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Metamorphosis- Franz Kafka 10th English Cervantes

Name: ________________________________

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Metamorphosis Frank Kafka Presentation Notes

Date Written: Define  Novella:  

Define Metamorphosis:

Franz Kafka Born in Prague (Czech Republic) in _____________________________ Oldest of ___________ children Father was a successful ________________________.

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Sad Kafka

List 4 reasons why Kafka may have been sensitive and suffering from feelings of isolation:

1. 2. 3. 4.

Kafkaesque What themes dominated Kafka’s life and works: What aspects of Kafka’s heritage made him a minority in his country/city?

How was being Jewish a hindrance to Kafka?

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Kafka’s Father

Kafka developed what 3 characteristics because his father was so hard on him?

1. ______________________________

2. ______________________________

3. ______________________________

How did Kafka deal with his anger and anxiety?

Kafka’s Writing

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Featured: ______________________________________________________

Last Years

The last years of Kafka’s life was marked by periods of intense writing, family tensions and ___________________________________ What illness did Kafka eventually die from?

Existentialism Define:

Existentialism cont.. How might someone feel if their purpose in life was taken away? ______________________________________________________________________________

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Surrealism

Definition:

Kafka after Death

What did Kafka want his friend to do with his writing after he died? How did the Holocaust affect Kafka and his family?

Kafka today What is his writing best known for?

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Summarize Metamorphosis:

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Metamorphosis Study Questions

Part I

1. Why would a reader have sympathy for Gregor?

2. Metaphorically, what does it mean to be a bug?

3. How does Gregor feel about his job? What evidence in the story reveals this?

4. What is Gregor’s role in his family?

5. Why does he have so much responsibility?

6. How is his role about to change?

7. What happens to Gregor when he leaves his room to meet the office manager?

8. What does this episode reveal about Gregor’s father?

9. What was Gregor’s life like before his metamorphosis, at home and on the job?

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10. In what ways do you think Gregor was like a “bug” even before his metamophosis?

11. From Gregor’s point of view, what might be some positive aspects of his metamorphosis into an insect?

Part II

1. Describe how and what Gregor eats.

2. What is his family situation like?

3. How does Gregor react when he learns the truth about his family’s finances?

4. How does Gregor’s sister treat him differently from the way he is treated by his parents?

5. How does Gregor entertain himself?

6. Why doesn’t Gregor want his furniture moved out?

7. How is Gregor wounded?

8. What symbolic significance might the object that wounds him have?

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9. What kind of change does Gregor notice in his father?

Part III

1. How does Gregor’s family try to make life seem “normal” for them?

2. What prevents the family from moving to a smaller apartment?

3. How does the family try to manage financially?

4. How has Gregor’s attitude toward his family changed?

5. How has Grete’s attitude toward Gregor changed?

6. How does Gregor respond to his sister’s violin playing? What might Kafka (the author) be implying about Gregor by describing this reaction?

7. What forces lead to Gregor’s death?

8. How does his family react to his death? 9. How does the family celebrate Gregor’s death?

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10. What effect does Gregor’s metamorphosis ultimately have on his family?

11. What does this suggest aobut his relationship with his family?

12. Who do you think is responsible for Gregor’s fate? To what extent do you think he is responsible?

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Metamorphosis Key Concepts 1. What tone is conveyed by the first line of the story, one of the most famous in all of

literature?

2. Describe Grete. What is significant about her relationship with Gregor?

3. Describe Gregor’s mother. Why does she have such trepidation when it comes to approaching Gregor?

4. Kafka viewed his own father as a domineering man who he could never satisfy. In what ways could this illuminate the relationship between Gregor and his father?

5. For what might Gregor’s transformation serve as a metaphor?

6. In what ways can we view Gregor gradually losing his humanity and his desire to be human?

7. Do you view this work as sad, darkly comic, or would you describe it in some other way? Explain.

8. Does Gregor have to die to complete the story? Explain.

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Group Analysis Evaluating Symbols: Below is a list of SYMBOLS used in Metamorphosis. To review, a symbol is a person or thing in a story that represents a larger idea. For example, a symbol in Macbeth is blood, which represents that passion that consumes so many of the characters, to their downfall. Look at this sample table to see how to breakdown symbols. Story: Macbeth Symbol Elements of Symbol Purpose in Story Blood Red, Life force, result of violence connects to character’s passions – Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s desire for power; Macduff’s desire to protect his country;

Passion is downfall for all them (Lady kills self trying to get blood off of her, Macbeth gets killed for all the blood he spills, Macduff’s family gets killed – their blood is spilled – because of his passion for his country and need to protect it)

YOUR JOB: For FIVE of the symbols listed below, make a chart like the one above explaining what the purpose of the symbol is in the story. The number three Light/Darkness Changing Seasons The Bug The picture in Gregor’s room Uniform Apples

Symbol Element of Symbol Purpose in Story

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Discussion Questions. Answer each question in paragraph, using complete sentences. Start with a TOPIC SENTENCE that states what you will prove in the paragraph, then explain and prove it. 1. Mr. Samsa sometimes remarks, “This is a life. This is the peace and quiet of my old age.” Why is he so happy? 2. “Gregor was now eating hardly anything.” Is Gregor’s absolute refusal to eat his way of passively withdrawing from life and the world? Or is this a form of self-imposed punishment for all the terrible hardships he has placed on his family? Use OTHER quotes from the story and/or events from the story to support your choice. 3. What do you think is the THEME of this story? Support your choice with evidence from the story.