Franz Kafkas The Metamorphosis Study Guide

Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis Study Guide Franz Kafka’s well-known story â€Å"The Metamorphosis† begins with a description of a disturbing situation: â€Å"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect† (89). However, Gregor himself seems most disturbed by the possibility of missing the train to work and losing his job as a traveling salesman. Without asking for aid or alerting his family to his new form, he attempts to maneuver his unwieldy insect body- which has several tiny legs and a broad, hard back- out of bed. Soon, however, the chief clerk from Gregor’s company arrives at the apartment. Gregor is determined â€Å"to show himself and speak to the chief clerk; he was eager to find out what the others, after all their insistence, would say at the sight of him† (98). When Gregor finally opens his door and appears, everyone in the Samsas’ apartment is horrified; Gregor’s mother cries for help, the chief clerk flees the premises, and Gregor’s father, â€Å"hissing and crying ‘Shoo!’ like a savage,† mercilessly drives Gregor back into his bedroom (103-104). Back in his room, Gregor reflects on the fine life he had once provided for his family and wonders â€Å"if all the quiet, the comfort, the contentment were now to end in horror† (106). Soon enough, Gregor’s parents and sister start adapting to a life without Gregor’s earnings, and Gregor adapts to his new insectoid form. He develops a taste for rotten food and forms a new hobby- scurrying all over the walls in his room. He also feels grateful for the caring attention of his sister, Grete, who â€Å"tried to make as light as possible of whatever was disagreeable in her task, and as time went on she succeeded, of course, more and more† (113). But when Grete forms a plan to remove Gregor’s bedroom furniture and give him â€Å"as wide a field as possible to crawl in,† Gregor, determined to hold on to at least a few reminders of his human form, opposes her (115). He rushes out of his usual hiding place, sends his mother into a fainting fit, and s ends Grete running for help. In the midst of this chaos, Gregor’s father arrives home from work and bombards Gregor â€Å"with fruit from the dish on the sideboard,† convinced that Gregor is a danger to the family (122). This attack on Gregor makes â€Å"even his father recollect that Gregor was a member of the family, despite his present unfortunate and repulsive shape† (122). Over time, the Samsas become resigned to Gregor’s condition and take measures to provide for themselves. The servants are dismissed, Grete and her mother find jobs of their own, and three lodgers- â€Å"serious gentlemen† with â€Å"a passion for order†- come to stay in one of the Samsas’ rooms (127). Gregor himself has stopped eating, and his room is becoming dirty and crowded with unused objects. But one night, Gregor hears his sister playing the violin. He emerges from his room, feeling as if â€Å"the way were opening before him to the unknown nourishment he craved† (130-131). After seeing Gregor, the lodgers react angrily to the â€Å"disgusting conditions† in the Samsa household, while the anguished Grete declares that the Samsas must, despite their past efforts at accommo dation, finally get rid of Gregor (132-133). After this latest conflict, Gregor retreats to the darkness of his room. He feels â€Å"relatively comfortable.† In the early morning, his head sinks â€Å"to the floor of its own accord and from his nostrils came the last faint flicker of his breath† (135). The dead Gregor is quickly removed from the premises. And with Gregor’s death, the rest of the family is reinvigorated. Gregor’s father confronts the three lodgers and forces them to leave, then takes Grete and Mrs. Samsa on an excursion â€Å"into the open country outside the town† (139). The two elder Samsas are now confident that Grete will find a â€Å"good husband, and watch hopefully and optimistically as â€Å"at the end of their journey their daughter sprang to her feet first and stretched her young body† (139). Background and Contexts Kafka’s Own Professions: Like Gregor Samsa, Kafka himself was caught up in the world of money, commerce, and day-to-day bureaucracy. Kafka wrote â€Å"The Metamorphosis† in 1912, at a time when he was employed by the Workers’ Accident Insurance Company of the Kingdom of Bohemia. But even though Kafka remained at the Company until a few years before his death, he viewed another kind of activity- his writing- as his most important and most challenging life’s work. As he wrote in a 1910 letter, highlighting the daily difficulties that devotion to writing can bring: â€Å"When I wanted to get out of bed this morning I simply folded up. This has a very simple cause, that I am completely overworked. Not by my office but by my other work.† While Gregor gradually forgets his professional habits and discovers the power of art as â€Å"The Metamorphosis† progresses, Kafka was firmly convinced for much of his adult life that art was his true calling. To quote another Kafka letter, this time from 1913: â€Å"My job is unbearable to me because it conflicts with my only desire and my only calling, which is literature. Since I am nothing but literature and want to be nothing else, my job will never take possession of me.† Modernism Art and the Modern City: â€Å"The Metamorphosis† is but one of many early 20th-century works that depicts city life. Yet metropolitan commerce, technology, and living conditions evoked very different reactions from the various writers and artists of the modernist era. Some of this period’s painters and sculptors- including the Italian Futurists and the Russian Constructivists- celebrated the dynamic, revolutionary potential of city architecture and transportation systems. And several important novelists- James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Andrei Bely, Marcel Proust- contrasted urban transformation and upheaval with calmer, though not necessarily better, past lifestyles. On the basis of bleak urban narratives such as â€Å"The Metamorphosis†, â€Å"The Judgment†, and The Trial, Kafka’s own stance toward the modern city is often understood as a position of extreme criticism and pessimism. For a story set in a modern city, â€Å"The Metamorphosis † can feel remarkably closed-in and uncomfortable; until the final pages, the whole of the action takes place in the Samsas’ apartment. Envisioning and Illustrating â€Å"The Metamorphosis†: Even though Kafka describes certain aspects of Gregor’s new, insect body in great detail, Kafka opposed efforts to draw, illustrate, or represent Gregor’s full shape. When â€Å"The Metamorphosis† was published in 1915, Kafka cautioned his editors that â€Å"the insect itself cannot be drawn. It cannot be drawn even as if seen from a distance.† Kafka may have given these directions in order to keep certain aspects of the text mysterious, or to allow readers to imagine Gregor’s precise shape on their own; nonetheless, future readers, critics, and artists would attempt to pin down Gregor’s exact appearance. Early commentators envisioned Gregor as an overgrown cockroach, yet novelist and insect specialist Vladimir Nabokov disagreed: â€Å"A cockroach is an insect that is flat in shape with large legs, and Gregor is anything but flat: he is convex on both sides, belly and back, and hi s legs are small. He approaches a cockroach in only one respect: his coloration is brown.† Instead, Nabokov hypothesized that Gregor is much closer to a beetle in shape and form. Direct visual representations of Gregor have in fact appeared in the graphic novel versions of â€Å"The Metamorphosis† created by Peter Kuper and R. Crumb. Key Topics Gregor’s Sense of Identity: Despite his disturbing physical transformation, Gregor holds on to many of the thoughts, emotions, and desires that he exhibited in his human form. At first, he is incapable of understanding the extent of his transformation and believes that he is only â€Å"temporarily incapacitated† (101). Later, Gregor realizes that he is a horror to his family adopts new habits- eating putrid food, climbing all over the walls. But he is unwilling to give up mementos of his human state, such as the furniture that remains in his bedroom: â€Å"Nothing should be taken out of his room; everything must stay as it was; he could not dispense with the good influence of the furniture on his state of mind; and even if the furniture did hamper him in his senseless crawling around and around, that was no drawback but a great advantage† (117). Even towards the end of â€Å"The Metamorphosis†, Gregor is convinced that elements of his human identity have remained intact. His thoughts turn to his inner human traits- affection, inspiration- as he hears Grete’s violin playing: â€Å"Was he an animal, that music had such an effect on him? He felt as if the way were opening before him to the unknown nourishment he craved. He was determined to push forward until he reached his sister, to pull at her skirt and let her know that she was to come into his room, with her violin, for no one here appreciated her playing as he would appreciate it† (131). By turning into an insect, Gregor displays deeply human traits such as artistic appreciation- traits that were uncommon to him in his over-worked, business-oriented human state. Multiple Transformations: Gregor’s stark change of shape is not major change in â€Å"The Metamorphosis†. Because of Gregor’s new tradition and its negative effects on his family, the Samsas’ apartments undergo a series of alterations. Early on, Grete and her mother attempt to remove all of Gregor’s bedroom furniture. Then, new characters are brought into the Samsas’ property: first a new housekeeper, an â€Å"old widow, whose strong bony frame had enabled her to survive the worst a long life could offer;† then the three lodgers, picky men â€Å"with full beards† (126-127). The Samsas even transform Gregor’s room into a storage space for â€Å"superfluous, not to say dirty, objects† in order to make the lodgers comfortable (127). Gregor’s parents and sister change considerably as well. Initially, the three of them live in comfort thanks to Gregor’s earnings. Yet after the transformation, they are forced to take jobs- and Mr. Samsa transforms from a â€Å"man who used to lie wearily sunk in bed† into a bank messenger â€Å"dressed in a smart blue uniform with gold buttons† (121). Gregor’s death, however, sparks a new series of transformations in the Samsas’ ways of thinking. With Gregor gone, Grete and her parents are convinced that their jobs are â€Å"all three admirable and likely to lead to better things later on.† And they decide to find new living quarters, too- â€Å"a smaller and cheaper but also better situated and more easily run apartment than the one they had, which Gregor had selected† (139). A Few Discussion Questions 1) Do you understand â€Å"The Metamorphosis† as a work that confronts political or social issues? Is Kafka using Gregor’s strange story to discuss (or attack) issues such as capitalism, traditional family life, or the place of art in society? Or is â€Å"The Metamorphosis† a story with few or no political or social concerns? 2) Consider the issue of illustrating â€Å"The Metamorphosis†. Do you think that Kafka’s reluctance to show exactly what the transformed Gregor looks like was justified? Despite Kafka’s reservations, did you have a strong mental image of Gregor? Could you, perhaps, draw his insectoid body? 3) Which character in Kafka’s story is most deserving of pity and sympathy- the hideously transformed Gregor, his persevering sister Grete, the rather helpless Mrs. Samsa, or someone else? Did you find yourself siding with different characters- for example, liking Grete more and Gregor less- as the story moved forward? 4) Who changes the most in the course of â€Å"The Metamorphosis†? Gregor is an obvious choice because of his new shape, but you should also think about the changes in the characters’ emotions, desires, and living situations. Which character undergoes the strongest shift in values or personality as the story progresses? Note on Citations All in-text page citations refer to the following edition of Kafkas works: The Complete Stories, Centennial Edition with a New Foreword by John Updike (â€Å"The Metamorphosis† translated by Willa and Edwin Muir. Schocken: 1983).

Ocean Sunfish Facts

Ocean Sunfish Facts The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) is certainly one of the more unusual-appearing fish in the oceans. This bony fish, also known as the common mola, is famous for its enormous bulk, striking appearance, high fertility, and free moving lifestyle. Fast Facts: Ocean Sunfish Scientific Name: Mola molaCommon Name(s): Ocean sunfish, common mola, common sunfishBasic Animal Group: FishSize: 6–10 feetWeight: 2,000 poundsLifespan: 22–23 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Pacific, Indian, Atlantic oceans, Mediterranean and North SeasPopulation: UnknownConservation Status: Vulnerable Description The ocean sunfish is a bony fish- it has a skeleton of bone, which distinguishes it from cartilaginous fish, whose skeletons are made of cartilage. The fish doesnt have a normal-looking tail; instead, it has a lumpy appendage called a clavus, which evolved through the fusion of the fishs dorsal and anal fin rays. Despite its lack of a powerful tail, the ocean sunfish is an active and graceful swimmer, using its dorsal and anal fins to perform rapid changes in direction and horizontal movements independent of the prevailing current. It can also leap out of the water. Ocean sunfish vary in color from brown to gray to white. Some even have spots. On average, ocean sunfish weighs about 2,000 pounds and range between 6 and 10 feet across, making them the largest  bony fish  species. Female sunfish are larger than the males- all sunfish larger than 8 feet long are females. The largest ocean sunfish ever measured was nearly 11 feet across  and weighed over 5,000 pounds.   Rodrigo Friscione/Getty Images Species The word mola in its scientific name is Latin for millstone- a large  round stone used to grind grain- and the fishs name is a reference to its disc-like shape. Ocean sunfish are often referred to as common molas or simply molas. The ocean sunfish is also known as the common sunfish, as there are three other species of sunfish that live in the ocean- the slender mola (Ranzania laevis), the sharp-tailed mola (Masturus lanceolatus), and the southern ocean sunfish (Mola alexandrini). The sunfish group gets its name for the fishs characteristic behavior of lying on its side at the sea surface, seemingly basking in the sun. Habitat and Range Ocean sunfish live in tropical and temperate waters, and they can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans as well as inlets such as the Mediterranean and North seas. They generally stay within 60–125 miles of the coastline, and they apparently migrate within their ranges. They spend the summers at higher latitudes and their winters relatively closer to the equator; their ranges typically are along about 300 miles of coastline, although one sunfish off the coast of California was mapped at traveling over 400 miles. They move during the day horizontally at rate of about 16 miles a day. They also move vertically through the day, traveling between the surface and up to 2,600 feet below, moving up and down the water column during the day and night to chase food and regulate body heat. To see an ocean sunfish, though, youll likely have to find one in the wild, because they are difficult to keep in captivity. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is the only aquarium in the U.S. to have live ocean sunfish, and the fish  are kept at only a few other aquaria, such as the Lisbon Oceanarium in Portugal and the Kaiyukan Aquarium in Japan. Diet and Behavior Ocean sunfish like to eat jellyfish and siphonophores (relatives of jellyfish); in fact, they are among the most abundant of the worlds jellyfish eaters. They also eat salps, small fish, plankton, algae, mollusks, and  brittle stars. If youre lucky enough to see an ocean sunfish in the wild, it may look like its dead. Thats because ocean sunfish are often seen lying on their sides near the ocean surface, sometimes flapping their dorsal fins. There are a few theories about why sunfish do this; they often undertake long, deep dives in cold water in search of their favorite prey,  and may use the warm sun at the surface to re-heat themselves and aid digestion. The fish may also use the warm, oxygen-rich surface water to recharge their oxygen stores. And they may visit the surface to attract seabirds from above or cleaner fish from below to clean their skin of parasites. Some sources suggest that the fish wave their fins to attract birds. From 2005 to 2008, scientists tagged 31 ocean sunfish in the North Atlantic in the first study of its kind. The tagged sunfish spent more time near the ocean surface during the night than during the day, and they spent more time in the deep when they were in warmer waters such as  the  Gulf Stream  and the  Gulf of Mexico. BarrettMacKay BarrettMacKay/Getty Images   Reproduction and Offspring Ocean sunfish in Japanese waters spawn in late summer through October and likely multiple times. Age at sexual maturity is inferred at 5–7 years of age, and they spawn an enormous number of eggs. An ocean sunfish was once found with an estimated 300 million eggs in her ovary- more than scientists have ever found in any  vertebrate  species. Although sunfish produce many eggs, the eggs are tiny and essentially scattered into the water, making their chances of survival relatively small. Once an egg is fertilized, the embryo grows into tiny spiked larvae with a tail. After hatching, the spikes and tail disappear and the baby sunfish resembles a small adult. The lifespan of an ocean sunfish is up to 23 years. Conservation Status The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the ocean sunfish as Vulnerable. Currently, sunfish are not targeted for human consumption, but they are endangered by bycatch. Reported estimates in California are that 14 percent to 61 percent of the fish caught by people seeking swordfish is sunfish; in South Africa, they make up 29 to 79 percent of the catch intended for horse mackerel, and in the Mediterranean, an astounding 70 to 95 percent of the total catch for swordfish is, in fact, ocean sunfish. The global population of sunfish is difficult to determine, since they spend so much time in deep water, although tagging has become more common. Sunfish may be a crucial part of the planets changing ecosystem under climate change: They are among the worlds most abundant eaters of jellyfish, and global warming appears to be resulting in an upsurge of jellyfish numbers. The biggest natural predators of ocean sunfish are  orcas  and  sea lions. Ocean Sunfish and Humans Despite their enormous size, ocean sunfish are harmless to humans. They move slowly and are likely more frightened of us than we are of them. Because they are not considered a good food fish in most places, their biggest threats are likely being hit by boats and being caught as bycatch in fishing gear.   Franco Banfi/Getty Images Sources Dewar, H., et al. Satellite Tracking the Worlds Largest Jelly Predator, the Ocean Sunfish, Mola Mola, in the Western Pacific. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 393.1 (2010): 32–42. Print.Liu, J., et al. Mola mola (errata version published in 2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T190422A97667070, 2015.  Potter, Inga F., and W. Huntting Howell. Vertical Movement and Behavior of the Ocean Sunfish, Mola Mola, in the Northwest Atlantic. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 396.2 (2011): 138–46. Print.Sims, David W., et al. Satellite Tracking of the Worlds Largest Bony Fish, the Ocean Sunfish (Mola Mola L.) in the North East Atlantic. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 370.1 (2009): 127–33. Print.Thys, Tierney M., et al. Ecology of the Ocean Sunfish, Mola Mola, in the Southern California Current System. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 471 (2015): 64–76. Print.