The Metamorphosis Franz Kafka

“A book should be the axe to break the frozen sea within us”

-Franz Kafka

What is Metamorphosis Metamorphosis refers to the way that certain organisms develop, grow, and change form.

Metamorphosis actually means "change".

EARLY LIFEBorn: July 3, 1883 in Prague

Upper middle class, German-speaking Jewish familyEldest of 6

Attended German schoolsCharles Ferdinand University

Law Degree

Worked at governor's insurance officeTroubled father-son Relationship

Letters to His Father

MAJOR INFLUENCESOvid and Ancient Mythology

The Metamorphoses (pg. 422)

Nietzsche

Darwin

WORKSThe Metamorphosis (1915)The Trial (1925)The Castle (1926)Letters to His Father (1919)Amerika (1927)

MODERNISM

Flourished between 1890 and 1940Mainly concerned with the loss of traditional values brought on by the major advances and disasters of the early 20th century. Such literature focuses on the fragmentation and alienation perceived during this time. To battle this, modernists focused on exploring psychology than directly commenting on society.Use of stream of consciousness- James JoyceUse of surrealism to depict alienation- Franz Kafka

Magical RealismIs when a realistic situation is combine with some magical, supernatural or unrealistic occurrence.

Ex: When in the story The Metamorphosis the main character turns into a big insect. Everything else in the story is pretty much realistic, except the transformation from a human being to an insect.

“When Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from troubled dreams, he found himself change into a monstrous cockroach in hid bed”(Kafka 1204).

Magical Realismcharacteristics

Stories with a strong narrative drive.Dreams, fairy story and mythology combine with everyday realistic events.

Existentialism Is a philosophy that emphasizes individual existence, freedom and choice. It is the point of view in which humans see their own meaning in life and make decision according to it.

Ex: In the story Gregor initially chooses society over himself, he was a hard working man almost slave to his boss and he also support all the member of his family  After his physical transformation, he is forced to only focus on himself, and here is when family and society abandons him.  

SurrealismRefers to having a dreamlike quality or, in literature, producing fantasy. It is often present by combining things that don't belong together.

Ex: Gregor doesn't seem to care that he is a cockroach, his reaction is very dreamlike. It is also very unusual that knowing he is an insect he just cares about being late for work.

“What to do now? The next train left at seven; to catch it meant hurrying like a madman, and his samples weren’t yet packed, and he himself didn’t feel exactly agile or vigorous”(Kafka1205).

Gregor’s Father (Mr. Samsa)

Business failure leaves him in a lot of debtBegins working once Gregor’s is transformed and can no longer support the familyResponsible for Gregor’s death

GreteGregor’s sisterTakes sole responsibility for Gregor’s care after he turns into insectLikes to play the violin

Gregor’s Mother (Mrs. Samsa)

Very weak womenTries to help Gregor but is disgusted by himSuffers most from Gregor’s transformation

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THEMES FOUND IN The Metamorphosis

Alienation/Isolation

Negative Father-son relationship

Existence

Morality

Class-consciousness/Effects of Capitalism

Family

Communication

Quest for understanding

Examination of being

Quest for escape

Absurdity of human life

Conflict between body and spirit

SYMBOLSThe insect

The framed picture of a woman in fursGregor’s desires (sex, wealth, humanity)

Father’s uniform:Father’s dignity (deteriorates)

FoodThe way the family treats Gregor

The MetamorphosisPersonal alienationEffects of family’s demands

FurnitureLoss of hope/humanity

The WindowLonging

Hospital

imprisonment-keys, locks, cages

music and distortion of time

Central Symbol of the Beetle/Vermin

A subjective fantasy that best describes Gregor’s self-loathing:

WorthlessnessUselessness Meaninglessness AwkwardnessUgliness

Gregor as animalObsessed with work/family/officialIn animal form, the self is superior over physical existenceIgnores true self and “unsettling dreams” which represent the conflict between the two selvesAlienation of true self

The Reaction of OthersClerk- self importance3 lodgers- amused, self importancemother- helpless, in denial, too weak to make her love effective- “temporary sickness”sister- closest in age and could be best understood by him-concerned with herselfmaid- a curious pet

The Metamorphosis of the Family

FatherMother SisterFrom _________ to _________

22

Decline and DeathGregor seems to have been by far the most caring and compassionate individual in the home. Now that he has gone, the fact that Grete is described more as animal than human being might cause us to wonder if there is any humanity left in the Samsas at all.

2 Choices in LifeINDIVIDUAL vs. SOCIETY

if a person chooses self, he will lose support of societyif a person chooses society, he lose individualityOne must be productive in order to be valuable, and one must have leisure in order to be valuable to himselfwhat is Gregor? when? you?