the metamorphosis hl essay

A Summary and Analysis of Franz Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘The Metamorphosis’ is a short story (sometimes classed as a novella) by the Czech-born German-language author Franz Kafka (1883-1924). It is his best-known shorter work, published in German in 1915, with the first English translation appearing in 1933. ‘The Metamorphosis’ has attracted numerous interpretations, so it might be worth probing this fascinating story more closely.

You can read ‘The Metamorphosis’ here before proceeding to our summary and analysis of Kafka’s story below.

Plot Summary

Gregor Samsa, a travelling salesman, wakes up one morning to find that he has been transformed into a giant insect. Although he briefly considers this transformation, he quickly turns his thoughts to his work and his need to provide for his parents (he lives with them and his sister) so that they can pay off their debts. He also thinks about how much he hates travelling.

He realises he is already late for work, but hesitates to call in sick because he has never had a day off sick before, and knows this might raise alarm bells. When he responds through the bedroom door after his mother calls to him, he realises that his voice has become different as a result of his metamorphosis into an insect. When his family try to enter his bedroom, they find the door locked, and he refuses to let them in.

Then there’s a knock at the door and it’s the chief clerk for whom Gregor works, wondering where Gregor has got to.

Still Gregor refuses to open the door to his family or to his visitor. The chief clerk is affronted and tells Gregor through the door that his work has not been good enough and his position at the company may not be safe. Gregor seeks to defend himself, and assures the clerk that he will soon return to work. However, because Gregor’s voice has changed so much since his transformation, nobody can understand what he’s saying.

Gregor opens the door and his mother screams when she sees him. He asks the chief clerk to smooth things over at the office for him, explaining his … sudden metamorphosis into an insect.

Later that evening, having swooned and dozed all day, Gregor wakes up at twilight and finds that his sister had brought him milk with some bread in it. Gregor attempts to drink the milk, but finds the taste disgusting, so he leaves it. He climbs under the couch so his family don’t have to look at him, while his sister tries to find him food that he can eat.

Gregor overhears his family talking in the other room, and discovers that, despite their apparent debts, his parents have some money stashed away. He has been going to work to support them when he didn’t have to.

As well as the changes to his voice, Gregor also realises that his vision has got worse since his transformation. He also discovers that he enjoys climbing the walls and the ceiling of his bedroom. To help him, his sister gets rid of the furniture to create more space for him to climb; Gregor’s mother disagrees and is reluctant to throw out all of Gregor’s human possessions, because she still trusts that he will return to his former state one day.

When he comes out of the room, his mother faints and his sister locks him outside. His father arrives and throws apples at him, severely injuring him, because he believes Gregor must have attacked his own mother.

After his brush with death, the family change tack and vow to be more sympathetic towards Gregor, agreeing to leave the door open so he can watch them from outside the room as they talk together. But when three lodgers move in with the family, and his room is used to store all of the family’s furniture and junk, he finds that he cannot move around any more and goes off his food. He becomes shut off from his family and the lodgers.

When he hears his sister playing the violin for the lodgers, he opens the door to listen, and the lodgers, upon spotting this giant insect, are repulsed and declare they are going to move out immediately and will not pay the family any of their rent owed. Gregor’s sister tells her parents that they must get rid of their brother since, whilst they have tried to take care of him, he has become a liability. She switches from talking about him as her brother and as an ‘it’, a foreign creature that is unrecognisable as the brother they knew.

Gregor, overhearing this conversation, wants to do the right thing for his family, so he decides that he must do the honourable thing and disappear. He crawls off back to his room and dies.

Gregor’s family is relieved that he has died, and the body is disposed of. Mr Samsa kicks the lodgers out of the apartment. He, his wife, and their daughter are all happy with the jobs they have taken, and Mr and Mrs Samsa realise that their daughter is now of an age to marry.

The one thing people know about ‘The Metamorphosis’ is that it begins with Gregor Samsa waking up to find himself transformed into an insect. Many English translations use the word in the book’s famous opening line (and we follow convention by using the even more specific word ‘beetle’ in our summary of the story above).

But the German word Ungeziefer does not lend itself easily to translation. It roughly denotes any unclean being or creature, and ‘bug’ is a more accurate rendering of the original into English – though even ‘bug’ doesn’t quite do it, since (in English anyway) it still suggests an insect, or at least some sort of creepy-crawly.

For this reason, some translators (such as David Wyllie in the one we have linked to above) reach for the word vermin , which is probably closer to the German original. Kafka did use the word Insekt in his correspondence discussing the book, but ordered that the creature must not be explicitly illustrated as such at any cost. The point is that we are not supposed to know the precise thing into which Gregor has metamorphosed.

The vagueness is part of the effect: Gregor Samsa is any and every unworthy or downtrodden creature, shunned by those closest to him. Much as those who wish to denigrate a particular group of people – immigrants, foreigners, a socio-economic underclass – often reach for words like ‘cockroaches’ or ‘vermin’, so Gregor’s transformation physically enacts and literalizes such emotive propaganda.

But of course, the supernatural or even surreal (though we should reject the term ‘Surrealist’) setup for the story also means that ‘The Metamorphosis’ is less a straightforward allegory (where X = Y) than it is a more rich and ambiguous exploration of the treatment of ‘the other’ (where X might = Y, Z, or even A, B, or C).

Gregor’s subsequent treatment at the hands of his family, his family’s lodgers, and their servants may well strike a chord with not just ethnic minorities living in some communities but also disabled people, people with different cultural or religious beliefs from ‘the mainstream’, struggling artists whose development is hindered by crass bourgeois capitalism and utilitarianism, and many other marginalised individuals.

This is one reason why ‘The Metamorphosis’ has become so widely discussed, analysed, and studied: its meaning is not straightforward, its fantastical scenario posing many questions.  What did Kafka mean by such a story? Is it a comedy, a tragedy, or both? Gregor’s social isolation from his nearest and dearest, and subsequent death (a death of despair, one suspects, as much as it is a noble sacrifice for the sake of his family), all suggest the story’s tragic undercurrents, and yet the way Kafka establishes Gregor’s transformation raises some intriguing questions.

Take that opening paragraph. The opening sentence – as with the very first sentence of Kafka’s novel, The Trial – is well-known, but what follows this arresting first statement is just as remarkable. For no sooner has Gregor discovered that he has been transformed, inexplicably, into a giant insect (or ‘vermin’), than his thoughts have turned from this incredible revelation to more day-to-day worries about his job and his travelling.

This is a trademark feature of Kafka’s writing, and one of the things the wide-ranging term ‘Kafkaesque’ should accommodate: the nightmarish and the everyday rubbing shoulders together. Indeed, the everyday already is a nightmare, and Samsa’s metamorphosis into an alien creature is just the latest in a long line of modernity’s hellish developments.

So the effect of this opening paragraph is to play down, as soon as it has been introduced, the shocking revelation that a man has been turned into a beetle (or similar creature).

Many subsequent details in Kafka’s story are similarly downplayed, or treated in a calm and ordinary way as if a man becoming a six-feet-tall insect is the most normal occurrence in the world, and this is part of the comedy of Kafka’s novella: an aspect of his work which many readers miss, partly because the comedic is so often the first thing lost in translation.

And, running contrariwise to the interpretation of ‘The Metamorphosis’ that sees it as ‘just’ a straightforward story about modern-day alienation and mistreatment of ‘the other’ is the plot itself, which sees Gregor Samsa freed from his life of servitude and duty, undertaking a job he doesn’t enjoy in order to support a family that, it turns out, are perfectly capable of supporting themselves (first by the father’s money which has been set aside, and then from the family’s jobs which the mother, father, and daughter all take, and discover they actually rather enjoy).

Even Gregor’s climbing of the walls and ceiling in his room, when he would have been travelling around doing his job, represents a liberation of sorts, even though he has physically become confined to one room. Perhaps, the grim humour of Kafka’s story appears to suggest, modernity is so hellish that such a transformation – even though it ends in death – is really the only liberation modern man can achieve.

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Literary Theory and Criticism

Home › Experimental Novels › Analysis of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis

Analysis of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on August 1, 2023

“As Gregor Samsa awoke from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a giant insect.” So begins The Metamorphosis , a sinister allegory of dehumanization and hopelessness in the modern world by Franz Kafka (1883–1924). Once rendered an insect, Gregor becomes a functionless and embarrassing eyesore in a household, whose members grow to resent and neglect him to the point of death. There is no place in domestic, social, and professional life, Kafka’s tale suggests, for the unproductive and the nonconformist.

Written in 1912, The Metamorphosis was one of the few works Kafka published in his lifetime. Owing to the author’s general reluctance to publish and editorial reservations about the story’s bizarre content, The Metamorphosis did not go to press until 1915.

Like much of Kafka’s fiction, The Metamorphosis expresses dominant themes in the author’s own life. In a letter, Kafka mentioned the similarity between Samsa’s name and his own; both writer and character, furthermore, were pressured to take on largely pointless office jobs. Kafka’s anxieties about ill health and fear of physical collapse play out in the unfortunate Gregor, who dies from a wound inflicted on him by his father. But the story resonates most profoundly with the real circumstances of Kafka’s family life. Like his creation, Gregor, Kafka was continually berated by his imposing father, who considered his only son to be an unmitigated failure. Gregor, likewise, cowers in fear of his father, who finds him repulsive and attacks him at every turn. Although Kafka had earned a law degree in part to appease his father, he would remain an object of patriarchal disdain and repudiation—particularly in light of his fictional work, which his father deemed “a waste of time.” Kafka’s mother, like her alter ego in the story, was ever-deferential to her husband and offered little solace to her son; his sister, Ottla, was normally a compassionate ally, but on one occasion she joined the parents in insisting that Kafka increase his hours at the office; shortly thereafter, Kafka wrote The Metamorphosis, in which Gregor’s sister betrays him by insisting that the family get rid of him.

In addition to these autobiographical references, The Metamorphosis alludes to a number of literary works, including the Russian Nikolay Gogol’s The Nose, in which a man wakes up to find his nose missing; preposterously, the nose goes on to attain a high-ranking position in the civil service. Kafka’s text was also inspired by a Yiddish play, Gordin’s The Savage One. Kafka wrote extensively about the play in his diaries. All of the characters in The Metamorphosis find analogues in The Savage One. Gregor Samsa’s counterpart is an idiot son, who is unable to communicate with his family, stays locked in his room, and fears the wrath of his father. The Metamorphosis, furthermore, resembles Gordin’s drama in its entirely domestic setting and episodic narrative structure. All three texts connect materialism and status consciousness with the degradation of humanity.

In alignment with Kafka’s largely cynical philosophical views, The Metamorphosis supports a decidedly pessimistic interpretation of human nature. Speaking to his friend Max Brod, Kafka once explained that he thought human beings were God’s nihilistic thoughts. Brod asked whether there was hope elsewhere in the universe. To this, Kafka replied, “plenty of hope, for God—only not for us.” This dismal prognosis, a sense of terminal confinement, is represented by Gregor, whose only alternative to the world in which he has unintentionally entered is death. There are glimmers of hope in the concluding lines of The Metamorphosis, as the Samsa family sets about reconstructing itself, but this might also be seen to indicate the unfortunate perpetuation of the worst human qualities. In any case, after the story’s publication Kafka said that he regretted this ending, insisting that it was “unreadable.”

Along with the bleak determinism of The Metamorphosis , the surrealistic scenario depicted—its particular mixture of the impossible and the real—is typically “Kafkaesque.” In several works, Kafka posits an unlikely situation and portrays its development in realistic detail, both psychologically and materially. In his novel The Trial , for example, a man is accused and found guilty of a crime without ever being informed of the charge’s precise nature; in “Before the Law,” a man passes decades waiting to enter the gates of Justice, only to have the guardian, finally, close them in his face. The realist aspect of these texts encourages the reader to probe beyond the specific circumstance—a man, for example, literally becoming an insect—to uncover its symbolic and allegorical implications.

The image of the insect is evocative on several levels. As early as 1907, Kafka described the best part of his creative self as a “beautiful beetle”; he imagined his body moving around in the world while his “true writing self”—a beetle—remained behind. In later years, when his idealism faded, this authorial image was replaced by “filth and slime,” a phrase he applied to his piece “The Judgment” (it tells of a rebellious son condemned to suicide by his father). Gregor Samsa, a giant insect who becomes progressively more and more filthy, may be interpreted as a metaphor for disillusionment.

Analysis of Franz Kafka’s Novels

Analysis of Franz Kafka’s Stories

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bridgewater, Patrick. Kafka’s Novels: An Interpretation. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2003. Greenberg, Martin. The Terror of Art: Kafka and Modern Literature. New York: Basic Books, 1968. Stach, Reiner. Kafka: The Decisive Years. Translated by Shelley Frisch. Orlando, Fla.: Harcourt, 2005. Stern, J. P., ed. The World of Franz Kafka. New York: Holt, Rinehard, 1980. Weinberg, Helen. The New Novel in America: The Kafkan Mode in Contemporary Fiction. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1970.

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The Metamorphosis

By franz kafka.

The Metamorphosis by Frank Kafka conveys the story of Gregor Samsa, a hardworking man who suddenly wakes up into a cockroach, causing him to go into a panic. Throughout the short story, he tries to cope with this transition and bring normality to his relationship with his family. As time passes, Gregor is demonstrated as a burden and left out to die.

The Metamorphosis: First Draft HL Essay

This is the first draft I conducted that relates to the HL Essay. I used Metamorphosis to connect with the global issue of identity in humanity. My line of inquiry was, "To what extent does the disconnection between mind and body caused by societal isolation leads to the protagonist’s, Gregor Samsa, death?". The purpose of my choosing this artifact is because the Metamorphosis is used in an analytical way connecting to reality, demonstrating my writing growth throughout my time in IB.

The Metamorphosis: First Draft Revision HL Essay

This is the first revision of my first draft of the HL Essay. Throughout the use of the Metamorphosis, I was able to reflect on my writing and how I used the novel to relate to the global issue of identity. No student or individual is perfect, this is why I used this revision as a demonstration of growth as a student and a writer, this is why I chose it as one of my artifacts for The Metamorphosis.

The Metamorphosis: Second Draft HL Essay

This is the second draft I conducted that relates to the HL Essay. I used Metamorphosis to connect with the global issue of identity in humanity. My line of inquiry was, "To what extent does the disconnection between mind and body caused by social isolation leads to Gregor's loss of hope?". I chose this artifact because the Metamorphosis is used in an analytical way connecting to reality, demonstrating my writing growth throughout my time in IB.

The Metamorphosis: Second Draft Revision HL Essay

This is the second revision of my second draft of the HL Essay. Throughout the use of the Metamorphosis, I reflected on my writing and how I used the novel to relate to the global issue of identity. No student or individual is perfect; this is why I used this revision as a demonstration of growth as a student and a writer; this is why I chose it as one of my artifacts for The Metamorphosis. I am continuing to revise my essay to conduct an HL Essay that is up to IB standards.

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Metamorphosis — The Metamorphosis: An Analysis of Isolation, Identity, and Symbolism

The Metamorphosis: an Analysis of Isolation, Identity, and Symbolism

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Published: Feb 7, 2024

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IB English HLE Explained

Free introductory guide to IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE) by IB44 and IB45 graduates Lareina Shen and Saesha Grover.

In this guide, LitLearn students (and 2022 IB grads!)  Lareina Shen and Saesha Grover share their wisdom on how to conquer the IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE).

Lareina achieved an IB44, and Saesha achieved an IB45 as well as the coveted IB7 in IB English Literature HL, so you are in safe hands.

Meet your instructor Jackson Huang, Founder of LitLearn. His mission is to make IB English as pain-free as possible with fun, practical lessons. Jackson scored an IB45 and was accepted to Harvard, Amherst, Williams Colleges, and full scholarships to University of Melbourne & Queensland.

What is IB English HLE?

The HL Essay (HLE) is a 1200-1500 word essay about a text studied in the IB English course. For Lang Lit, the work you choose to analyze can be literary or non-literary, but for IB English Literature the text must be literary.

The HLE will make up  25% of your final IB English HL grade , and it is graded externally. You must choose your own line of inquiry   (i.e. a question that you will answer in your HLE–more on this later).

How do I choose my text for HLE?

Do NOT choose the “easiest” text. Life is always better when you do things you're interested in, and that advice applies to the HLE, too. Choose the literary / non-literary work that interests  you the most, so that you can (semi?)-enjoy the HLE planning and writing process.

You could start by thinking of a theme that you find particularly interesting and determining which text studied in class demonstrates this theme well.

How do I choose my line of inquiry for HLE?

The line of inquiry is the core question that you will answer in your essay. A quick example might be:

"To what extent is masculinity undermined by the characterisation of Little Thomas?"

Now, it's your job to forge your destiny and come up with your own line of inquiry. But it's not a complete free-for all! There are rules. The main rule is that your line of inquiry must fall under one of the 7 main concepts of IB English (see below for a quick summary).

This summary is vague, so let's go in-depth on a couple of these concepts to really show you what you should be doing in the HLE.

Identity is what makes you, YOU. Here are some questions the concern your own personal identity:

• What is your favourite colour? And why is it your favourite?
• What makes you different from others? Why do you think these qualities came to be?
• How would someone describe you in three words?

Now apply this same logic to characters within your text.

• How would you describe this character in three words?
• How do their actions within a text influence your view of their identity?
• How has the author crafted this character to make you view the character in a certain way?

Let's take a look at a concrete example of how we might choose evidence and quotes for a HLE on cultural identity. This example is based on a Vietnamese work in translation “Ru” by author Kim Thúy. For context, “Ru” is an autobiographical fictional account which explores Kim Thúy's move from Vietnam to Canada as an immigrant and her consequent struggles. The structure of her novel is largely lyrical and poetic.

Let's look at a section from her novel that may help us come up with an essay idea based on the concept of Identity. When she returns to Vietnam, she attends a restaurant, however this becomes a major awakening for her in terms of how she views her own personal identity. Kim narrates within her novel:

The first time I carried a briefcase, the first time I went to a restaurant school for young adults in Hanoi, wearing heels and a straight skirt, the waiter for my table didn't understand why I was speaking Vietnamese with him. Page 77, Rú

This is a perfect quote for the Identity concept. Can you see why? Let's think through it together…

Why would the waiter be confused if Kim, a “briefcase”-carrying individual in “heels” and a “straight skirt”, was speaking Vietnamese with him?

What does being “Vietnamese” look like to the waiter? Why does Kim not conform to his expectation? Was it perhaps due to what she was wearing?

Now, if we look at the section which follows this in the novel, we are able to see the impact this had on the character of Kim's sense of identity.

the young waiter reminded me that I couldn't have everything, that I no longer had the right to declare I was Vietnamese because I no longer had their fragility, their uncertainty, their fears. And he was right to remind me. Page 77, Rú

Here, we can clearly see that this character is now questioning her Vietnamese cultural identity. This is just one example that demonstrates the concept of Identity.

Culture seems to be this confusing thing.  Does it have to do with religion? Race? Beliefs? What does it mean? Does the monster from Frankenstein fit into a certain culture?

The easiest way to put it is this:  Culture is the way someone lives. It is their “way of life.” Think of it as an umbrella term. “Culture” can include so many different things; the list just goes on, for example religion, values, customs, beliefs, cuisine, etc.

Now think, how would I form an essay from this concept?

• When you read a text in class, you will notice that authors let you form an opinion on the culture of certain characters or groups within a text, but how is this done?
• How does the author represent the culture of a certain community?
• What types of patterns in daily routines are discussed?

It seems odd writing an essay about “creativity” because… like… how can anyone definitively say what ‘counts' as being creative–or not? When I say the word creativity , I think of new inventions, or maybe those weird and wacky art installations living inside those ‘modern art' museums. But hey, what's creative to me might not be creative to you!

When formulating a HLE on the concept of creativity we have two main pointers for you. Look for:

• Interesting + Unique techniques or literary devices used within a text by the author. You can learn more in the  Learn Analysis section of LitLearn.
• Recurring stylistic choices by the author

Now, for this concept, let's look at how we might select supportive evidence and quotations for a HLE on creativity within the narrative style of author Mary Shelley in “Frankenstein”. The narrative style uses  epistolary narration . This is a narrative technique in which a story is told through letters. This was something that I found both interesting and recurring within Frankenstein, which I believe worked to create a personal touch within the novel.

Additionally, Mary Shelley allows different characters to narrate Frankenstein during different volumes. Let's investigate this! I have written out different character profiles of the narrators below:

These 3 characters, each relate a part of the novel Frankenstein. This is an example of a creative authorial choice that allows us, as readers to explore different points of view within the text. This is just one example of a creative aspect of a text which you can analyze for your HLE.

Representation

Representation is all about how something is  portrayed, conveyed, shown, described, illustrated, depicted . There are many different things that can be ‘represented' within a text, and it doesn't have to be tangible.

For instance, you can look at how a belief, idea or attitude is depicted within a text through different characters or devices.

Again, let's explore a concrete example to make things clear: this time the graphic novel “Persepolis”. We'll consider an HLE on how a text  represents the  impact of political turmoil on society .

Chapter 10 of “Persepolis” highlights societal changes occurring due to the Iranian Revolution. The panels below list the authorial choices relevant to the negative representation of political change in a society. When looking at the techniques highlighted in the slides below, think about how you feel when you look at the panels below. Can you sense a more positive or negative feeling?

Cool, but what do we do to turn all this into an actual HL essay? Here is a sample response. The introduction might begin like this:

In the captivating graphic novel “Persepolis,” the author Marjane Satrapi explores the social and political impacts of the Iranian revolution. In particular, Satrapi conveys a disapproving viewpoint on political turmoil within the text. Throughout the graphic novel, Satrapi carefully represents how social isolation, hypocrisy and confusion is experienced by a young girl living in Tehran, as a result of political turmoil.  Example HLE Introduction

Then, in a body paragraph, on one of the key ideas mentioned above, we could analyze the different literary techniques. For example, Panel 1 is a great representation of the experience of confusion in the midst of political turmoil:

Marji is the younger girl pictured in the panels above. While her parents appear quite concerned by the news on the TV, she appears to not be in full comprehension of the cause for their distress. This is demonstrated by the visual imagery and dialogue, in panel 7, for instance, if you observe the facial expressions by each of the characters. Example of analysis in body paragraph

This is just a short example from one particular text. To help you unpack any text, try look for the following when analyzing chapter to chapter:

• What is the main idea of the chapter?
• Why did the author write it? What purpose does it serve?
• What do you believe is the overarching importance of the passage?

Brainstorming Tips

If you're having trouble picking your text and line of inquiry, then use this simple 20-minute process to brainstorm potential questions for your HLE:

• For each text / non-literary work, go through each concept in the table below.
• Write down a question for each of the two prompts for each category.
• Repeat for all of your texts.
• Pick the question-text combination that has the greatest potential for strong analysis.

How do I ensure my HLE question has a good scope?

Choosing a question with good scope is extremely   important, and it's one of the biggest challenges in the HLE. Here's why:

• If your scope is too broad , you may have too much to write about in order to answer the question, and therefore you won't be able to write deep analysis (which is super important–more on this later…)
• If your scope is too narrow , you may not have enough to write about and end up overanalyzing unnecessary and obscure details. Also something to avoid!

So, to help you get the balance just right , here are three examples of HLE questions, specifically for the concept of  Identity which we mentioned in the table above (by the way, the example is a made-up novel for illustration purposes).

• Too broad: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece?”
• Too narrow: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans toward discrimination in the workforce in the 21st century?”
• Just right: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans in the 21st century?”

How to get a 7 on IB English HLE

There are many things that contribute to a 7 in your HLE and your IB English grade overall. But if we had to boil it down to one secret, one essential fact… then it'd have to be this: Get really good at analysis .

Analysis is the key to a 7 in IB English. It doesn't matter if it's Paper 1, Paper 2, HLE, IO… You must learn how to analyze quotes at a deep level, and structure your analysis in a way that flows and delights your teachers and examiners.

Start with the basics

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Our free and Pro resources have helped IB English students skyrocket their grade in weeks, days and even overnight...   Learn Analysis for IB English , the simplest guide to a 7 in IB English.

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An essential step to getting a high mark on the HL Essay is understanding the rubric! It is SO important that you know what IB English examiners are looking for when grading your essay, as this helps you to shape the content of your essay to match (or even exceed) their expectations.

The IB English HL Essay is graded out of 20 marks . There are 4 criteria, each worth 5 marks.

Use the checklist below to make sure you're not making simple mistakes! Note that this is not the official marking criteria, and I strongly recommend that you reading the official rubric provided by your teacher.

Criterion A: Knowledge, understanding, and interpretation

• Accurate summary of text in introduction
• Focused and informative thesis statement
• Effective and relevant quotes
• Relevant and effective summary and ending statement in conclusion

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation

• Relevant analysis of a variety of stylistic features 
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• Introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion
• Organized body paragraphs – topic sentence, evidence, concluding statement/link to question
• Appropriate progression of ideas and arguments in which evidence (i.e. quotes) are effectively implemented

Criterion D: Language

• Use expansions (e.g. “do not”) instead of contractions (e.g. “don't”)
• Use of a variety of connecting phrases e.g. “furthermore”, “nonetheless”, “however”, etc.
• Complete sentence structures and subject-verb agreement
• Correct usage of punctuation
• Appropriate register – no slang
• Historic present tense : the use of present tense when recounting past events. For example, we want to write “In  The Hunger Games , Peeta and Katniss work   together to win as a district” instead of using the word “worked”.
• Avoid flowery/dictionary language just to sound smart; it is distracting and difficult to read. As long as you concisely communicate your message using appropriate language, you will score a high mark under this criterion.

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The Metamorphosis

59 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

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Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

What effect does Gregor’s metamorphosis have on his family, individually and as a whole? What does this effect suggest about his relationship with his family?

The German word Ungeziefer , which has been translated to “vermin” in English, derives from a Middle High German word meaning “an unclean animal not suited for sacrifice.” What meaning do you think this word conveys about the nature of Gregor’s metamorphosis? Do you think that his death can be seen as a sacrifice in any sense? Explain why or why not.

Why and how did Gregor become “vermin” (3)? Did Gregor deserve to be turned into a bug? Do you think his transformation is a literal one, or a purely symbolic one?

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The Metamorphosis: Essay Topics & Samples

The Metamorphosis is one of Kafka’s best-known books. It is also one of the most intricate literary pieces in world literature. This is why coming up with an excellent The Metamorphosis essay topic can be challenging. The following list can help you to get started. See if any of these ten topics pique your interest.

Essay Topics

• Describe Gregor’s life before the metamorphosis. To write an outstanding The Metamorphosis essay on this topic, try to answer the following questions. What was Gregor’s life before his physical transformation? Do you think any circumstances in his life could’ve had a dehumanizing effect on him before the physical change? Did he like his work? Did he have friends?
• What is the significance of the number “3” in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis? The number “3” is a significant symbol in The Metamorphosis book. Enumerate the elements of the novel that come in three: rooms, chapters, family members, tenants, etc. What might this number symbolize? Do you think there is religious symbolism in the novella?
• How can you interpret The Metamorphosis through the existential lens? In The Metamorphosis essay, you can offer an existentialist interpretation of the novella. Think about the questions like: Is Kafka an existentialist writer? What are some elements of existentialist literature, and can you find them in The Metamorphosis? In which ways Gregor questions his existence? Is happiness attainable for him?
• Father and Son relationships in The Metamorphosis. You can divide this essay into two parts. The father-son relationships before the physical transformation can become the focus of the first part. Think about how Gregor’s father treated him as a human. In the second part of Metamorphosis’s essay, you can analyze the relationships after the transformation.
• Analyze the dehumanizing effect of work in Gregor Samsa’s life. How does Kafka start the novella ? Why does Gregor only think about his work when he wakes up? Do you believe it is essential for the readers to know what profession Gregor had before the transformation? What effect does Gregor’s job have on his metamorphosis?
• Write about food as a symbol of starving for attention. In this essay, you should focus on the use of food symbols in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis . What do these symbols tell about the relationships in the family? Analyze every account of food in the story and see how the character transformation is described through it.
• Explore the theme of isolation and alienation in The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. First, you can explain the difference between isolation and alienation . Using the text, tell why Gregor’s isolation happened before his transformation into an insect. Does physical change reveal the emotional separation in the family? What about Gregor’s inner self? Was there an alienation from his true self?
• What is the importance of third-person narration in The Metamorphosis? If you decide to choose this topic, think about Kafka’s choice to use third-person narration. What does this perspective allow the readers to see? Would the story be different if the author used another technique? For instance, if Kafka told the story through the eyes of Grete.
• Analysis of Gregor’s inability to communicate with the family. The paradox in The Metamorphosis by Kafka is that Gregor’s inability to communicate was present even before his physical transformation . Give some examples from the text—for instance, Gregor’s dissatisfaction with his work, etc. How did his physical inability to speak after the change contribute to his alienation, both emotional and physical?
• Trace Grete’s metamorphosis. Grete’s transformation is thematically significant for understanding the novella. It seems that The Metamorphosis is a book about Gregor’s transformation. However, Grete’s metamorphosis, in a way, is more symbolic. What does it symbolize? What are the stages of her change?

Essay Samples

To dive deeper into the story’s analysis, check The Metamorphosis essay samples below. Here you’ll see how to explore the novella and prove your opinion on the given topic .

• Metamorphosis and the Necklace The author of the essay compares two completely different stories, revealing similar aspects and themes. Melancholy and sadness are in focus as they are connected to death in both stories, though on various levels. See how Kafka’s and Maupassant’s stories are connected in the paper.
• Infinite Regression in Franz Kafka’s Works Franz Kafka is a writer with a tragic life filled with suffering and health issues. His problems inevitably affected his works, which reflected the author’s inner turmoils ad philosophy. In the essay, the writer analyzes Kafka’s The Metamorphosis and The Castle and examines the infinite regression in them.
• Transformation in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” Kafka’s implementation of this theme in the novella has illustrated the change of the main characters. Gregor Samsa, the protagonist, changed physically, which affected his family. The present paper explains how the main character’s change led to the psychological transformation of everyone.
• Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”: Life in Modernity The complexity of The Metamorphosis ’s plot has been a topic for many debates. In the novella, the author depicts the existential nature of urbanization. The essay discusses how the central character represents the metaphor of being released from the norms of society.
• Lessons Learned from “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka The central character, Gregor Samsa, turns into an insect. This transformation significantly changes his life and separates him from the rest of the people. This paper discusses the lessons learned from the experiences of the main character.
• Absurdity in “The Metamorphosis” and “The Stranger” One of the central themes of The Metamorphosis and The Stranger is that the world and the norms of society are absurd. The stories also explore physical and emotional detachments and how they affect people. The paper compares and contrasts them on the topic of absurdity.
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Welcome to The Metamorphosis study guide! Here, we’ll explore the genre in which the novella is written. You will also learn about Kafka’s influences and the historical background of the novella. Find out some useful information about The Metamorphosis setting, the plot, the main themes, and symbols. The Metamorphosis Key...

The Metamorphosis is a short story written by Franz Kafka, which was first published in 1915. One of his best-known works, it tells a story about a man called Gregor Samsa and his peculiar transformation. He and his family have to deal with the consequences of this metamorphosis. The Metamorphosis...

The novella The Metamorphosis focuses on two main characters Gregor and Grete. However, two more heroes are present in every chapter throughout the novella, Mrs. Samsa and Mr. Samsa. All the other The Metamorphosis characters represent the outside world for the family. They appear and disappear in the narrative without...

There are several overarching themes of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, but only two are crucial. The story starts when the central transformation has already happened. However, each character in the novella goes through its journey: Gregor, Grete, Gregor’s mother, and Gregor’s father. In this article, you’ll see how characters...

Since its publication in 1915, Kafka’s The Metamorphosis puzzled readers and critics all over the world. The story centers around Gregor Samsa’s transformation into a gigantic insect. The situation is both surreal and unusual. However, the writer proceeds with the story in a realistic manner. Nevertheless, there is a lot...

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115 The Metamorphosis Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best the metamorphosis topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 most interesting the metamorphosis topics to write about, 👍 good research topics about the metamorphosis, ❓ the metamorphosis essay questions.

• Critical Analysis of The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka The main subject of the novel is the family relations and problem of a person’s worthiness in the society. The author explores and analyses such social problems as a person’s worthiness and the ills of […]
• Alienation in the Modern World: “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka The mechanism of oppression in Gregor’s case is the bureaucracy in which he is forced to work a meaningless life that contributes nothing to his dreams or aspirations, but instead merely makes of him a […]
• The Limited Third-Person Narrator in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. It permits the author not only focus on the subject matter and revolve around the themes of the story, but implement the entertainment function of the writing and provide the reader with an in-depth understanding […]
• Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”: Social Aspects When Gregor turns into the creature, he does not care about that in the slightest; on the other hand, he cannot reconcile himself with the fact that he will miss his train and will not […]
• The Death of Ivan Ilych and The Metamorphosis As he comes to understand the difference between his servant’s and his family’s views on life, Ivan begins to realize that he has lived a life of moral death, a life empty of everything save […]
• Social Issues in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka Such loss of traditional humane values like empathy, love, respect, loyalty, and honesty has affected Franz Kafka who illustrated the metamorphosis or transformation of customary values on the example of the family of the Samsas.”The […]
• The Metamorphosis, a Novel by Franz Kafka However, when Gregor sees him in his new uniform, he is impressed, and the uniform appears to signify that his father has metamorphosed from an object of fear to a dignified man who deserves respect.
• Gregor’s Relationship With His Father in “The Matamorphosis” This paper seeks to explore the father and son relationships in Metamorphosis and Oedipus the King and offers a comparison for the two.
• Absurdity in Kafka’s A Hunger Artist and The Metamorphosis This paper provides a detailed discussion of the absurdity as Kafka presents in his works The Metamorphosis and A Hunger Artist.
• Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’ and ‘Spider-Man’ Comparison The same idea is shown in the work of Kafka, as Samsa with a substituted body becomes unneeded to his family members and other people.
• Alienation Theme in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis This indicates that Gregor’s alienation after the transformation was not a result of his appearance; it was his inability to contribute economically to the family.
• Humanities. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Even in his own home, he has taken up the habit of locking his bedroom doors “as if in a hotel” and he continues to follow the rules and regulations set forth by his father […]
• Decisions of the Samsa in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” His mother is shocked by the transformation In this paper, the author will use Saint Leo’s core values of integrity and community to analyze the decisions made by Samsa family when Gregor changes into bug. […]
• Kafka’s Stories “A Hunger Artist”, “Jackals and Arabs” and “The Metamorphosis” The reading of a short story Jackals and Arabs leaves no doubt as to the fact that this story’s foremost thematic element is being of clearly surreal nature.
• Franz Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’ and Joseph Conrad’s ‘The Heart of Darkness’. Theme Analysis Here, the essay compares how the theme of colonization is captured in the novels, and goes ahead to explain the techniques employed by each author in conveying the theme.
• Kafka’s Stories “The Metamorphosis” and “A Hunger Artist” One of the reasons why Franz Kafka is considered one of the 20th century’s most prominent writers is that the reading of his masterpieces leaves very few doubts as to the fact that, while pursuing […]
• “Blood Wedding” by F. G. Lorca and “The Metamorphosis” by F. Kafka: The Impact of Roles of Parents To compare the role of parents in the stories, we must first get a brief background of the parents in both stories.
• Exterminating Bugs in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” Gregor is flabbergasted by his family’s hypocrisy and is sad to see that he has wasted his life for the happiness and affluence of his ‘so-called’ family.
• “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka The opening of the story clearly introduces the main story to the reader with the creation of a pathetic image in the mind of the readers.
• The Discussion of Gregor, a Character in “The Metamorphosis” Existentialism includes the value of freedom of choice, the value of the individual, and the value of interpersonal connections. His short story The Metamorphosis is a good example of existential writing since the protagonist has […]
• The Books “The Metamorphosis” by Kafka and “The Lottery” by Jackson In essence, The Lottery and The Metamorphosis are expository on misfortune as triggering alienation and unsettling the harmony of life to which one’s community and family weaken in their duty of care and protection and […]
• Is Kafka’s The Metamorphosis Horror Fiction? It also forces readers to rely on their own interpretations and inferences to understand what is happening in the story, adding to the overall sense of uncertainty and ambiguity.
• The Metamorphosis by Kafka: Literary Analysis In the tale, the author highlights various aspects of his life, including his father, his family, and his plans for the future.
• Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” Representation in Modern Life Franz Kafka’s novel, “The Metamorphosis,” is regarded as one of the most fascinating and absurdist works of literature and offers a complex philosophical and psychological examination of current circumstances.
• The Symbolism of Gregor’s Transformation in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” However, even before the incident, there were no warmth and mutual understanding in the family, despite the fact that the young man was the only breadwinner of the family.
• Review of “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka His sister is the only one of his family that comes to his aid, inquiring if he is ill. His transformation shows Gregor’s anger towards family’s exploitation of him and their irresponsibility in not contributing […]
• “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka: An Analysis The main problem of this response highlights the problem of loneliness of people in the world, despite the simple idea of a good life.
• Disintegration of Family and Societal Relations in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” In the example of the Samsas’, the author depicts how perceptions and feelings of family members change, revealing the illusory character of seemingly unshaken family bonds and relations within society at large.
• “Tartuffe” by Molière and “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka One of the leading roles that the author of the work himself highlights is the role of the maid Dorine. Moreover, with her speeches, she urged people to listen to the voice of mind and […]
• Finance in Huffington’s Thrive and Kafka’s The Metamorphosis The purpose of this paper is to describe how the two writers express the idea about the value of financial well-being and to analyze the plot and the style of the texts.
• “The Metamorphosis” by Kafka and “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” by Marquez: Comparison The conclusion of this paper can be formulated as follows – in their stories, both: Kafka and Marquez strived to present readers with a three-dimensional clue on particularities of their characters’ behavior.
• The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka: Cause and Effect Multiple causes are in force right in the first few paragraphs: the horrendous transformation that Gregor has undergone, the panic and anxiety that the family members feel when Gregor is not responding to urgent summons […]
• “The Other” in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” The thesis of the paper is that the notion of “the other” in The Metamorphosis is represented not so much through the opposition between the character and other characters as though the opposition between his […]
• Triumph of the Self in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” It is necessary to note that the idea of the triumph of the self is one of the last ideas that can appear in some readers’ minds.
• Writing Techniques in Stoker’s Dracula and Kafka’s The Metamorphosis A critical analysis of the writing styles adopted by the two authors makes it clear that the texts have an effect on the reader.
• Grasping the Human Nature: “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka First of all, it should be said that a good analysis of the work is impossible without a clear understanding of the character of its author and ideas peculiar to him.
• Comparison of the Movie “One Flew Over the Cuckoo Nest” and F. Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” The protagonist’s reluctance to communicate with the external world is similar to the changes that occurred to the hero of Kafka’s Metamorphoses.
• Themes in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” It is evident in the story that it is Gregor who woks to take care of his family and therefore the rest of the family members did not.
• Utilitarianism in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• The Power of Music in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” and James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues”
• Unappreciated Characters of Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• Explorations in Themes of Change in “The Metamorphosis”
• Understanding the Complete Change of One of the Characters in “The Metamorphosis”
• Isolation and Alienation in “The Metamorphosis”
• Views of Modernity Presented in “The Metamorphosis” and “The Convergence of the Twain”
• Symbols and Abstractions in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• The Contrasting Views on Life in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• The Symbolic Nature of Sacrifice and Transformation in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• The Figure of Exile in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• Outside Forces Creating Change in Characters: “Love in the Time of Cholera” and “The Metamorphosis”
• Social Analysis of Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• The Split of Society Into Different Sections in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• The Use of Point of View in “The Metamorphosis” and “A Hero of Our Time”
• The Great Depression of Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• Dehumanization and Alienation in “Night” and “The Metamorphosis”
• Sacrifice and Transformation in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• The Theme of Identity in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• The Psychological Transformations of Nora From “A Doll’s House” and Grete From “The Metamorphosis”
• Transformations and Symbolism in Frank Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• Examining “The Metamorphosis” From a Marxist Perspective
• Gregor’s Life Before the Metamorphosis in Frank Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• The Existentialist Philosophy of Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• Isolation in “The Metamorphosis” by Kafka and “Heart of Darkness” by Conrad
• The Significance of the Minor Characters in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• Metamorphosis of Gregor in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• Identity and Personal Identity in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• Existentialism in “The Stranger” and “The Metamorphosis”
• The Myth of Perfection in “A Doll’s House” by Ibsen and “The Metamorphosis” by Kafka
• Losing Touch of Humanity in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• Father and Son Relationships in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• The Endurance of Reality in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• The Use of the Omniscient Narrator in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• The Philosophies of Beauty in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• The Cases of Patriarchy in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• Illustrating the Theme of Alienation in “The Metamorphosis” by Frank Kafka
• The Sacrifices of Gregor in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• Meaning of Gregor Samsa’s Bug in Frantz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• Comparison of “The Grapes of Wrath,” “The Stranger,” and “The Metamorphosis”
• The Unloving Society in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• The Transformation From Life to Death: “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• Exploring Alienation and Conformity in “The Metamorphosis”
• The Man’s Struggle to Cope With Family and New Way of Life in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”
• Theme of Death in “Love in the Time of Cholera” and “The Metamorphosis”
• The Dramatic Change: Brief Overview of “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka
• What Is the Significance of the Number “Three” in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”?
• How Does Gregor’s Family Change in “The Metamorphosis”?
• What Effect Does Gregor’s Metamorphosis Have On His Family, Individually and as a Whole?
• When Should Children Read “The Metamorphosis” of Franz Kafka?
• How Do Gregor’s Feelings for His Family Change Throughout “The Metamorphosis”?
• Why Has Gregor Changed in “The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka?
• Is Gregor an Admirable Character in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”?
• What Does “The Metamorphosis” Reveal About Human Nature?
• How Is Gregor’s Metamorphosis Similar to Grete’s in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”?
• What Is the Major Conflict in “The Metamorphosis”?
• How Can You Interpret “The Metamorphosis” Through the Existential Lens?
• What Is the Main Message or Theme of “The Metamorphosis”?
• What Is the Importance of Third-Person Narration in “The Metamorphosis”?
• To What Extent Does Gregor Samsa Change After His Transformation in Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”?
• How Does Gregor React to His Transformation in “The Metamorphosis”?
• Why and How Did Gregor Become “Vermin” in “The Metamorphosis”?
• What Did Kafka Try to Express Through the Metamorphosis of Gregor Samsa?
• Is Samsa Partly to Blame for Having Incurred His Fate in “The Metamorphosis”?
• To What Extent May Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” Be Read as a Critique of 20th Century Materialism?
• What Is the Moral Lesson of “The Metamorphosis”?
• Does the Kafka Believe That Meaningful Human Communication Is Possible in “The Metamorphosis”?
• How Does “The Metamorphosis” Relate to the Real World?
• How Do the Changes in Gregor’s Room Reflect the Progress of the Narrative In Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”?
• Does the Sense of Ambiguity Add or Subtract From the Power of “The Metamorphosis”?
• What Does “The Metamorphosis” Teach Us About Identity?
• How Does Gregor’s Loss of Language Affect His Ability to Gain Control Over His Life and Ultimately His Fate in “The Metamorphosis”?
• What Role Do the Boarders Play in “The Metamorphosis”?
• What Evidence Suggests That Kafka Is Making a Statement About the Dehumanizing Effects of Work in “The Metamorphosis”?
• How Does Gregor Feel About His Job in “The Metamorphosis”?
• Can Freud’s Notions of Eros and the Death Instinct Illuminate Gregor’s Plight in “The Metamorphosis”?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "115 The Metamorphosis Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." March 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/the-metamorphosis-essay-examples/.

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