The Metamorphosis Summary: Plot, Characters and Ending
The Metamorphosis follows Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman who supports his parents and sister and wakes one morning transformed into a huge insect. Shut in his room, he becomes first a burden and then a horror to the family he worked to support.
Kafka never describes exactly what kind of creature Gregor becomes.
| Character | Who they are |
|---|---|
| Gregor Samsa | Salesman turned into an insect |
| Grete Samsa | His younger sister, who loves music |
| Mr. Samsa | His father, who failed in business |
| Mrs. Samsa | His frail mother |
| The chief clerk | Gregor's manager |
| The three lodgers | Men renting a room |
How does the story begin?
Gregor wakes to find he has become a giant bug with a hard back and many thin legs. His first worry is that he has missed his train to work. The chief clerk arrives to demand why he is late. When Gregor finally opens the door, the clerk flees in terror, his mother faints and his father drives him back into his room with a stick.
↑ Back to the topHow does the family treat him?
His sister Grete brings him food and learns he likes rotten scraps. He hides under the sofa so she won't see him. The family discovers they have more savings than Gregor knew, and they all start working. Grete and her mother clear his furniture out to give him room to crawl, and Gregor clings to a framed picture he loves.
↑ Back to the topHow is Gregor hurt?
When Gregor escapes from the room, his father pelts him with apples, and one lodges in his back, where it rots. Badly wounded, Gregor grows weaker. The family rents a room to three lodgers and leaves Gregor's door shut. His room fills with junk and dust.
↑ Back to the topWhat happens when Grete plays the violin?
One evening Grete plays the violin for the lodgers. Moved, Gregor crawls out into the living room. The lodgers see him, give notice and refuse to pay. Grete declares that the creature must go, that it cannot be Gregor, because Gregor would have left them in peace.
↑ Back to the topHow does The Metamorphosis end?
Gregor crawls back into his room and dies quietly before dawn, thinking of his family with love. The cleaning woman finds his body and disposes of it. The relieved family takes the day off and rides a tram into the country. Their prospects look good, and the parents notice that Grete has grown into a lovely young woman. It is time to find her a husband.
↑ Back to the topMore about The Metamorphosis
This summary reveals the whole plot, including the ending.