Kafkas The

Metamorphosis
AN EXISTENTIAL INTRODUCTION AND READING

Franz Kafka

Born in Prague, which is now part of the Czech

Republic but was in Austria-Hungary when he
was born, in 1883

Born to middle-class, German-speaking Jewish

parents, which probably ostracized him from his
Czech-speaking and Christian community

Other major works include The Trial and The

Castle

Influenced other existentialist authors including

Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre

Writings inspired the term Kafkaesque

Some Context

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, grand

narratives were collapsing in the face of rapid changes
to society brought on by war, scientific reasoning, and
mechanization.

As people began to doubt these universal social

constructions of reality, subjective constructions
emerged, encouraging each person to see the world
based on their own perspectives and experiences.

These social changes led to the rise of various schools

of art broadly associated with the major themes of
existentialism.

Brief Review of Existentialism

Existence---->Essence
No

Rules!
Choice and Responsibility
Alienation

Still Life with Skull--Cezanne

Dora Maar au Chat--Picasso

Things to look for

The

tone of the textIs it consistent

with the events described
Is Gregor alienated? Why?
What are some different ways we
might interpret this story?

The Beginning
Transformed in his bed
into a horrible vermin
His many legs
waved about
helplessly.

"Oh, God!"
"What's happened to me?"