The Metamorphosis notes Essay

Words: 1335
Pages: 6

AP/IB English: Major Works Data Sheet
Title: The Metamorphosis
Author: Franz Kafka
Date of Publication:1915
Genre: fiction
Biographical information about the author
1833-1924
Born into a middle class German speaking Jewish family in Prague.
Antagonistic relationship with his father.
Close relationship with sister: Ottla
Sent to German Schools, good academically
Best friend was , Max Brod
Family used him for his money
Had clinical depression, social anxiety mental instability and tuberculosis

Historical information about period of publication
In the time of Kafka the division between Czech and German speaking people in Czechoslovakia was big.
Jewish people did not fit in very well with either of the groups.
All groups
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Worrisome, useless, caring

Brutal, mean, ruthless

Weak, caring, considerate

Nice, hypocritical, musical

Strict, mean

Annoying, talkative, indifferent

Inconsiderate, out of line

Setting (s)
Gregor’s rooms
Gregor’s house
The countryside in Part 3
Significance of opening scene and opening paragraph or sentence
Gregor finds out he is a cockroach. We see here how important his work is for him and how isolated he is, keeping his door locked and travelling all the time.
Symbols (2) Explain!

Cockroach- Gregor sees himself as an awkward, useless, ugly and disgusting, his metamorphosis also makes him that in the physical sense as well.
Grete stretching at the end- symbolizes her getting out of her cocoon and being a women, going through her own metamorphosis and can even extend to the family’s own metamorphosis.

Themes/motifs (3) Explain!

Isolation/alienation: Gregor turns into a cockroach, which means he cannot go to work or communicate with his family or anybody else. His family doesn’t even like seeing him much because of his disgusting appearance. This causes him to feel isolated and alienated.
Guilt- Gregor used to take care financially of his family by himself. Now that he turned into a cockroach he cannot do that. He often hears his family talking about their financial difficulties. That makes him feel guilty for his uselessness. In the end his family is