Transcript Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis
By Franz Kafka
Warm Up Activity
 Do you believe that you can make moral decisions
without any religious influences? Why or why not?
Existentialism
 Existentialism in the broader sense is a
20th century philosophy that is centered
upon the analysis of existence and of the
way humans find themselves existing in
the world. The notion is that humans
exist first and then each individual
spends a lifetime changing their essence
or nature.
Existentialism
 Existentialism is a philosophy concerned with finding
self and the meaning of life through free will, choice,
and personal responsibility. The belief is that people
are searching to find out who and what they are
throughout life as they make choices based on their
experiences, beliefs, and outlook. And personal
choices become unique without the necessity of an
objective form of truth. An existentialist believes that a
person should be forced to choose and be responsible
without the help of laws, ethnic rules, or traditions.
Literary Theory
 Existentialism involves the attempt to make meaning
in a chaotic world. Sartre argued, "man makes
himself."
 As a form of literary criticism, existentialism seeks to
analyze literary works, with special emphasis on the
struggle to define meaning and identity in the face of
alienation and isolation.
Warm Up Activity
 Think of a situation from a dream you have
had that seemed incredibly real at the time
but that could not actually happen in real life.
 Write about your dream. What happened in
the dream? What details made it seem real?
What feelings did you have while dreaming?
Afterward?
Setting a Purpose
 Read to discover how one young man
reacts when the world of dreams seems
to have intruded upon the real world.
Chapter One
 Do you have sympathy for Gregor? If so, why
and at what times? If not, why not?
 How does Gregor feel about his job? What
evidence in the story reveals his feelings?
 What is Gregor’s role in his family? Why
does he have so much responsibility? How is
this role about to change?
Chapter One Cont’d
 What happens to Gregor when he leaves his
room to meet the office manager? What does
this episode reveal about Gregor’s father?
 From Gregor’s point of view, what might be
some positive aspects of his metamorphosis
into an insect?
Chapter One Cont’d
 What circumstances in Gregor’s life might
have caused him to feel dehumanized even
before the metamorphosis took place?
Warm Up Activity
 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?
 Working with a partner, make a list of the
kinds of situations in which people might
consciously or unconsciously wish to be
punished. Discuss why this feeling might
exist and what the results are likely to be.
Setting a Purpose
 Read to discover whether Gregor’s
situation may be a form of selfpunishment.
Chapter Two
 What parts of the story, if any, did you find
humorous? Explain.
 What does Gregor’s father reveal about the
family’s financial status? What is Gregor’s
reaction when he learns the truth about their
finances?
Ch 2 Cont’d
 What is Gregor’s response when Grete
decides to remove the furniture from his
room? What does this response tell you
about him?
 How is Gregor wounded? What
symbolic significance might the object
that wounds him have?
Ch 2 Cont’d
 A person changed into an animal, or
vice versa, is a common theme of fairy
tales. In what ways is The
Metamorphosis similar to fairy tales you
know? In what ways is it different?
 What words would you use to describe
Kafka’s style? Does his writing remind
you of other books you have read, music
you have heard, or films you have seen?
Warm Up Activity
 Caring for a sick or elderly relative can
be stressful. What advice might you give
to someone who is a caregiver?
 Discuss with a partner some of the
stresses of being a long-term caregiver,
and brainstorm ways to relieve these
stresses.
Setting a Purpose
 Read to discover the effects on the
Samsas of caring for Gregor.
Chapter Three
 How did you respond to the ending of The
Metamorphosis? What other endings might the story
have had? Explain your answer.
 Why, do you think, has Grete’s attitude toward Gregor
changed?
 Who comes to live with the Samsas? What might be
the significance of these new characters? Why did
Kafka not give them names or other individual
characteristics?
Ch 3 cont’d
 How does Gregor respond to his sister’s violin
playing? What might Kafka be implying about Gregor
by describing this reaction?
 The narrator strongly implies that Gregor starves
himself to death. What other forces might have led to
Gregor’s death?
 What effect does Gregor’s metamorphosis ultimately
have on his family? What does this effect suggest
about his relationship with his family?
Paragraph Structure
 Write your answers in TEA paragraph. Each TEA
requires at the very least two quotations to support it.
However, I don’t want to give strict guidelines for your
writing. Use as many quotations as you need to
support your point. Remember, each quotation
requires your analysis.
Symbolism: Classwork
 Discuss why Kafka chose to have Gregor change into
an insect. Evaluate what has affected Gregor so
negatively.
Character Motivation:
Classwork
 The way Gregor’s family responds to his
transformation might have surprised you. You
probably expected kindness and maybe curiosity, but
not fear and hatred. Look at the family as a catalyst
for his change and his continual loss of human
memory and instinct. This evaluation covers character
motivation. Look at the motivations of each family
member.
Setting: Homework
 Pay attention to the setting. Gregor’s environment
changes, becoming more empty. Why is his sister
removing furniture. What emotions are evoked in
Gregor?
 Mslam.weebly.com
Writer’s Intent:
Homework
 After completing the novel, evaluate the novel’s
ending. Give your point of view regarding Kafka’s
choice of death and support your point of view with
reasons from the text and personal opinion.
Rewriting the
End:Homework
 Students should rewrite the ending of the novel. The
length of this assignment can certainly vary. Students
must include the parents and sister in this ending in
addition to Gregor.

Existentialism involves the freedom of choice and
taking responsibility for the consequences of one’s
acts. How does this story illustrate the concepts of
existentialism, and deal with the problem of living
with the consequences of one’s freely-made choices?
How do these concepts apply to modern-day living?
 Find quotations
 Find modern day examples