THE METAMORPHOSIS

By the end of this unit, students will be able to: discuss the basic notions that characterize the Existentialist movement in philosophy and literature and how these notions came into existence; explain how The Metamorphosis fits into the Existentialist framework; discuss the effect of Kafka’s choice to begin The Metamorphosis with its climax; show how irony is used to create humor in The Metamorphosis; trace the development of the major theme in this story—metamorphosis of the self throughthe vehicle of society—as it applies to Gregor, Sister (Grete), and Father; explain the impact of Kafka’s personal experiences on his writing and point out parallels in The Metamorphosis; discuss the novel as a response to the social and political environment of its day; discuss Kafka’s use of the limited-omniscient narrator to bring focus to the absurdity of his characters and their situations; and discuss Kafka’s use of absurdity and the grotesque. 102 pages. ©2007.