The Metamorphosis

1.Supervisor, Big Boss, PorterSupervisor: a bit lower on the company and he serves the boss

- He represents the voice and will of the boss, who we never hear directly from- He is viewed as a nagging, overbearing figure, and this is how the reader views the boss

Boss: - Runs the company, and has a huge impact on Gregor. - He spends a lot of his time, initially in the novel, thinking about his life as a salesman

and thinks about the stringent time commitments and the stress he endures. - Immediately after being turned into a vermin, he does not worry about the fact that he is

an insect, but worries about missing the alarm and the train to work. This is the first time Gregor is concerned in the book.

- The largest component of his life prior to the metamorphosis was his work.

Porter: - Makes sure Gregor is on time for the train. - Described as “A tool of the boss, without brains or backbone” (5).

Unity of the Three: - Yet another instance of Kafka’s recurring symbol of “3”.- The company is a totalitarian figure to Gregor

Importance:- The first instance in the book of Gregor being controlled by his surroundings - Does not have freedom to do as he pleases. There’s an external force dictating what he

can and can’t do - This external force is the combination of financial situation and company’s

stringent policy - This confinement is a recurring theme in the novella.

2. Symbols

The InsectThere are many different theories on what the insect represents in The Metamorphosis. Some believe that it may symbolize how insignificant and empty Gregor’s life was, and the meaninglessness he found in his job as a traveling salesman. Others believe that it is just a symbol of our society today and the jaded way of modern existence. The insect is a symbol of the human condition. The most agreed upon theory for the meaning of the insects symbol is Kafka’s relationship with his father. The insect is a representation of how Kafka’s father made him feel. His father in real life made him feel small and trapped, just like Gregor as an insect in his room.

The Furniture

The removal of the furniture is a symbol of giving up hope on Gregor’s ability to become human again. The furniture is Gregors link to his human past.Unclear symbolsThere are a few unclear symbols in The Metamorphosis such as the use of the number three. There are three parts of the story, three lodgers and three family members. Another symbol is the uniform the father wears. It could be a representation of his power, but he wears it so long it becomes greasy. This could be a symbol for weakness of his father. Another unclear symbol is the picture of Gregor as a lieutenant. It could represent a time when Gregor did have meaning in life and was fulfilled.The Picture of the WomanHanging on the wall is a picture of a woman in furs. This picture could be a symbol of a love interest for Gregor. It could be an escape for his solitude and his loneliness. The picture could represent something meaningful in a life where he finds no meaning.1. "It showed a lady fitted out with a fur hat and fur boa who sat upright, raising a heavy fur muff that covered the whole of her lower arm towards the viewer." (p. 2)

a. This framed picture is an important item in Gregor's room that's mentioned early in the story. It demonstrates Gregor's desire for the romantic relationship he is unable to pursue because of his overwhelming misplaced responsibility for his family.2. "He sallied out, changed direction four times not knowing what he should save first before his attention was suddenly caught by the picture on the wall - which was already denuded of everything else that had been on it - of the lady dressed in copious fur. He hurried up onto the picture and pressed himself against its glass, it held him firmly and felt good on his hot belly. This picture at least, now totally covered by Gregor, would certainly be taken away by no-one." (p. 19)

-http://huffenglish.pbworks.com/w/page/8203011/Symbolism%20in%20The%20Metamorphosishuffenglish / Symbolism in The Metamorphosishuffenglish.pbworks.com3. Groupings of three in The Metamorphosis

Three parts to the play, three doors to the room, three rooms, three people, three servants, three stools, three lodgers, three beards, three clock chimes, three drawers, three times Gregor appears out of room, three letters written by three Samsas, 3am death, happens in March

Trinity/Jesus Christo Literal meaning: Meta=change, morph=formo Apple severely wounds Gregor, just like how fruit from the tree of knowledge

brought downfall of man.o Journey on earth, comes to realization that self-sacrifice is the best decision:

shared by Christ and Gregoro “It was the commandment of family duty to swallow their disgust and endure him,

endure him and nothing more”(40).

o Like Jesus Christ, Gregor devoted his life to the people in his life he cared about, and he died so they could be reborn

Three stage metamorphosis for insects (larvae, pupae, adult)o Gregor undergoes three stages of change himself(in each of the different acts)o Stage 1:

He becomes an insect. Primarily worries about practical issues-missed train, office boy checking,

boss getting mad, losing his job. Sees the physical change, but not any of its ramifications. Stuck in the mindset of being the provider of the family.

o Stage 2: Begins to accept his metamorphosis physically and emotionally. Physically, his vision gets worse, he enjoys hanging from the ceiling,

different tastes in food Emotionally, he adapts to the lifestyle of limited contact with his family

and understands his family's attitude towards him.o Stage 3:

Change of roles for Gregor and his family. All three of them have jobs, whereas in the beginning they were all

powerless Rents out house for financial support-No longer needs Gregor. His survival depends on his family-simply fed food, not cared for. Dies after morale and health fades away.

o Supports the theme of isolationism In the beginning of the novel, Gregor already feels isolated from his

family Expected to take care of family, locks himself in house, unhappy with his

job, only his sister is close to him Change into insect is caused by his desire to free himself from constraints

of society and family But instead his metamorphosis only serves to alienate him from the family

even more, dies alone4. Gregor as a modern everyman

Gregor is trapped in a mundane life, much like every other worker in a capitalist society.o He is stuck satisfying his family and providing for them.o He is forced into the role as family leader, because his dad is inept.o This is representative of the everyman, with his burdensome life.

Gregor’s job is stressful, long, and dull.o This is a common setting for most workers in a capitalist society. Will be talked

about more in #13 (Capitalism).o Moreover, he hates his job and has no sort of power within the bureaucracy.

His life revolves entirely around his work.

o “Over the table, on which an unpacked line of fabric samples was all spread out” (3).

o His work follows him home, adding excess stress.o This stress is a common factor for most workers and men in this kind of society.

Strict daily routine Not particularly emotional Keystones of worker in capitalist society All these is broken when he undergoes his metamorphosis which frees him from this

repetitive cycle. By losing his traditional body, he is forced to experience something new, and he even

seems to have some excitement when figuring out how to work with his new body. For example, he blissfully crawls around the ceiling and walls of his room.

This metamorphosis highlights the unnatural, mundane nature of the lives of  modern men.

5. Existentialism in Metamorphosis The protagonist Gregor Samsa is a salesman who strongly dislikes his job. He works so hard for the family and devotes his life to paying off the family debt, while

getting nothing in return. Gregor essentially feels like a hard-working insect, (like an ant working for an ant

colony) and his wish to escape the burden of society causes him to actually become an insect.

Even after transforming into an insect his main concern is how he is late to work, and that his manager will scold him.

Through his insect transformation, Gregor abandons his obligation to society and instead devotes the rest of his life to himself. Because of this, society and his family has no further use for him. He becomes totally uninvolved to the point of having totally no interaction with anyone inside or outside of the family.

Gregor Samsa allows his life to end upon realizing that he is free from society. He accepts that his transformation has rendered him useless, and he becomes indifferent to the point where he does not see the point in cleaning himself up anymore.

According to Kafka and existentialism, people have both an individual side and a side with the commitment of society, and there must be a balance between the two. If a person chooses himself over society, he will lose the support of society; however, if a person chooses society, he will lose his individuality. Gregor initially chooses society over himself, which in turn transformed him into the working drone he was. After his physical transformation, he is forced reassert his focus to himself, and society abandons him.

It is the responsibility of the individual to maintain a balance between work and leisure. The Metamorphosis lends the idea that, if one chooses to devote their life entirely to work, they are no more than droning insects, yet if they devote their lives to leisure, they are no better off. A balance needs to be found.

6. The Metamorphosis as an allegory

Allegory: A representation of an abstract or spiritual meaning through concrete or material forms; figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another

The Metamorphosis is allegorical in that it represents the dysfunctionality of familyo Gregor Samsa works to support his family and continues to do so even while

sacrificing his own happinesso However, when he is transformed into a cockroach, his family has to take care of

him and soon becomes so burdened that they eventually give up highlights how unfair Gregor is treated..... he himself has to support the

whole family, yet his entire family is unable to support him Also, symbolizes the connection between man and nature

o Gregor exhibits all the human capabilities but resides in the form of an animal “At first, whenever the conservation turned to the need to earn money,

Gregor.........felt so flushed with shame and grief” (27). “To spare her from even these glimpses, he dragged the sheet to the sofa

on his back...” (28).o On the contrary, the family and the rest of society display animal-like

characteristics “It was clear to Gregor that the father had misinterpreted Grete’s all too

brief statement and assumed Gregor was guilty of some kind of violence....But the father was in no mood to make such fine distinction” (34).

o Also, there is a gradual decline of human characteristics as time goes on beginning: “To find out his likes and dislikes, she brought him a wide

selection all spread out on an old newspaper.” (23) end: “No longer concerning herself about what Gregor might particularly

care for, the sister hastily shoved any old food through the door to Gregor’s room with her foot....” (39-40).

o Imprisonment in a helpless body Gregor is unable to do anything for himself, much less continue to do his

job to support his family cannot feed himself, get off his bed, or even open the door

this imprisonment causes him to be looked down on.... vermin vs. authority... becomes a liability

7. Changes that take place in Grete Grete, Gregor’s sister, is the only other character mentioned by name in the story,

indicating her relative significance to Gregor as she is the only one who had a very close relationship with him before his metamorphosis

She undergoes more change than any other character in the story, in her own metamorphosis from girl to woman

In the beginning of the story, she is full of sadness and pity over Gregor’s transformation, and takes care of him out of kindness

o “In the room on the left there was an embarrassing silence; in the room on the right his sister began to sob” (11)

o “If only his sister had been there! She was perceptive; she had already begun to cry when Gregor was still lying calmly on his back” (17)

She even brings him an array of food to try, and is worried when he doesn’t eat

o “She became so frightened that she lost control of herself and slammed the door shut again. But, as if she felt sorry for her behavior, she immediately opened the door again and came in on tiptoe, as if she were visiting someone seriously ill or perhaps even a stranger” (23)

o “Gregor was extremely curious to know what she would bring him instead, and he racked his brains on the subject. But he would never have been able to guess what his sister, in the goodness of her heart, actually did. To find out his likes and dislikes, she brought him a wide assortment of things” (24)

But as time goes on and she takes more adult responsibilities, such as getting a job to try to pay for their family after losing Gregor as the sole source of income, she loses pity in Gregor and becomes colder to him

Taking care of him becomes a duty rather than a kindness, and she also becomes very territorial over her caretaking role, not allowing anyone else

o “No longer considering what she could do to give Gregor a special treat, his sister, before running to business every morning and afternoon, hurriedly shoved any old food into Gregor’s room with her foot; and in the evening, regardless of whether the food had only been toyed with or - the most usual case - had been left completely untouched, she swept it out with a swish of her broom” (43)

o “At the same time she made sure - with an irritableness that was completely new to her and which had in fact infected the whole family - that the cleaning of Gregor’s room remain her province” (44)

Eventually, she becomes the one advocating that the family get rid of Gregoro “I won’t pronounce the name of my brother in front of this monster, and so all I

say is: we have to try to get rid of it. We’ve done everything humanly possible to take care of it and to put up with it; I don’t think anyone can blame us in the least” (51)

By the end of the story, she has completed her metamorphosis from girl to woman, and the story even finishes with her rather than focusing on Gregor

o “And it was like a confirmation of their new dreams and good intentions when at the end of the ride their daughter got up and stretched her young body” ( 58)

After Gregor dies, his family goes on a trolley out to the open sunshine for the first time in months and enjoys the end to their confinement

Grete’s mother and father reflect on the change that Grete has undergone the last few months, and think about finding her a husband

The story concludes with Grete stretching, almost as if she is emerging from a cocoon, after a long period of confinement, demonstrating the end of her metamorphosis and the opening of a new chapter in her life

8. The Metamorphosis as a story of Grete, the emerging artist Gregor planned on sending his sister to a Conservatory for her music playing because she

enjoyed it a lot, and he wants to expand on her passion for music.o “Only his sister had remained close to Gregor, and it was his secret plan that she

who, unlike him, loved music and could play the violin movingly,should be sent next year to the Conservatory, regardless of the great expense involved, which could surely be made up for in some other way. Often during Gregor’s short stays in the city the Conservatory would come up in his conversations with his sister,

but always merely as a beautiful dream which was not supposed to come true” (27)

However, by the end of the book, she has become a great artist even though she has had to deal with taking care of Gregor for a long time.

o “And yet his sister was playing so beautifully. Her face was inclined to one side, sadly and probingly her eyes followed the lines of music” (48)

o “In the meantime his sister had overcome the abstracted mood into which she had fallen after her playing had been so suddenly interrupted; and all at once, after holding violin and bow for a while in her slackly hanging hands and continuing to follow the score as if she were still playing, she pulled herself together, laid the instrument on the lap of her mother...and ran into the next room” (50)

o “It occurred almost simultaneously to Mr. and Mrs. Samsa, as they watched their daughter getting livelier and livelier, that lately, in spite of all the troubles which had turned her cheeks pale, she had blossomed into a good-looking, shapely girl. Growing quieter and communicating almost unconsciously through glances, they thought that it would soon be time, too, to find her a good husband” (58)

Thus the story is partly of how this anomaly ended up giving Grete the confidence and maturity to become a wonderful artist, even though it does not occur explicitly. As she becomes a woman, she also matures in her artistry; it is somewhat the story of Grete, the emerging artist

9. Why is the novel timeless and universal The themes presented in the novel, such as isolation, guilt, and self-sacrifice, are relatable

to everyone. Everyone has at some point in their life felt the same way Gregor does after his metamorphosis, alone, confined, and betrayed.

Everyone has also felt the guilt of being the cause of other people’s struggle, of not being good enough, of being useless, a disappointment, and a failure, which is how Gregor feels while he is a vermin

o “He felt very proud that he had been able to provide such a life in so nice of an apartment for his parents and his sister. But what if now all the peace, the comfort, the contentment were to come to a horrible end?” (22)

o “If Gregor had only been able to speak to his sister and thank her for everything she had to do for him, he could have accepted her services more easily; as it was, they caused him pain” (29)

There are also moments in which Gregor feels selfish, which everyone has definitely felt before.

o “At other times he was in no mood to worry about his family, he was completely filled with rage at his miserable treatment” (43)

o “It hardly surprised him that lately he was showing so little consideration for the others” (48)

Everyone has also felt pressure from their families, and the burden of having to provide and care for them.

o “Gregor’s sole concern had been to do everything in his power to make the family forget as quickly as possible the business disaster which had plunged everyone into a state of total despair…They had just gotten used to it, the family as well as

Gregor, the money was received with thanks and given with pleasure, but no special feeling of warmth went with it anymore” (27)

o “At first, whenever the conversation turned to the necessity of money, Gregor would let go of the door and throw himself down on the cool leather sofa which stood beside it, for he felt hot with shame and grief” (29)

o “He thought back on his family with deep emotion and love. His conviction that he would have to disappear was, if possible, even firmer than his sister’s” (54)

10. Criticism of Totalitarianism and Faceless Bureaucracy

Gregor is representative of the subjects in a totalitarian society. Every part of his life is directed by an outside force. Before the metamorphosis, his life is dominated by his family’s needs and his stressful

job.  However, he is the one responsible for his family. After the metamorphosis, he loses the stress of his job, but now his base needs are

dependent on his family. In this case, he does not know who will serve him his food and has no control over how

they will do it. o First, Grete takes the effort to place a variety of foods for him and have him

decide, but once she decides that this is too much, she alone is able to end this and neglect his condition.

o  In this way, Kafka criticizes totalitarianism and faceless bureaucracy as it takes away all power and freedom from individuals.

Also, later, Grete determines that Gregor should have rooming space and without his permission, removes furniture from his room.

o  These possessions have great sentimental value to Gregor about his old life, but regardless of his wishes, they are taken from him.

o  He is again shown to have no power over his own condition, and thus, serves as a criticism of totalitarianism.

Gregor’s workplace also serves as a bureaucracy of facelessness.o “constantly seeing new faces, no relationships that last or get more intimate” (4).o Kafka criticizes the modern corporation, as well, as it further diminishes the role

of personal and intimate connections, and instead, treats humans as replaceable. (Further expanded on in #13 Capitalism)

11. Point-of-view from which the story is told and its significance

Third person/ limited omniscient, with focus on Gregor’s thoughts and feelings

Kafka wanted to put emphasis on Gregor’s point of view in order to emphasize his themes of isolation, confinement, self-sacrifice

From Gregor’s perspective, the entire situation seems normal at first because he thinks very abstractly, in a way that seems rational to the reader. He completely ignores the situation, trying to get on with his day the way he normally would.

o “‘How about going back to sleep for a few minutes and forgetting all this nonsense’” (3)

o “He was eager to see how today’s fantasy would gradually fade away. That the change in his voice was nothing more than the first sign of a bad cold” (6)

o “A slight indisposition, a dizzy spell, prevented me from getting up…But I already feel fine again” (12)

As Gregor gets used to his life after his metamorphosis, his thoughts change, showing that he is beginning to lose his human way of thinking and is beginning to think like the vermin he has turned into.

o “But the empty high-ceilinged room in which he was forced to lie flat on the floor made him nervous, without his being able to tell why…and turning half unconsciously and not without a slight feeling of shame, he scuttled under the couch where…he immediately felt very comfortable” (23)

o “Gregor realized that the monotony of family life, combined with the fact that not a soul had addressed a word directly to him, must have addled his brain in the course of the past two months, for he could not explain to himself in any other way how in all seriousness he could have been anxious to have his room cleared out. Had he really wanted to have his warm room…changed into a cave…totally forgetting his human past?” (33)

After Gregor’s death, the focus switches to his father and mother, who are addressed as “the couple Mr. and Mrs. Samsa” (54) for the first time, and Grete

Kafka did not want to tell the story solely from Gregor’s perspective because there are other themes of the novel regarding family relationships that are shown through his father, mother, and sister

12. Analyze the setting.

The story always takes place within the boundaries of the Samsas’ apartment. The most important area of the Samsas’ apartment is, of course, Gregor’s room.

Everything that happens to Gregor happens inside his room - from his transformation to an insect to his death. This gives the reader a sense of isolationism. Whereas Gregor was once a productive member of society and helped support his family, he is now confined to a small bedroom with little room for his insect body to move around

As family dynamics change, so does the setting. Gregor’s room continues to transform. At first, everything stays in its place, as Gregor is still considered human by his family and he still has human tendencies. His sister takes care of him and feeds him on a regular basis. However, after a while, his family pays less attention to Gregor, as they are disgusted by him. They attempt to remove the furniture from his room but Gregor resists. Gregor attempts to retain something related to his human life, specifically the picture of the women in furs.

Thus, the setting sort of undergoes a figurative metamorphosis.When Gregor turns into an insect, his family locks him in his room to stay in the filth. The room becomes full of filth and eventually Gregor’s mom and sister clear the room of the things that make Gregor in touch with humanity. “Had he really wanted to have his warm room, comfortably fitted with furniture that had always been in the family, changed into a cave, in which, of

course, he would be able to crawl around unhampered in all directions but at the cost of simultaneously, rapidly, and totally forgetting his human past?” (33)

13. Kafka’s view of Capitalism with support from the novel Believes that our capitalistic society is dehumanizing Gregor does not really hate being a bug, as it allows him to escape the mundanity of his

job and the stress that comes with it.o "Oh God," he thought, "what a grueling job I've picked! […] I've got the torture of

traveling, worrying about changing trains, eating miserable food at all hours, constantly seeing new faces, no relationships that last or get more intimate” (4).

o Ironic that a bug isn’t as bad as being a human in this tough society.o Being a bug frees him of the countless burdens placed on people in today’s

capitalistic society. This includes dealing with family, paying rent, etc.

Gregor seems to have no value as an individual, with his personality, thoughts, etc.o “He was a tool of the boss, without brains or backbone” (5).o “Were all employees louts without exception?” (9).o To his company, he is merely a cog.

Moreover, capitalistic society puts people into an endless, exhausting cycle with almost no leeway for change.

o Even after realizing he’s been turned into a bug, Gregor’s biggest worry is that he has missed his 5 o’clock train.

o In this capitalist society, the essence of life is taken away by this imprisoning cycle of mundane work.

o All freedom is removed from the worker, and not even minor changes to this cycle are allowed.

For example, when Gregor is late to work in the beginning, the boss of the company is immediately sent.

In this cycle, workers have no time to engage in relationships or meaningful experiences.o “constantly seeing new faces, no relationships that last or get more intimate” (4).o Thus, they are essentially dehumanized by their jobs.

Also, the stress created by modern capitalism takes away people’s emotions as they have no time to deal with them.

o When Grete is still young, she feels bad/pities Gregor and works hard to give him good food.

o However, as she takes on a job, she becomes stressed and loses empathy towards her own brother.

o This finally culminates in her desire to get rid of Gregor, representing her loss of all feelings towards her brother, as the stress she has allows her no opportunity to deal with any sort of emotional attachment the remnant of her brother.

o This illustrates the dehumanizing effect of capitalism.

15. Themes

Alienation: -Since an early age, Gregor has been forced to take care of his family and cannot find a way out of this. -He gives up the opportunity to live his own life, find love, and raise his own family because he is stuck taking care of his parents and sister (he is alienated from his society because he is expected to find a wife and work hard). -He spends every night selling textiles to make money, and when he comes home, he just goes and locks himself in his bedroom-- he does this to alienate himself from his needy family. -When he gets up late one morning, his family keeps on urging him to go to work and his boss even sends the office manager to make sure Gregor does his job; their persistence to make sure he does what they want him to do strains him so much that he wants to alienate himself from them (he wants to quit and be free from his family). -Gregor turns into a giant insect one day (perhaps to free himself from his family obligations); but this alienates him even more because his family shuns him and eventually force him to stay in his room where he dies by the end of the book. -He is completely alienated when he turns into a bug because he is no longer human; but the metamorphosis into a bug can be seen as a physical representation of the alienation Gregor already felt as a person.  

The Father-Son Relationship:   o twist on the traditional family structure where the father is at the heado Gregor, the son, is the sole provider and his father is depicted as weak, physically

debilitated, dependent, and rather effeminate (on par with the mother and daughter)

o Mr. Samsa returns to his position as the patriarch of the family as he asserts his power more and more aggressively in his efforts to control Gregor

o Eventually, the family bond is destroyed as the Samsas turn their backs on their duty to Gregor as a member of their family

o “[H]is father had put the worst interpretation on Grete's all-too-brief announcement and assumed that Gregor was guilty of some outrage […] [H]is father considered only the strictest treatment called for in dealing with him.”

o Mr. Samsa portrayed as an unfeeling, domineering figure who wields punishment before guilt is established

Betrayal: -Gregor has taken care of his family his entire life by working a job selling textiles every night; he was always there for his family even against his desires (he would much rather raise his own family with a wife and kids). -When Gregor turns into a bug, his family is completely disgusted by him, and even force him to stay confined in his room-- even though he pretty much spent his whole life caring for them. -At first, Grete attempts to take care of him by giving him food, but she is still repulsed by him (she cannot look at him until he puts a blanket over himself so she wouldn't have to see him). Later, when Gregor comes outside during Grete's evening concert, she is

disgusted by him and tells her parents that they need to get rid of him and stop believing that the bug is Gregor. -Gregor was betrayed by his family because they refused to give him a chance when he transforms into a bug and fails to reciprocate the care he showed for them when he was human. -Also, Gregor is betrayed by the new cleaning lady, who at first was intrigued by him and even watched him through the door; but she immediately disposes of him when Gregor dies--shows that the interest in him was very superficial and easily replaced.

Self-Sacrifice: o Gregor believed it was his duty to help his family pay his debts and to secure a

financially stable life and in doing so, he sells his soul to the companyo However, Gregor’s self-chosen self-sacrifice is senseless; in truth, his father has

more money than Gregor knows about and is not as sick as he has made Gregor believe

o The more Gregor does for his family, the more “they had simply gotten used to it”

Confinement and Escape: Seizing Power:

-Gregor, before he turns into an insect, was the only one who earned money for his family (money is representative of power because Gregor was the head of the house when he earned money--he made decisions)--he wanted to send Grete to the conservatory to study violin even though this is expensive. -When Gregor becomes a bug, he soon loses that power because his family loses all respect for him and he has no way to make the money that will take care of them. -After Gregor becomes subordinate to the rest of his family after his transformation, the power is seized by the other members especially his father. -Gregor’s father (who later becomes known as Mr. Samsa after Gregor’s transformation) gets a job and becomes the head of the family--he even changes his appearance into one that is more authoritative. Mr. Samsa uses his power as the new head of the family to attack Gregor, which eventually causes his death. (Mr. Samsa feels more power now after he starts working again). -Grete, who at first uses her power as Gregor’s sister to feed him and take care of him, uses her power as her parents’ only human child to convince them to shun Gregor in the end and neglects him. She uses her power to decide that it is no longer reasonable to care for Gregor because he was still a bug and there was probably no chance that he would turn back into a human.    

Decay: - Decay of gregor into an insect--Losing his human side: At first (when Gregor first becomes a vermin), his mind is still human because he still feels as if he has to do his human obligations (such as going to his job). Yet it is clear that Gregor’s body forces his persona to change as time passes: clearly seen when Grete brings Gregor milk, which

Gregor used to like a lot when he was human; but when Gregor drinks milk as a cockroach, he hates it. He begins to love things he never has before, such as trash, rotting food, and cheese. Also, Gregor used to be the head of the family unit and have a sense of power; but when he becomes a bug, he becomes more docile and even hides from his sister. Also, when his mom and sister were taking things out of his room to make more space for Gregor, Gregor realizes that he needs more space because he has turned into a vermin and is losing touch with humanity because all his human things were gone (he holds onto the picture of the lady in furs). - Decay of the family unit: Before Gregor turns into an insect, he was the head of the family because he was the only one making money and taking care of them. When he transforms, his father becomes the head of the house and gets a job to take care of the family. Yet, they do not provide the same care for Gregor even though he is still part of the family; they treat him with disdain and eventually when he dies, they start their own lives without him as if his contribution to the family never existed. - Decay of treatment towards gregor: Gregor was respected (not a lot but he wasn’t shunned) because he took care of his family when he was human by making money; yet when he turns into a bug, he is immediately shunned and locked in his room. His father attacks him with fruit, which is something that reflects his power (this display of power never would have happened when Gregor was human because his father depended so much on Gregor; when Gregor turns into a bug, his father loses any affection/respect for Gregor). Grete, at first, attempts to take care of him; but later she grows sick of him and convinces her family to stop believing that the bug is Gregor and treats him with neglect and disrespect. Gregor dies and although his family might be sad because they were going to fire the cleaning lady for throwing Gregor’s body away, they start new lives, which shows that Gregor was completely unwanted when he could not help them (by taking care of them with his money).- Decay of gregor's room: When Gregor turns into an insect, his family locks him in his room to stay in the filth. The room becomes full of filth and eventually Gregor’s mom and sister clear the room of the things that make Gregor in touch with humanity. “When he heard his mother’s words, Gregor realized that the monotony of family life, combined with the fact that not a soul had addressed a word directly to him, must have addled his brain in the course of the past two months, for he could not explain to himself in any other way how in all seriousness he could have been anxious to have his room cleared out. Had he really wanted to have his warm room, comfortably fitted with furniture that had always been in the family, changed into a cave, in which, of course, he would be able to crawl around unhampered in all directions but at the cost of simultaneously, rapidly, and totally forgetting his human past?” (33)

17. REQUIREDa. The novel is set in the late nineteenth century/early twentieth century.

- World War 1 was started in 1914. Brought about the modernist movement and could have possibly caused Kafka to incorporate the absurdist philosophy.- Kafka lived in Austria-Hungary, an empire heavily involved in world affairs.- There was transportation (railroad), as Gregor was a traveling salesman. Now he is stuck inside his room in his family’s apartment.

- Time does not matter and place does not matter.

b. It was easy to understand why the Samsas locked Gregor in the room, but it was hard to understand why they were angry that Gregor was different now instead of wondering how he became a bug in the first place.

c. Major theme: alienation- A disconnect between Gregor and his family, they do not want much to do with

him after the metamorphosis.

As a bunch of adolescents in the confusing state between child and adult, we feel alienated

- Want to act and celebrate like kids, and we want to have the raw enjoyment like kids.

- Intellectually, we want to be taken seriously as adults.

In American Society, a high school seventeen year old is perceived as immature, not at the level of being an adult.

At a more societal level entirely, discrimination exists.- People are targeted for various reasons because they are different from what

society wants them to be. - Like Greogr being a vermin, his family is disgusted by his appearance,

and shuns him- People who are different from what society wants them to be feel

alienated because of their difference

These are connections to both ourselves and society.

d. Technique:

It’s a novel fully focused on Gregor. In terms of the way he writes it, everything is based off of Gregor

- Therefore, it’s a third person limited- In times that there are passages that may seem omniscient, we are

reminded that Gregor can hear what is happening- Although the novel does allow for the reader to interpret Grete’s

metamorphosis, we see it through Gregor’s eyes

The symbolism and metaphor is very open to interpretationGregor’s metamorphosis can be viewed in different ways.

- An alternate view is that the insect represents poverty- deals with family dynamics in a socioeconomic context- an insect is the lowest of lows - family relied on Gregor’s income, but when he becomes an insect they cannot. As a result, they suffer and dive into poverty.

The various aspects of the book that are open to interpretation make the book the personal and unique to each reader.