

When Araragi and Yotsugi land at the base of the steps to the shrine in
episode 3 of Tsukimonogatari, we see that Ougi is waiting there, reading
something on her phone.

![Ougi reading a thing on her phone](https://i.stack.imgur.com/eJWsE.png)

What's she reading? Is it plot-relevant?


CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-02T01:59:27.557
17255
2015-01-02T01:59:27.557
1908
question
monogatari-series
What is Ougi reading on her phone when she meets Araragi at the steps to the shrine?


Ougi is reading Franz Kafka's **_The Metamorphosis_** (in the original German,
_Die Verwandlung_ ; in Japanese, 「変身」). She's at the very end of the story.
The portion displayed on screen is the equivalent of the following (from the
translation by Ian Johnston [available on
Wikibooks](http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Metamorphosis)) (spoiler alert!):

> ...which was extremely favorable and with especially promising prospects.
> The greatest improvement in their situation at this moment, of course, had
> to come from a change of dwelling. Now they wanted to rent an apartment
> smaller and cheaper but better situated and generally more practical than
> the present one, which Gregor had found. While they amused themselves in
> this way, it struck Mr. and Mrs. Samsa almost at the same moment how their
> daughter, who was getting more animated all the time, had blossomed
> recently, in spite of all the troubles which had made her cheeks pale, into
> a beautiful and voluptuous young woman. Growing more silent and almost
> unconsciously understanding each other in their glances, they thought that
> the time was now at hand to seek out a good honest man for her. And it was
> something of a confirmation of their new dreams and good intentions when at
> the end of their journey the daughter first lifted herself up and stretched
> her young body.

Why specifically _The Metamorphosis_? Beats me. Perhaps it's that Ougi
identifies with Samsa, being a monstrous and verminous creature
him/her/itself.


CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-02T01:59:27.557
17256
2015-01-02T01:59:27.557
1908
17255
answer