The Metamorphosis

1. The Metamorphosis Franz Kafka

2. Franz Kafka • http://www.kafka-franz.com/kafka-Biography.htm • http://www.levity.com/corduroy/kafka.htm

3. The Metamorphosis (German: Die Verwandlung) is a novella by Franz Kafka, first published in 1915. • English translators have often sought to render the word Ungeziefer as "insect," but this is not strictly accurate. In Middle German, Ungeziefer literally means "unclean animal not suitable for sacrifice" and is sometimes used colloquially to mean "bug" – a very general term, unlike the scientific sounding "insect."

4. Ungeziefer has sometimes been translated as “cockroach," "dung beetle," "beetle," and other highly specific terms. The term "dung beetle" or Mistkäfer is in fact used in the novella by the cleaning lady near the end of the story, but it is not used in the narration.

5. "When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous insect." • "Als Gregor Samsa eines Morgens aus unruhigen Träumen erwachte, fand er sich in seinem Bett zu einem ungeheueren Ungeziefer verwandelt."

6. Project • Create a 3-d model of Gregor. • It must be three dimensional and at least one foot by one foot. • Due on test day, May 15

7. Due Dates • Chapter One Questions April 27 • Chapter Two Questions May 2 • Chapter Three Questions May 7 • Novel Exam May 8 • Project Presentation May 9

8. Metamorphosis Journal 1 Think of a situation from a dream you have had that seemed incredibly real at the time but could not actually happen in life. Write a journal entry about your dream (what happened, details that seemed real, feelings after your dream).

9. Chapter One • Do you have sympathy for Gregor? If not, why not? • What is Gregor’s role in his family? Why does he have so much responsibility? • From Gregor’s point of view, what might be some positives of morphing into an insect? • What circumstances in Gregor’s life might have caused him to feel dehumanized before the metamorphosis took place?

10. Metamorphosis Journal Two Do you think people ever hope to be punished for something they have done, said, or even thought? How might this wish lead people into a form of self-punishment? Make a list of the kinds of situations in which people might consciously or unconsciously wish to be punished.

11. Chapter Two • What is Gregor’s response when Grete decided to remove the furniture from the room. What does his response tell you about him? • How is Gregor wounded? What symbolic significance might the object that wounds him have? • In a few paragraphs, analyze the causes and effects of Gregor’s guilt. What does he feel guilty?

12. Metamorphosis Journal Three Caring for a sick and elderly relative can be stressful. What advice might you give to someone who is a caregiver? Discuss some of the stresses of being a long-term caregiver and brainstorm ways to relieve the stress.

13. Chapter Three • What is your response to the ending of the novella? • Why has Grete’s attitude towards Gregor changed? • How does Gregor respond to his sister’s violin playing? What might Kafka be implying about Gregor by decribing his reaction? • What effect does Grego’s change ultimately have on his family?

14. Essay Prompts Choose one of the following topics and develop it fully into a standard five paragraph essay. Be sure to include an introduction, three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. be sure to include at least one quote from the text of your choice. • Different people grieve in different ways. • As young people grow up, they discover that things and people are not necessarily what they seem: while struggling with evil, it is easy to become contaminated by its influence. • In our throwaway society, many people view those who are different from themselves as disposable. • True relationships can’t be destroyed by anger or poor choices.