The Metamorphosis 1915 As Gregor Samsa awoke one

The Metamorphosis (1915)

As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect-like creature.

Franz Kafka 1883 -1924 Born in Prague Wrote in German Jewish Asked all of his works to be burned after his death Kafkaesque: an absurd or frightening situation where an individual cannot escape from an overwhelming power

Characters Gregor Samsa: protagonist, a traveling salesman who hates his job but must keep working to support his family, accepts his hardships without complaint Greta Samsa: Gregor's younger sister, initially caring and close to Gregor, the only other named character in the book, undergoes her own “metamorphosis”

Mr. Samsa: Gregor's harsh, demanding father, his business recently failed Mrs. Samsa: Gregor's weak but kind mother

Themes The absurdity of life: The reason behind Gregor's transformation is never explained, and he has done nothing to deserve it. The disconnect between body and mind: Gregor's body changes, but his mind does not. He still has a human mind. The limits of sympathy: His family shows sympathy at first but eventually become disgusted and resentful of his existence

Alienation: Gregor is no longer able to communicate with his family, lives separately from them, and is no longer even part of the human race. Metamorphosis: Gregor undergoes a physical and psychological transformation, Greta changes in her own way, and the Samsa family changes to adapt to Gregor's condition. Money: After the transformation, Gregor and his family constantly worry about how they will support themselves.

Philosophical Influences Existentialism: A sense of disorientation or confusion in the face of an apparently meaningless and absurd world The individual is the most important and is capable of determining his or her own fate and decisions. Our freedom of choice is both appealing and terrifying. Angst: an intense feeling of apprehension, anxiety, or inner turmoil

The Absurd: The world has no meaning beyond what we choose to give it.

Enclosed in my own four walls, I found myself as an immigrant imprisoned in a foreign country; . . . I saw my family as strange aliens whose foreign customs, rites, and very language defied comprehension; . . . though I did not want it, they forced me to participate in their bizarre rituals; . . . I could not resist.

Sentence Structure As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect-like creature. Als Gregor Samsa eines Morgens aus unruhigen Träumen erwachte, fand er sich in seinem Bett zu einem ungeheuren Ungeziefer verwandelt. As Gregor Samsa one morning from restless dreams awoke, found he himself

What has Gregor become? Ungeziefer Unclean animal not suitable for sacrifice Monstrous vermin Insect Cockroach Dung beetle Beetle