Richard III Act I Study Guide

Name: Character Notes (personalities, relationships, and Richard’s opinion of them)

Richard (Duke of Gloucester, later King Richard III)

• Personalities: deceitful (he lies to everyone and makes them feel bad for him), conniving, evil, bored (with no more war he occupies his time with his evil plans), enjoys chaos, self-critical (he sees himself as a deformed mistake)
• Relationships: younger brother of George (Duke of Clarence) and Edward IV
• Richard's Opinion: he believes he is intellectually superior to others, he looks down at others and enjoys wielding them to his desires to fulfil his villainous plans

Clarence (George)

• Personalities: over trusting/naive (in Act 1 Scene 4 he still believes his brother Richard is truthful and is trying to help him, even when confronted with Richard's hired murderers)
• Relationships: middle brother, older than Richard, but younger than Edward IV
• Richard's Opinion: believes he is a fool and is quick to try and murder him and get him out of the way, he doesn't value his life

Anne (Lady Anne)

• Personalities: she speaks her mind (in Act 1 Scene 2 she insults Richard to his face and does not shy away from letting him know what she thinks of him and the things he has done)
• Relationships: widow of Edward (son of  Queen Margaret and the late King Henry VI), later wife to Richard
• Richard's Opinion: believes she is easily fooled because he is able to woo her while standing over the corpse of the King Henry VI, Anne's father-in-law, who he murdered; he believes she will marry him

Queen Elizabeth (formerly the Lady Grey)

• Personalities: blunt and unyielding (in Act 1 Scene 3 she doesn’t shy away from giving Richard a piece of her mind)
• Relationships: Edward's (IV, brother of Richard) wife, mother of Prince Edward (V) and Richard (Duke of York)
• Richard's Opinion: he doesn't see her as being an obstacle in his plans and he brushes off her insults and tries to win her over with his deceiving kindness

Queen Margaret (Margaret of Anjou)

• Personalities: very frank (in Act 1 Scene 3 she curses both Richard and Queen Elizabeth for thinking they could take power that she believes is rightfully hers)
• Relationships: widow of King Henry VI, mother of Edward (Anne's husband)
• Richard's Opinion: he sees her as an old woman who doesn't threaten his plans and simply doesn't give a thought to her (aside) comments about him

HONORS ONLY:

Literary Analysis: Read the following scenes closely. Study the persuasive strategy that Richard employs to win Anne over (what arguments work on her?) Also, identify at least five examples of figurative language in the text (alliteration, simile, irony, etc.). For each of these scenes also consider how Richard convinces others of his good intentions. For each passage, write a 6-7 sentence analysis explaining what you discover.

Persuasive Strategies to Win Anne Over (Do they work?)

• Lie: He begins by saying that he didn't kill Anne's husband or his father; this strategy fails because they both know it is a lies
• Truth: He admits that her did kill Edward and Henry VI; also doesn't do much to win her over, it makes her a little less mad because he isn't lying anymore
• Flattery / Moving the Blame: He claims it was her beauty that made him kill Edward, so that he could be her husband (a better husband who loves her more) and that because of this his death was her fault); doesn't really work
• Suicide: He gives her a knife, puts it in her hands and points the blade into his chest, giving her the opportunity to enact revenge and kill him herself; works the best because she refuses to be the one to kill him, showing she can't hate him that much
• He Put a Ring on it / Showed Remorse: He places a ring on her finger and vaguely said he felt bad about the deaths; this works well, she enjoys him showing remorse and bids him farewell

Figurative Language Examples

1. Alliteration - "And made her widow to a woeful bed?" (Act 1, Scene 2, 269)
2. Similie - "As all the world is cheered by the sun, / So I by that (Anne's beauty). It is my day, my life." (Act 1, Scene 2, 139 - 140)
3. Irony - "If you are hired for meed, go back again, / And I will send you to my brother Gloucester. / Who shall reward you better for my life, / Than Edward will for tidings of my death." (Act 1, Scene 4, 235 - 238)
4. Personification - "Or earth gape open wide and eat him quick, / As thou dost swallow up this good king's blood." (Act 1, Scene 2, 69 - 70)
5. Metaphore - "O, wonderful, when devils tell the truth!" (Act 1, Scene 2, 77)

1. Act I, scene ii, lines 35-240

• Richard tries to convince Anna of his good intentions through various tactics (listed above in the "Persuasive Strategies to Win Anne Over"), with the ultimate objective to get her to eventually marry him.

2. Act I, scene ii, lines 247-284 (monologue)

• In this monologue Richard reveals his true feelings about Anna, and laughs at how easily she was wooed and won by his false front.

3. Act I scene iii, lines 107-322

• To win over Queen Elizabeth and Queen Margaret, and convince them of his good intentions, Richard resorts to flattery and jesting.

4. Act I scene iv, lines 101-297

• Richard had convinced his brother Clarence of his good intentions so much that Clarence couldn't believe that it was him who had hired the murderers.

Study Questions:

1. Why has Richard decided to be the villain? List three possible reasons.

• He is bored because the war is over
• He was happy in the seriousness of war, but the peace is too silly for his taste
• Because of his deformity he believes he cannot be a lover, so he will be a villain

2. Cite two lines that exemplify Shakespeare’s exaggerated description of Richard's appearance?

• "Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time," (Act 1, Scene 1, 20)
• "And so lamely and unfashionable / That dogs bark at me as I halt by them" (Act 1, Scene 1, 22- 23)

3. How does Anne feel about Richard at the beginning of their courtship?  What particularly nasty things does Anne say to Richard in the scene?

• At the beginning of their courtship Anne has an intense hatred for Richard because he killed her husband, Edward, and his father, Henry VI.
• Particularly nasty things Anne says to Richard in the scene (Act 1, Scene 2):
• "O, wonderful, when devils tell the truth!" (77)
• "Vouchsafe, diffuse infection of <a> man," (82)
• "Fouler than heart can think thee, thou canst make / No excuse current but to hang thyself." (87 - 88)
• "Never hung poison on a fouler toad. / Out of my sight! Thou dost infect mine eyes." (161 - 162)

4. What is Clarence’s response when he is told that Richard is the one that ordered his death?

• "It cannot be, for he bewept my fortune, / And hugged me in his arms, and swore with sobs / That he would labor my delivery." (Act 1, Scene 4, 253 - 255)  
• Clarence doesn't believe that his brother Richard, who had just sworn to help him when he had seen him off, could be the one who hired these murderers.

5. What is the significance of Margaret’s curses in the play? What does she say will become of Richard and those that get in his way? Why do you think Shakespeare includes the scene?

• The significance of Margaret's curses in the play are that they prophesy what is to come. Margaret says that Richard and those that get in his way will die. I think Shakespeare includes this scene in order to give the audience / reader a hint of what is to come, to keep them engaged (similar to how he uses the Fates prophecies in Henry IV).

6. Richard III has been said to invite readers on a “moral holiday.” Describe one way the reader/ viewer is already complicit in Richard’s crimes.

• The reader is already complicit in Richard's crimes because in his side tangents to the audience / reader, in which he divulges his evil plans, he makes us his confidants, making us complicit when Richard carries out the plans he told us of and hurts those we could have warned if we were able to/

Quotes: For each of the following quotes, indicate WHO said the quote and its SIGNIFICANCE.

1. “But I that am not shaped for sportive tricks, / Nor made to court an amorous looking glass; / I, that am rudely stamped and want love’s majesty

• Said by: Richard (Act 1, Scene 1,  14 - 16)
• Significance: He is bringing to our attention his deformity and how it restricts him from love and enjoying a playful and carefree life.

2. “Simple, plain Clarence, I do love thee so / That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven”

• Said by: Richard (Act 1, Scene 1, 122 - 123)
• Significance: Richard comments about how he loves his simple brother Clarence and how soon his plan will easily trich Clarence and culminate in his death and him moving on to heaven,

3. “Look, how this ring encompasseth finger; / Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart. / Wear both of them for both of them are thine.”

• Said by: Richard (Act 1, Scene 2, 222 - 224)
• Significance: This is Richard's final strategy to will over Anne, giving her a ring and his heart, to further his plan in which they marry.

4. “Out devil! I do remember them too well: / Though killed'st my husband Henry in the Tower, / And Edward my poor son, at Tewkesbury.”

• Said by: Queen Margaret (Act 1, Scene 3, 122 - 124)
• Significance: Queen Margaret is showing her disdain for Richard because he killed both her husband Henry and her son Edward.

5. “A bloody deed, and desperately dispatched. / How fain like Pilate, would I wash my hand / Of this most grievous murder.”

• Said by: Second Murderer (Act 1, Scene 4, 283 - 285)
• Significance: After murdering Clarence, the Second Murderer ponders how he will get rid of the guild of the murder of innocent blood; this differentiated the murderers because while the Second one shows remorse the First one was the one who stabbed Clarence and showed no guilt for the murder.

6. “He that bereft thee, lady, of thy husband / Did it to help thee to a better husband.”

• Said by: Richard (Act 1, Scene 2, 148 - 149)
• Significance: Another one of Richard's strategies to win over Anne was to say he killed her husband so he could marry her and be a better, more loving, husband.

7. “”Never hung poison on a fouler toad. / Out of my sight! Thou dost infect mine eyes.”

• Said by: Anne (Act 1, Scene 2, 161 - 162)
• Significance: One of Anne's many insults to Richard, this one specifically comments on his deformity and unattractiveness, stating that his hideousness is harming her sight, in addition to his foul nature for killing her husband and his father.

8. “Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace, / Have no delight to pass away the time, / Unless to see my shadow in the sun / And descant on mine own deformity.

• Said by: Richard (act 1, Scene 1, 24 - 27)
• Significance: Richard comments how in this time of peace he is no longer preoccupied with war and is left bored with nothing to do but wallow in self-pity about his deformities and live in the shadow of his brother, King Edward IV.

Existentialism Movie Review: American Beauty

Once More with Feeling

          American Beauty is a 1999 movie directed by Sam Mendes about a man who discovers himself while going through an abnormal mid-life crisis. On the surface the Burnham family looks like a normal family, they live in the suburbs, they have traditional jobs, and they have a typical angry teenager, but under the surface each member is simply waiting to be alive. Kevin Spacey stars as Lester Burnham, a mild mannered man in his forties who wakes up one day and decides to change his life, and stop sleepwalking through his life’s endeavor. Lester was sick of working all day at his job at a cubicle farm and coming home to his dysfunctional family and overbearing wife. When he decides to take control of his life Lester quits his job, blackmails his boss, and stands up to his wife. Lester soon becomes obsessed with his high school daughter’s friend, Angela Hayes, and begins to improve his physical physique in order to attract her attention. Meanwhile his daughter, Jane, becomes curious about their new neighbor, Ricky Fitts, who seems captivated by her and has begun frequently videotaping her from afar. Lester and his daughter’s voyeur soon become friends when Ricky becomes his drug dealer, and we are introduced to Ricky’s father, Colonel Fitts, who is a homophobic and draconian father. Aggravated with her husband’s recent awakening, Carolyn Burnham finds her own form of rebellion by beginning an affair with her idol Buddy Kane, the “king” of real estate. After discovering his wife’s infidelity, Lester is pursued by the Colonel, who he turns down, and Lester pursues Angela further only to discover that she had in fact been living a lie of promiscuity and was a virgin in over her head. Conversely, Jane and Ricky have taken it to the next level and are planning to run away together when a shot in the night stops them in their tracks. The movie culminates in the picturesque Burnham suburban house turned murder scene, when Lester is shot, ending his new found life.

In American Beauty, initially Lester is weighed down by a depression stemming from his lack of purpose and ability to find beauty in the world. In the opening narration Lester explains, “I am 42 years old; in less than a year I will be dead. Of course I don't know that yet, and in a way, I am dead already.”This casual way of looking at death is a very existential idea and is proliferated throughout the movie mainly by Lester and his deathly state. His life leading up to his mid-life crisis is not really a life at all, he is simply going through the motions and letting time slip slowly away. In Lester’s job description he states that, "My job consists of basically masking my contempt for the assholes in charge, and, at least once a day, retiring to the men's room so I can jerk off while I fantasize about a life that doesn't so closely resemble Hell." Lester feels as if he is already living in Hell so the idea of death is almost insignificant to him because It wouldn‘t be much of a change. His life experiences of life only containing anger, insecurity, and confusion lead him to have a very matter of fact way of looking at death; this casualness about his indifference toward life or death is exemplified by statements he frequently makes on the subject, such as when he said, “Remember those posters that said, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life"? Well, that's true of every day but one - the day you die.” Throughout American Beauty, Lester proliferates the existential concept that life and death are meaningless distinctions of the same thing, fate.          

             American Beauty is conversely sprinkled with overwhelming insights in the ability to find beauty in the world despite the overwhelming presence of existential beliefs. A character’s ability to find beauty in the world displays their capacity to assume control over their fate and combat the existential ideas that nothing they do matters. Death is essential in granting life meaning, without death life would be trivial because nothing that lasts forever is precious. Ricky is the character who most often is able to strip away the world’s rubber shielding and connect to the beautiful copper wire that lies within. Ricky’s unique ability is exemplified in his choices of film subjects and the stories he chooses to tell about them. When Angela asks Ricky why he is filming a dead bird he responds, “because it is beautiful,” showing the intertwined nature of death and an appreciation of life. Ricky’s seemingly excessive videotaping is a way for him to remember all of the good in the world, as he explains to Jane, “Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world, I feel like I can't take it, and my heart is just going to cave in.” Throughout the movie we follow Lester and the evolution of his ability to similarly identify what is truly beautiful about being alive. The movie culminates with Lester’s final realization,

“I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me... but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life... You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday.”

Through his existentialism lens he is still able to identify that while life will always ultimately end that does not render it meaningless and that every moment of life is precious even if in the grand scheme of the universe it is insignificant, it can still hold great meaning to you. The imminence of his death allows him to reflect on his life and appreciate it, an inevitable sensation he insists is a part of dying, further supporting that life and death are intertwined, and that life is substantiated by the presence of death.  

Overall I quite enjoyed American Beauty, it was a thoroughly engaging movie and it’s twisted plot fascinated me. I loved the perversion of the various characters and the surprise murdered at the end of the film. Although I was able to predict some of the “surprises” such as Angela’s status as a virgin and the Colonel's homosexuality, I was still pleased with how they played out. Kevin Spacey did a fabulous job portraying Lester and it was hilarious to watch a originally mild-mannered man do a complete one-eighty and take control of his life. My biggest problem with the film was the romantic relationship between Lester and Angela. The idea that Lester’s main motivation throughout the movie was to have sex with his teenage daughter’s best, and only, friend was creepy and the premise grossed me out. Though I was able to find comedy in the absurdity of the lengths Lester was willing to go, and such saving grace lines as, “I want to look good naked!” I enjoyed the relationship between Jane and Ricky,though I found Ricky the more interesting of the two. Ricky was my favorite character because his ability to find the beauty in the seemingly bland world surrounding him is a skill I aspire to perfect, not to mention I found him funny in the scenes in which he backhandedly makes fun of his father, and most of all I liked how he was able to be sweet and creepy with his voyeurism at the same time. Overall, I would award American Beauty five out of five stars and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a night of laughs and thought provoking cinema!

Memento Questions

1. In an interview, Nolan stated that the character’s memory disorder creates an interesting problem surrounding his identity, namely in the way he must go about reconciling who he was in the past (which he remembers) with his present circumstances, which he only partly grasps. In what sense does human identity depend on the reconciliation of these two periods in life?

            Human identity is dependent on the reconciliation of what you have done in the past, what you are currently doing, and what you will do in the future. Mores specifically, it is determined by your perception and portrayal of these experiences for you can mislead others, and yourself, about your past, present, and future. One must take into account these three periods in life when trying to create a synopsis of a person, but they must take into account that time warps perception and therefore not take any time period at face value without further investigation. 

2. Lenny states, “The world doesn’t disappear when you close your eyes, does it? My actions still have meaning, even if I can’t remember them. My wife deserves vengeance, and it doesn’t make any difference whether I know about it.” In what way do Leonard’s actions have meaning?  How could his actions be seen as meaningless?  Finally, determine whether you agree with Leonard’s assertion or not and justify your opinion.

            Leonard’s actions have great meaning for those they affect for in his quest for vengeance for his wife he is used to enact vengeance for others and inevitably ruins the lives of others in the process. His actions could be seen as meaningless if you are looking at it from the point that Leonard himself will never be able to remember all of his trespasses and see the effect of his actions, and will never be able to remember the satisfaction of killing his wife’s assailant. For the most part I agree with Leonard’s assertion, the universe will inevitable go on without any of us and our actions will always have tangible ramifications even if we don’t know what they are, but I disagree on the point that vengeance is a slippery slope which has turned him into the evil he sought out to end, therefore I would argue that his wife deserved justice rather than vengeance which he could have attained by arresting the rapier rather than murdering him and becoming a monster himself.

3. Lenny argues that memories are unreliable and, thus, his condition has no real impact on his ability to discover truth. “Memory’s not perfect. It’s not even that good.” What methods does Leonard use to arrive at the truth?  Specifically, what devices serve the purpose of his memory and is his method reliable?  Why or why not?

            Lenny is correct in the assertion that memories are unreliable his claim that his condition has no real impact on his ability to discover truth is a reach. Yes, facts are more reliable that memories but when facts can be warped by lack of memories to verify them truth is misconstrued, his condition allows himself and others to fabricate facts and feign memories. Leonard arrives at this truth out of necessity, he needs to believe that his way is substantial enough to live a meaningful life in order to feel constantly fulfilled by his never ending quest to find his wife’s offender. Lenny’s copious notes and tattoos serves the purpose of his memory, but this method not reliable because if they are not detailed enough, or he is prevented from writing his notes, or he of someone else creates false notes, than he is relying of false or incomplete “memories” and facts, leading him to incorrect conclusions.

4. When Lenny jots down Teddy’s license number, he asks: “Do I lie to myself to be happy? In your case, Teddy... yes, I will.” Does Lenny really know how he has been used by Teddy?  Does he really care that he has been used for such a troubling purpose? Also consider what alternative Lenny did have to keep Teddy from continually using him as a killing machine.  Be specific in your response.

            No, Lenny can never truly be aware how long Teddy has been using him, and this is why Teddy picked him as his agent to surpass the legalities of the law, he can’t remember his trespasses and he can easily be manipulated to take out a new target. Lenny is troubled by the fact that he has been used to murder other John Gs but does not seem to care that much because he himself then goes onto create a new John G, Teddy, in order to again fulfill his lust for vengeance. Lenny’s alternative to prevent Teddy from continually using him as a killing machine was to get a tattoo on himself stating what Teddy truly was and what he had made him do, allowing him to avoid being used by Teddy in the future.

5. Most murder mysteries seem to construct their meaning by putting together clues and facts.  In this film, facts seem to lead to more confusion; they are often proven wrong or misleading in some way.  In other words, meaning is being taken apart instead of put together.  What does this suggest about the meaning of this mystery?  Secondly, in what other ways does the film defy the conventions of the mystery genre?

            This suggests that the meaning of this mystery is found in the deconstruction of what makes up an investigation of unreliable and bias facts, it is a story of the obsessive effect that a lust of vengeance creates and of fact warping ability of people who take advantage of others. The film also defies the conventions of the mystery genre from the reversed retelling format and its lack of a clean resolution.

6. At the end of the story, Lenny has been betrayed by his “facts” and by the people around him. With these losses in mind, consider what this story says about how our identities are shaped.   Who are we really, beyond our basic human relationships and our memory?  What makes Leonard the person that he really is?  What makes you the person that you are?

           

            Beyond our basic human relationship and our memory we aren’t really anything, because these are the facets that form a person. Others might argue that people are centralized about a soul that determines who they are and is independent of their human relationships and memories, but this is such an intangible idea and it is unreliable supported by beliefs rather than facts. Leonard is the person he really is because of the past he has fabricated for himself and the quest for vengeance it has created, his lack of short-term memories have created a heightened reliance and trust in his long-term memories which are in fact unreliable due to his own distortion of them. I am the person I am because of my upbringing and personal history, which have allowed me to create a moral code from which to live by.

7. How is the narrative of the film structured?  Why are some sequences in black and white and some in color?  How does the structure of the narrative reflect Lenny’s state of mind?  How does it affect the feelings and suspense of the audience?

            The narrative film is structured so that you are going one seen at a time further into the past, starting from Teddy’s murder and ending with the Lenny’s conception of the facts that led him to commit Teddy’s murder. The main timeline scenes in color are separated by snippets of a separate earlier scene in black and white that provide backstory and explanation for Lenny’s perception of his past and his current condition. The structure mirrors Lenny’s state of mind due to its disorganization and fragmented nature, which causes it to be harder to interpret and keep the facts strait for. This structure creates feelings of confusion and suspense in the audience because its scattered nature forces the audience to really pay attention in an attempt to follow along with all of its twists and turns, and subsequently causes them to become more invested as the story goes on and therefore more effected by the suspense of discovering the truth about Lenny and the explanations for his actions shown at the beginning of the movie. 

'The Metamorphosis', by Franz Kafka: Guide Questions

1.     What is the defining characteristic of Gregor’s life prior to his metamorphosis?  What is the defining characteristic of his life after the metamorphosis?  At what point does Gregor lose his identity?  Is it before he changes?  Is it when he dies?

            Prior to his metamorphosis the defining characteristic of Gregor’s life is his job, post his metamorphosis though his defining characteristic was his beetle appearance. Gregor looses his identity when he consents to spend all of his time working tirelessly for a job in order to pay of his family’s debt. By focusing his entire life around supporting his family he is simply his family’s meal ticket and he lacks his own identity, arguably it isn’t until he changes that he is able to reflect on himself and begin to reform a personal identity.

2.     Is Gregor Samsa's transformation into an insect merely an extension of his life before?  If so, how?

            I wouldn’t call Gregor Samsa's transformation into an insect merely an extension of his life before due to the fact that prior to his transformation he was his job, which supported his entire family, post his transformation he was a bug, but he was able to explorer his independence. I would even go to far to say his life after his transformation, although short, was better than his life leading up to his metamorphosis, because at least he is relieved from bearing the weight of his entries family’s debt on his shoulders alone.

3.     What is the structure of Kafka’s story?  What is the climax?  What is the significance of structuring the story in this way?

4.     Discuss the central events in each of the three sections of the story. In what ways do these events suggest that the weakening of Gregor results in the strengthening of the family as a whole? Finally, what makes this prospect so unsettling for the reader?

5.     How does the apparent disjunction between tone and event create humor in The Metamorphosis?  To answer this, consider the tone- the author’s attitude toward Gregor’s metamorphosis- first. Then look at the dark humor of the situations described. What makes the scenes uncomfortably funny?

            Comedy can be found in Gregor’s reaction to his metamorphosis, initially he is in disbelief of his transformation and he believes that he is just imagining it. Gregor tries to rationalize his predicament countless times to himself so that he doesn’t have to come to terms with his situation. Simply the fact that he turns into a big bug is enough to make the story comic. The dark humor of the situations described in his family’s reactions to his transformation is uncomfortable funny due to his families’ misguided assumptions and actions to combat Gregor’s condition.

6.     What is the importance of the final scene in the story, the family's trip to the country? Why is it written so lyrically in comparison to the rest of the text?  What is so disturbing about the implications of the ending?

            This ending shows Gregor’s family lack of compassion and love for their son as a person, rather than simply a meal ticket and a zombie to work and pay off their debts, is bluntly displayed though their quickness to go on a “family” trip to the country right after Gregor’s death. Disturbingly, this ending implies that they will now turn to Grete to find a husband and marry in order to create another source of monetary input in order to allow them to resume to their sloth like lifestyle.

7.     What is the significance of Gregor's reaction to his sister's violin performance?

            The significance of Gregor’s reaction to his sister’s violin performance was that it was a very animalistic reaction, as if he was a moth drawn to a flame, unable to escape gravitating toward it. His plan to have his sister “voluntarily” live with him in his room and only play violin for him, because no one else appreciated her talent, was creepy and disturbing desire. His view on their close relationship exemplified at this time by his wish to send her to the conservatory and his plan for them spending all their time together, becomes significant and ironic when later on it is discovered that she doesn’t believe that this creature is Gregor and she proposes to the family to get rid of him.

8.     How is starvation developed as a theme in the story?  What is the “unknown nourishment” that is alluded to on page 49?  Consider also the role of food and starvation in the story as a whole.

9.     Briefly discuss your own personal response to the essential question, why does Gregor turn into a bug?  What causes his transformation?

10. **Briefly consider the following theories regarding Gregor’s transformation.  Which of the following makes the most sense in your view?  Write a short essay of around one page (double-spaced) in response to one of the following. Be sure your essay has quotations from the book.

a.      Gregor’s metamorphosis reflects the repression and guilt of the author.    Gregor’s alienation is an extension of the rage Kafka felt toward his own father.  Kafka felt alienated from family and from his own life because of his father.

b.     Gregor’s metamorphosis is a metaphor symbolizing the loss of his identity through his family.  Thus, it is both about the alienation of modern man, and a critical commentary of modern social, familial structures.

Up until Gregor metamorphoses into a beetle he is an identity less zombie who’s sole purpose in life is to work in order to support his entire family and pay off their debts. His transformation allows Gregor to see the true colors of his family members and realize the dependence on him they had adopted and coasted on for most of his life. Gregor’s change forces the other members of his family to pick up some of the weight in order to financially support the family as a whole, his father and sister both get jobs, which brings up the question of why they couldn’t have been working while Gregor was working and helped pay off the debt sooner which could have freed Gregor up to pursue a personal goal. As a bug, Gregor is able to, for the first time in forever, begin to dictate what he does and when he does it, allowing him to gain more independence and a greater sense of personal, rather than familial, identity. His metamorphosis into a beetle alienates him from his family, due to their disgust in his appearance, their poor communication abilities due to his garbled voice, and their general unwillingness to adapt or change. In modern social, familial structures there is often a hierarchy and an overall reputation that the members want to uphold, in Gregor’s family his father acts as the head and all of the family members care a great deal about their outward appearance to the public resulting in a great effort to keep Gregor’s condition under wraps. When their maid begs to be released of her duties she is aware of their desire to hide their deformed son so she, “made a solemn vow, without anyone asking her for it, not to give anything away to anyone.” (Page 26) Gregor’s family even goes so far as to try to suppress their knowledge of his transformation, having only Grete interact with him, and then only to feed him trash, whilst the rest of the family occupies themselves with sloth-like activities such as napping. Ultimately, Gregor’s family is the model of a dysfunctional family in which power and work are not distributed equally and differences and uniqueness is shammed and hidden away.