The surreal nature of Kafka's fiction often elicits strong reactions from readers. At the very least, The Metamorphosis ignites a series of questions regarding the literalness of Gregor Samsa's transformation. Is he truly an insect? Should we interpret his change metaphorically? What symbolism lies within his vermin-like form? Additionally, the story delves into uncomfortable questions about familial relationships. Gregor's oppressive home life is further amplified by the rigid social and moral climate of the late Hapsburg Empire, an aging conglomerate of states and ethnic groups that was disintegrating during World War I.

Kafka is often hailed as the foremost writer of twentieth-century modernism, embodying the alienation, anxiety, and dislocation that modern life implied for European authors born in the nineteenth century. Despite their peculiar settings, his stories consistently explore the impact on individuals of the loss of belief systems due to the rapid social and economic transformations characteristic of the modern era.

1. How literally should we interpret Gregor Samsa's transformation? What does it signify to be transformed into an insect?

2. The German word sometimes translated as "cockroach" or "insect" is more accurately rendered in English as "vermin." How does this more precise translation alter our understanding of the story?

3. How does Kafka's matter-of-fact literary style influence our reading of this otherwise horrifying tale of transformation?

4. Discuss the role of the family in this story.

5. How adept is Kafka at depicting Gregor's transformation? Does he effectively convey what it feels like to be trapped in an alien body? How does Gregor's unfamiliar physical form affect his perception of the familiar world?

6. The ending has sparked significant debate among Kafka scholars. What does the story's conclusion suggest to you?

7. What role do the three boarders play in the Samsa household? How does their presence alter the family dynamics and highlight the "reality" of Gregor's predicament?

8. Trace the parallel between Gregor's mental deterioration and his physical decline. What is the connection between the two?

9. What do the changes in the family resulting from Gregor's transformation reveal about the familial relationships that existed before his metamorphosis?

10. How do the small details in the narrative, such as the pictures on Gregor's bedroom walls, the apple lodged in his back, and his father's work uniform, intersect with the larger themes of the story?