Gregor
what is Gregor's main motivation?
to support his family
who takes care of Gregor for most of the story?
Grete
What does Gregor transform into?
a giant insect/beetle/cockroach
How did Kafka's relationship with his own father affect the way he wrote the character of Gregor's father?
The estrangement between Gregor and his father is indicative of Kafka's own troubled relationship with his father
What languages did Kafka speak?
German and Czech
How did Gregor feel about his job?
Gregor disliked his job and felt that he was overworked (although he liked that his job payed enough for him to provide for his sister and parents)
What instrument does Grete play?
the violin
how does Gregor react to his transformation?
Gregor is indifferent to his physical metamorphosis and is instead completely determined to get back to work
What does the painting of a woman with fur represent to Gregor?
Gregor's former humanity (which he desperately tries to protect when his sister and mother are removing his furniture)
Where was Franz Kafka from?
Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic
How does Gregor feel about his family during his death?
Gregor thought of his family with tenderness and love
What kind of fruit did Gregor's Father throw at him?
Apples
Describe how Grete's attitude toward her brother transforms throughout the story
Grete is sympathetic and caring at first, but after getting a job, her life gets more difficult, and she blames Gregor for the family's problems
As Gregor lives his life as an insect, he begins to lose interest in living. What is the most significant reason for his mental deterioration?
His family no longer shows compassion for him and treats him with indifference or spite
What did Kafka do for a living?
he worked for insurance companies
What are some changes Gregor undergoes aside from his appearance?
only liking rotten food, having reduced vision, enjoying crawling around his room, having altered speech, enjoying the dark, etc
Be specific in describing the jobs of EACH family member?
the Father is a servant in a bank, the Mother is sewing undergarments for a fashion shop, Grete is a salesgirl, and Gregor was a traveling salesman
how does the family transform in the story?
They gain new hope and independence (gregor's transformation forces the family to get their own jobs and rely on themselves. by the end the family is hopeful of their future prospects)
What does Kafkaesque refer to?
situations w/ surreal, uncanny, nightmarish, & absurd qualities such as those in the works of Franz Kafka, characterized by bureaucratic complexity, alienation, and a sense of helpless confusion.
How did Franz Kafka die?
he died from tuberculosis
How does Gregor feel about his family deciding to get rid of him?
Gregor agrees that he must disappear. He wishes to sacrifice himself for his familys' sake and he regains emotional attachment to his family.
How do the family members justify their decision to get rid of Gregor?
the family convinces themselves that the insect is not Gregor
Gregor's transformation is a metaphor for what?
Disability/illness (and the subsequent alienation/dehuminization from no longer being able to contribute monetarily)
What is The Metamorphosis a critique of?
the dehumanising and alienating nature of capitalism
How did Kafka become famous?
his friend refused to burn Kafka's stories after his death, and instead published them