1. After discovering that he has changed into a “monster vermin” what is Gregor’s chief concern? His concern is getting to work on time.
2. What does Gregor do for a living? What does he dislike about his job? Explain why he feels he cannot resign? Gregor is a traveling salesman, he hates waking up early, and he can’t resign so he can repay his family’s debt.
3. Who is Gregor’s primary caretaker? In the course of the story, what change takes place in this person’s attitude toward Gregor. Gregor’s sister takes care of him and she used to be scared but know she has gotten used to him as a bug.
4. How does the family’s treatment of Gregor deteriorate? What does Gregor’s father do to permanently injure Gregor? They love Gregor but he scares them so eventually they just can’t stand him and his father throws an apple in his side to hurt him.
5. After Gregor dies, what do his parents plan? What is “like a confirmation of their new dreams”? They plan to get a smaller apartment and when Grete stretched her young body it was a confirmation of the parent’s dreams.
Interpreting Meanings
1. What is ironic about Gregor’s family’s reaction to his change in form? Identify another example of irony in the story? It is ironic when he changes into a bug they are scared of him instead of loving toward him. It is also Ironic how fast the family gets over the death of their son.
2. 2. How is Gregor’s entrance into the living room the “final straw”? The family’s only source of income by renting out rooms is stopped when they see Gregor and the family decides to get rid of it.
3. In your opinion what does the monstrous vermin symbolize? In symbolic terms what is significant about the kind of creature Gregor transforms into as opposed to a dog or cat? The vermin symbolizes a disgusting animal that every one is scared of and wants to get rid of unlike a cat or dog which people find as loving beautiful pets.
4. Do you think it was Gregor’s change in form or...