor musters the desperate strength and courage to face the people in the living room one last time. This act is spurred by his sister Grete's cautious and melancholic violin performance. Rather than being music in the conventional sense, connected by lyrical melodies, one might speculate that it was more like a trembling, wavering sob—a 'resonating substance' that only Gregor could perceive as beautiful.

© Jiin Ko, 2024
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