The Metamorphosis

 This book is written by Franz Kafka

 It was first published in 1915
 One of Kafka's best-known works, book tells the
story of salesman Gregor Samsa, who wakes one
morning to find himself transformed into a huge
insect
 Original title of the book is 'Die Verwandlung'

Front cover of a 1916 edition

SUMMARY

• Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning and he realizes that he

missed the train . He was a salesman and he was going to work with
train.  
• His parents and his sister Grete become suspicious and knock at his
door. However, he is unable to talk nor open the door. Chief Clerk,
who is his boss, arrives and warns him for his behavior, threatening
to dismiss him. He struggles to open the door and finally
succeeds.  Everyone is shocked by his new appearance. It is clear
that Gregor will no longer work in this way. So Gregor begins to live
as an insect without ever leaving his room.
• Samsa family was so poor. Gregor provides his family
before he becomes an insect. After he lost his job, the
family begins to experience a great lack of money.
Gregor's old father has to start working again

• In the beginning his sister grete looks after him. After a

while she gets tired of it and she quits to clean his room
and she gives him rotten food. Samsa family starts to
hate Gregor.

• Grete had a dream. She loves to play violin but she can't

afford anything so they decide to rent the home. When
lodgers finds out about him, They decide to leave
without paying for their stay immediately .Gregor
disappointedly returns to his room and dies out of
depression.
 CHARACTERS
GREGOR SAMSA

• A traveling salesman and the main character of the story. Gregor

hates his job but keeps it because of the obligations he feels to pay
off his father’s debt and care for his family. He has transformed
into a large bug and spends the rest of his life in that state.
Although He is unrecognizable to others, Gregor tries to keep his
humanity with his physical condition.
 GRETE SAMSA
• She is Gregor's sister. Grete, who loves her brother very much. She tries to
help Gregor at first, but after Gregor's metamorphosis, she can't stand it too
long. She is the character who says that they need to get rid of Gregor from
his parents.

THE FATHER
• Gregor’s father. The failure of his business has left him
exhausted and emotionally broken, and he is forced to
return to work again after Gregor’s metamorphosis.
Despite the beneficial effects his new employment has
on him, he was so angry at gregor
 THE MOTHER

• Gregor’s mother. Frail and distressed, the mother is torn between her love
for Gregor and her horror at Gregor’s new state. Grete and Gregor’s father
seek to protect her from the full reality of her son’s transformation.

The Charwoman
• An elderly widow and the Samsa family’s cleaning lady. Taken on by
the Samsas after their regular maid quits because of Gregor, she is a
honest woman who faces the reality of Gregor’s state without fear or
disgust
 SYMBOLS

The Father’s Uniform

• The uniform the father wears for his job symbolizes the father’s dignity, as well
as Gregor’s shifting feelings of pity and respect for him.
Food 
• represents the way the members of the Samsa family feel toward Gregor.
Notably, it is Grete, the family member Gregor feels closest to, who feeds
Gregor for most of the story.Samsa family have lost their sympathy for
Gregor, they have stopped taking the same interest in feeding him. 
 MAİN THEME
• The main idea of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is the effect of social
pressure on people. Social pressure forces people to behave in a certain
pattern. Due to social pressure, people lose some of their freedoms.
According to Kafka, this makes person animalistic.