Before You Read the Metamorphosis

Consider these topics / themes before reading Franz Kafka's "Metamorphosis"

thanks to source Ms. Cagle, U of E

1. Throughout life, Franz Kafka was often alienated by his peers. To alienate someone is to cast them out or ignore them all together. What type of stories do you think an alienated person might write?


2. Kafka’s works were not published until after his death, and Kafka pursued jobs in other fields besides writing. Why did Kafka not become a writer by vocation?


3. Think about your daily life for a couple of minutes. If you were to write a book about your life, what characters would you have in it? What name would you give each character as to conceal his or her true identity?


4. What is a metamorphosis? Does it occur suddenly or gradually? Give one example of a metamorphosis that occurs in nature.


5. How would you react if someone in your family suddenly turned into an insect?


6. How would you react if you turned into an insect?