AP Literature/OConnor

Questions on The Metamorphosis

Please type these up and load them on
Turnitin.com. The book divides into 3
chapters/staves: pp.3-20; 21-39; 40-end. Please
take advantage of the notes at the back of the book.
1. p. 3what is told and what is left
unexplained about the way Gregor turns into a
monstrous vermin? What might the process of
transformation represent symbolically?
2. pp. 3-4what does a cockroach represent
symbolically? Why is it fitting given his job as
a travelling salesman that Gregor should be
transformed into a cockroach [though Kafka
never uses this word]? Why is it unfair to
Gregor as a person?
3. p. 4what is represented symbolically
about the economic system Gregor must
participate in by the job of a travelling salesman
and the attitude his boss takes to him?
4. p. 3what does the weather represent
symbolically?

5. p. 3-6how does Gregor react to being

turned into a cockroach? What does that show
about him as a person?
6. pp. 4-5how does he feel about his job?
Why does he keep it?
7. pp. 11-12what is shown about his
situation by the way the manager speaks to
him?
8. p. 12what does Gregor show about
himself by the way he reacts to the manager?
9. p. 15what is shown about his father and
mother by the way each reacts to the sight of
Gregor?
10. pp. 18-20what does Gregors father do to
him and why? What does this scene show about
Gregors life situation?
11. p. 24what does food represent
symbolically? What is shown by the second
meal Gregors sister brings him?
12. pp. 26-9what is Gregors fathers real
financial position? What has Gregor been
providing for them? What did he plan for his
sister? What financial problems does the family
face?

13. pp. 29-30how does Gregors sister treat

him now? How does she feel about his
appearance?
14. pp. 33-37what does Gregors furniture
represent symbolically? Why does Gregor
decide that he has to keep his furniture? Why is
this issue important?
15. What is the unfortunate result of Gregors
resolution on this issue of the furniture and
what does that signify about his situation in the
family at this point?
16. pp. 37-9how has Gregors father
changed? What is shown by his throwing the
apples at Gregor? What might the apples
represent symbolically? What might the wound
represent?
17. pp. 40-41how has the wound changed
Gregors situation?
18. p. 42what keeps the family from moving?
19. pp. 43-44how is Gretes attitude toward
Gregor changing?
20. pp. 47-49what is the point Kafka is
making by contrasting Gregors reaction to his

sisters playing with that of the boarders? What

does the violin music represent symbolically?
21. pp. 49-52what is the point of the contrast
between his feeling for his sister and Gretes
response to him?
22. pp. 53-54what decision does Gregor
reach? What does that show about him?
23. pp. 54-58how does the Samsa family
change after Gregors death? What does that
show?
24. What is Kafka saying about this mans life
and death?