Question

the metamorphosis comprehensive exam l

1. the metamorphosis is told from which narrative point of view?

a. first - person (gregors \i\ perspective)
b. second - person (using \you\)
c. third - person limited (gregors inner thoughts only)
d. third - person omniscient (all characters thoughts)

1. gregors transformation into an insect most strongly symbolizes:

a. the beauty of nature
b. the dangers of hard work
c. feelings of alienation and the loss of humanity
d. rebirth and renewal

1. which theme is most strongly developed in gregors interactions with his family?

a. adventure is necessary for contentment in life.
b. feeling alienated from society can have a negative effect on a persons self - esteem.
c. some people need to sacrifice their time and work hard to have purpose in life.
d. no one knows what tomorrow will bring. anything can happen.

1. the central conflict of the novella is best described as:

a. man vs. nature
b. man vs. man
c. man vs. society
d. man vs. technology

1. how does the samsa familys apartment setting contribute to the storys meaning?

a. it provides gregor freedom to move anywhere.
b. it becomes a symbol of gregors confinement and separation from the outside world.
c. it highlights the beauty of city life.
d. it allows gregor to hide his condition from everyone.

1. which line is an example of a simile from the novella?

a. \gregor samsa awoke from uneasy dreams one morning to find himself transformed into a monstrous insect.\
b. \his many legs, pitifully thin compared with the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes.\
c. \he was lying on his armor - like back, and when he lifted his head a little he could see his brown belly, slightly domed and divided by stiff arches.\
d. \his room was like a prison cell, cutting him off from the familys life.\

Explanation:

1. In The Metamorphosis, the story is told from the third - person limited perspective, focusing on Gregor's inner thoughts.
2. Gregor's transformation into an insect symbolizes feelings of alienation and the loss of humanity as he is shunned by his family and society.
3. Gregor's interactions with his family most strongly develop the theme of feeling alienated from society and its negative impact on self - esteem.
4. The central conflict is man vs. society as Gregor struggles with how society (his family and the outside world) views and treats him after his transformation.
5. The Samsa family's apartment setting becomes a symbol of Gregor's confinement and separation from the outside world.
6. A simile is a figure of speech that uses "like" or "as" to compare two unlike things. "His room was like a prison cell, cutting him off from the family's life." is a simile.

Answer:

1. c. Third - person limited (Gregor's inner thoughts only)
2. c. Feelings of alienation and the loss of humanity
3. b. Feeling alienated from society can have a negative effect on a person's self esteem.
4. c. Man vs. Society
5. b. It becomes a symbol of Gregor's confinement and separation from the outside world.
6. d. "His room was like a prison cell, cutting him off from the family's life."