The Metamorphosis Study Guide 

Pace your reading according to the due dates posted. A quiz for the section of reading may be given on the date you were expected to complete the reading section. A hard copy of your study guide will be turned in the day of the final- neat, complete and correct answers are expected, for full credit. Your work turned in should be YOUR WORK any copied work will receive a maximum of 0 points and negative 10 points on your final (ouch! In other words DON’T cheat)

Part 1, section  1 due Jan 13 

1. What are Gregor’s thoughts and impressions when he wakes up to find himself transformed into an insect?

2. What kind of work did Gregor do before his metamorphosis?

3. What are Gregor’s obligations to his family before his transformation into an insect?

4. What are some of the things that Gregor hopes for?

5. Who sends Grete to get the doctor? The locksmith?

6. How would you describe the chief clerk?

7. What two contradictory goals does Gregor seem to be striving for throughout the story?

8. Why does Gregor finally decide to reveal himself to the chief clerk and his parents?

9. How does the chief clerk threaten Gregor?

10. What is the chief clerk’s reaction when he sees Gregor?


Part 1,section 2: Questions  due Jan 13

11. How do Mr. and Mrs. Samsa react when they see Gregor for the first time?

12. Why can’t Gregor explain himself to the chief clerk?

13. What are some of the things Gregor tries to tell the chief clerk?

14. Who knocks over the coffee pot?

15. What causes Mrs. Samsa to collapse to the floor?

16. How does Mr. Samsa force Gregor back into his room?

17. What happens to Gregor as he is being driven back into his room?

18. In what ways has Gregor been alienated from society?

19. How have the roles within the Samsa family changed?

20. What is the major theme of the story?

Part 2, section 1: Questions due Jan 19

21. Why doesn’t Gregor drink the milk his sister leaves for him?

22. Why does the household cook ask Mrs. Samsa to let her go?

23. Where does Gregor like to hide?


24. Who has assumed major responsibility for Gregor’s life?

25. Why did Gregor become a traveling salesman?

26. How do the Samsa’s expect to live now that their son’s source of income is lost?

27. Why is Gregor so intent on sending his sister to the conservatory to study music?

28. In what ways are Gregor’s physical powers declining?

29. How has Grete’s attitude and behavior toward Gregor changed?

30. Why does Grete want to remove most of the furniture from Gregor’s room?

Part 2, section 2: Questions due Jan 19 

31. Why does Gregor cling to the picture of the woman in furs on the wall?

32. What causes Mrs. Samsa to faint on the sofa?

33. Why does Gregor run after Grete after his mother faints?

34. What kind of job has Mr. Samsa taken?

35. Why doesn’t Gregor recognize his father in his new uniform?

36. How does Mr. Samsa react when he first comes into the apartment and sees his wife lying on the floor?

37. How does Mr. Samsa punish Gregor?

38. Why does Gregor lose consciousness?

39. Who saves Gregor from an almost certain death?

40. How has the balance of power in the Samsa household changed by the end of Part 2?

Part 3, section 1: Questions due Jan 24

41. How has Mr. Samsa’s attitude toward Gregor changed at the start of Part 3, Division 1?

42. What kind of job does Mrs. Samsa have?

43. What kind of job does Grete have?

44. How is Grete trying to improve her prospects for the future?

45. How do you explain Grete’s ambivalence toward Gregor?

46. Why does Grete become angry with her mother?

47. Who do the Samsas hire to clean Gregor’s room?

48. Why do the Samsas rent a room to the three men?

49. Why doesn’t Kafka give us any information about the three men?

50. How does Gregor feel when he hears the three men chewing their food at dinner?

Part 3, section 2: Questions due Jan 24 

51. Why do the three lodgers threaten to sue Mr. Samsa?

52. What private thoughts does Gregor have of Grete when he hears her violin playing?

53. Why does Grete want to get rid of Gregor?

54. How does Gregor feel once he is back in his room?

55. How would you describe the cleaning woman’s responses to Gregor when she first comes into the house?

56. Why does Gregor feel that Grete is right about his disappearing from everyone’s life?

57. Who discovers Gregor’s body?

58. Why does Mr. Samsa order the three lodgers out of the house?

59. What do the Samsas plan to do the day of Gregor’s death?

60. In what sense is Metamorphosis an “optimistic” story?