Transcript Document

The Metamorphosis
pg. 1066
Franz Kafka
AT THE BELL
• Imagine you wake up one day to find your
friends do not recognize you, find you
repulsive, and cannot understand you when
you speak.
• Write a creative paragraph of what happened
to you while you were sleeping.
Kafka’s background
in relation to the novella
• Spent a lifetime seeking approval from father
• Became the key element to his personality of
lifelong guilt, anxiety, and lack of selfconfidence
• Wrote the Metamorphosis when he was 29 in
1912
• 1917- TB
• 1924- died born 1883
Novella
• Type of fiction which are longer and more complex than
short stories, but shorter and simpler than novels.
• Compared to a novel it focuses on limited number of
characters, shorter period of time, and a single chain of
events
• Point of View- written in 3rd person limited. He tells us
Gregor’s thoughts and feelings ONLY. We do not learn what
the other characters are thinking or feeling unless they
show us by their words or actions. Much of it is actually an
interior monologue –in the theatre we call it stream of
consciousness. This effect makes his inner reality seem
more important that what is actually occurring in the world
around him.
Modernism/ Expressionism/Surrealism
• Objective: As we read The Metamorphosis your
goal is to find out how Kafka uses the main
character (Gregor) to reveal three certain
characteristics of modernism:
• How does Kafka attempt to capture the realities
of modern life?
• How does he manage to express a sense of
uncertainty and alienation
• How does he leave you to draw your own
conclusion?
The Modernist Writer
KNOW FOR FINAL
• Popular after World War II Why? What did this technique of
writing reflect?
• Writing subtly implied rather than directly
– What does this writing force the reader to do?
• Began abandoning traditional plot structure
– Name the traditional structure
– Knowing that modernists were clearly writing outside the
box, which two areas were probably eliminated? What
do these two areas offer when writing a short story or
novella?
From what you know about modernism, do you think
Gregor will return to his original form? Why/Why not?
No one way of interpreting Kafka
• Early 19th C movement: expressionism- based
on the belief that inner reality, or a person’s
thoughts and feelings are more important
than the “objective” reality outside the
person. --the response is more important
than the situation that caused the response.
writers, artists, musicians used SYMBOLISM,
exaggerations, distortion, dark imagery,
fantasy to portray this inner reality. Most
popular in Germany in the 1900’s…..
No one way of interpreting Kafka
• Surrealism - developed in France in early
1900’s as a reaction to realism and stressed
the power of the imagination and dreams over
conscious control. Ex. Salvador Dali’s famous
“Dripping Watches”
PART 1
• After reading the first few paragraphs, predict
Gregor’s ailment.
• Discuss the things in Gregor’s bedroom,
especially the picture of the girl..
• Define symbolism. Now that the symbol has
been revealed, why does Kafka chose to have
Gregor change into a dung beetle? What has
affected Gregor so negatively?
Part 1
• Do you have sympathy for Gregor? If so, why and
at what times? If not, why not?
• How does Gregor feel about his job? Find
evidence to reveal his feelings
• What is his role in the family? Why does he have
so much responsibility? How is this role about to
change?
• What happens to Gregor when he leaves his
room to meet the office manager? What does
this part reveal about his father?
Part 1
• From Gregor’s point of view, what might be
some positive aspects of his metamorphosis
into an insect?
• What circumstances in his life might have
caused him to feel dehumanized even before
the metamorphosis took place?
No one way of interpreting Kafka
• Existentialism --philosophical movement created
• in 20th c France
• Emphasizes philosophy of individual existence, freedom,
choice
• It has many different forms, but one of the most important
elements is a belief that people are “created” by the
experiences they undergo. It is action and making choices
that give life meaning.
• Do not believe in God or fate, but rather that human beings
were free to make their own MORAL CHOICES in life
regardless of how it affects other around them and if it
does not conform to society. All happens by chance.
Existentialism
• Morally- you must find your own way—no
religious doctrine/morals
• Your passion decides questions of truth
• Most important questions are not understood
through science or reason
• Freedom to choose –choices make your
existence—accept responsibility-no excuses
irrelevant whether positive or negative—it just
IS.
Ex. cont
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Death is always a choice
never understand why we are here
Overall- pessimistic
Absurd: the only given in life is death
No salvation
Life always incomplete and purposeless
Existentialism values
repeated in a different way….
• emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of
the individual experience in a hostile or
indifferent universe to create his/her own life
• regards human existence as unexplainable (no
God)
• stresses freedom of choice and responsibility
for the consequences of one's acts
No one way of interpreting Kafka
Once final movement that claimed Kafka as
their own is Freudianism—a theory of
psychology by Sigmund Freud. Every human
action is influenced by the unconscious mind.
Early experiences, such as the relationship with
one’s father have a profound effect on the
development of the unconscious.
Part 2
• Objective: to discover whether Gregor’s
situation may be a form of self-punishment
Part 2
• DO NOW: 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?
• Grab a partner, make a list of the kinds of
situations in which people might consciously
or unconsciously wish to be punished.
Part 2
– In this part, we learn much about Gregor’s sense of
guilt.
• What parts of the story do you find humorous?
• 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?
• What does Gregor’s response tell you about him
when his sister decides to remove the furniture
from his room?
Part 2
• How is Gregor wounded? What symbolic
significance might the object that wounds him
have?
• What words would you use to describe Kafka’s
style? Does his writing remind you of any
other books, music, movies?
Group Activity
• Create a list of 10 important rules for creating
and maintaining a healthy family life.
• Give a grade to the Samsa family on how well
they follow your group’s rules.
– Or
– Choose with Gregor eating his rotten food, hiding
under his couch, listening at the door or looking
out the window, hanging from the ceiling and
using details create a cartoon.
Part 3
– In this third part, the father figure looms over the
chapter. Think about how his real life father might
have influenced him.
How do you respond to the ending ? What other
endings might the story have had?
Why 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?
Part 3
• How does Gregor respond to his sister’s violin playing?
What might he be implying about Gregor by describing
this reaction?
• In what manner does the narrator imply he has died?
What other forces might have led to his death?
• What effect does Gregor’s metamorphosis ultimately
have on his family?
• Gregor finally realizes his existentialism towards the
end of the novel How so? Look at slide 14 for “values”
• Do you think his death can be seen as a sacrifice in any
way? Movie with Will Smith…
Big questions
– What could the transformation, or metamorphosis
represent in Gregor's life?
– What could Gregor's metamorphosis symbolize?
– Gregor's metamorphosis poignantly illustrates the
power struggle within this family and shows how
Gregor's transformation alters the family's
dynamics.
• select symbol to represent an important issue,
handout writing assignment: write a
description of symbol’s meaning
The Stranger
Theme
•
The overall theme of The Stranger relates
to the ideas of Absurdism and Existentialism;
through Meursault’s character, Camus
confronts the definition of existence and how
life has no immediate purpose.
Albert Camus
• born November 7, 1913 in Mondovi, Algeria.
• He experienced a poor childhood and suffered from
tuberculosis.
• He was a member of the French Communist Party.
• In 1940 married --loved his wife. He had several affairs.
• He supported the philosophy of Absurdism.
• The public often associated him with the idea of
existentialism, but he rejected the label.
• He was a pacifist; he disagreed with the idea of capital
punishment.
• In 1957, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in Literature.
• Albert Camus died January 4, 1960 in a car accident.
Genre
• The genre of The Stranger is realistic fiction
and also drama.
• It is realistic fiction because although it is not
based on true events, the situations could
logically occur.
• It is a dramatic piece of literature because
there are aspects of suspense and confliction.
Setting
• Significance: The setting plays an important role
in Meursault’s environment because the world
around him affects his actions. He is very
descriptive when speaking about his
surroundings.
• Time Period: Modern
• Locations: Meursault’s home in Alger, Algeria;
The old folk’s home in Marengo; The Beach; Jail
cell.
• Social context: Middle class.
• Takes place over a period of several years.
Point of View
The Speaker is Meursault
The diction is very informal because the story is told
from Meursault’s point of view. The reader is
exposed to Meursault’s thoughts and feelings,
and the fact that Meursault himself isn’t very well
spoken contributes to this effect.
Camus uses Meursault to achieve his desired effect
with Meursault’s great attention to detail and the
significance of physical influences. Also
Meursault’s indifference and lack of motivation.
Symbolism & Tone
• symbol of heat and light
repeated throughout
novel
• Example: When he
shoots the Arab the sun
is burning and shining
intensely upon him,
affecting his thoughts
and judgment.
• Repetition: A repeated
idea in the novel is the
significance of heat and
light
• Example: When he
shoots the Arab the sun
is burning and shining
intensely upon him,
affecting his thoughts
and judgment.
Plot
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Meursault’s mother dies, he attends her funeral
He reunites with Marie
He encounters Salamano and his mangy dog
Meursault dines with Raymond and writes Raymond’s letter
Meursault and Marie witness Raymond abusing his girlfriend
Meursault, Marie and Raymond go to the Masson’s beach house
Conflict with the Arabs; Meursault kills the Arabic man
Meursault is arrested for murdering the Arab
Meursault goes to jail
Meursault meets with the magistrate and speak about religion
Meursault is tried for his crime; he is sentenced to death
Meursault is visited by the chaplain, and proceeds to attack him
In his final moments, Meursault accepts the fact that he must die
and finally ponders his existence
CHARACTERS
Meursault
Maman
Raymond
Celeste
The Director
Caretaker
Marie
Arabs
Masson
Salamano
• Significant Relationships:
Meursault and Marie’s relationship is
puzzling to the readers, for they enjoy
each other's company, but their love is
questionable. Marie is in love with
Meursault, but Meursault doesn’t
express those types of feelings.
Meursault and Raymond’s relationship is
somewhat superficial. They are friends,
but there is no deep connection or
understanding between them.
Meursault simply conforms to what
Raymond does and thinks, emphasizing
Meursault's lack of conviction.
Raymond’s negative relationship with the
Arabs leads to the conflicts faced by
Meursault. Their issues cause the
encounter between Meursault and the
Arab at the beach, as well as the
subsequent murder.
Making connections
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After reading both pieces, You will compare or contrast the following in a lit
analysis essay: You will have 1 period to write this in the WRITING LAB on
Monday May 9th
The two main protagonists both feature a situation that arises out of an
existentialism value—look on my power point for slides 14-16. Choose 1 situation
and value to focus on and write a comparison or contrasting essay.
Rubric:
• FOCUS: INTRODUCTION consists of the usual: hook, titles, authors, thesis
explaining the situation and value
• CONTENT: comparison or contrast book by book which means paragraph by
paragraph OR sentence by sentence which means one characters then the other
within the same paragraph
• ORGANZIZATION: FULL SENTENCE Transitions exist AT THE END OF EACH
PARAGRAPH LEADING INTO THE NEXT ONE. Proper comparison or contrast
transitions are used
• STYLE: Word choice/ passive/active voice, staying in the same tense/3rd person
• CONVENTIONS: ALL COMMAS ARE CORRECTLY PLACED.