1. What is the relationship between Gregor and his family? What clues in the story suggest that his relationship with his family, particularly his father, is unsatisfactory?

Gregor’s metamorphosis.

Gregor’s relationship with his mother and sister is generally one of fondness. When he makes his transformation, his sister takes charge in trying to look after him by providing him food, cleaning his room, and moving furniture so he has more room to move. However, it is very probable that she took this role upon herself to spare her mother from having to witness Gregor’s transformation and prevent her father from killing him. His mother, full of maternal concern for him, wishes to see him, though she is barred from doing so by the father and sister. The reader knows that Gregor cares for his sister, as he acknowledges that “only his sister had remained close to Gregor, and it was his secret project to send her…to the conservatory next year…and meant to announce it at Christmas,’ (959-961).

His relationship with his father does not seem particularly strong. He seems mostly concerned with the financial state of the family rather than Gregor’s well-being. When the Chief Clerk came to check on Gregor, his father was not concerned that Gregor was unwell, just that he was risking losing his job which supported the family. Additionally, he treats Gregor as an animal, urging Gregor back into his room violently, both “enraged and delighted,’ (965).

Together, his relationship with his family is not strong. He was the sole provider, so often gone early and mostly concerned with bringing in money. After waking up, he was not concerned with his metamorphosis, but with the fact that he was late to work, that he needed to pay his parent’s debt off, and that he might be fired. When he first went to work as a salesman, the success and money had delighted his family. Now, “they had become used to it, both the family and Gregor; they gratefully took receipt of his money, which he willingly handed over, but there was no longer any particular warmth about it,’ (959). Both he and his family became used to him providing, and there was not much more of a relationship he had with them.

2. Discuss the central events in each of the three sections of The Metamorphoses. In what ways do these events suggest that the weakening of Gregor results in the strengthening of the family as a whole?

In the first section of the metamorphosis, Gregor still sees himself as the primary caretaker in the house. His mother, sister, and father are concerned that he is not about his usual business, and are at a loss as what to do.

The second section is a period of adjustment. Gregor becomes more animal-like, testing out his new body, ability to crawl every which way, and coming to terms with the new routine of his sister bringing him food and cleaning his room. Previously he had kept his door locked and the thought of calling for help laughable. The family is coming to terms with the fact that there is now a creature in the house. His sister, taking on the role as his caretaker, begins to earn the respect of her parents and they acknowledge and praise her for it. Her confidence grows as she finds herself contributing and takes pride in that she knows what is best for the new Gregor. Her father returns to work, and also grows more confident. When Gregor encounters him, he was unprepared for the alterations. No longer was his father shuffling about feebly, but “fairly erect…[with a] vigorous expression in his black eyes,’ (966). Gregor’s mother, though she fainted at the sight of him, was determined to prevent her husband from killing him.

Gregor’s death.

In the third section, resentment begins to build. Although they begin to open the door to allow  Gregor to see into the living room, we see that his sister no longer takes the time to clean his room. The lack of hygiene, attention and general ill-will toward him causes Gregor to become more desolate and he nearly stops eating and caring about things he had previously, like being seen. His sister takes on work, his father continues his, and they take on tenants. Overall, each member of the family now plays a part and contributes in some way, so they acutely feel the burden of the monster in their house. His sister snaps, “if we have to work as hard as we all are at present, it’s not possible to stand this permanent torture at home as well…this animal hounds us,’ (974). When Gregor passes, it is a great relief to all of his family. They all take the day off and, with the shed of their burden, think about their future.

1. The relationship between Gregor and his family is centered around their economic dependence on him. When his father’s business failed it was up to Gregor to take on the responsibility to provide for his family. Gregor sacrificed for years and provided selflessly for his family. While Gregor is forced to provide for his family his father is mostly unappreciative. Gregor’s father urges him to work immediately, while he spends his days lounging about. When Gregor is transformed Gregor’s father is more concerned that he wont be able to enjoy his retirement years anymore rather than Gregor himself. Even his mother and sister eventually abandon any hope they had for Gregor. This abandonment shows how even though Gregor provided and cared for his family, their love was never truly reciprocated.

2. In the first section of The Metamorphoses Gregor awakes to find that he’s been turned into a cockroach. His first thoughts or of how could he have overslept for working, showing how important his work was to him and providing for his family. Soon his family and company are concerned for his health. By the end of the scene everyone knows the truth of Gregor and his family quickly turns to despair as they realize Gregor cannot continue his work, or provide for them.

During the second section of The Metamorphoses the family tries to cope with the change in Gregor. They all find hard jobs to provide for the family. For a while his sister is kind and tries to help, and his mother still cries for her lost son. His father finds work and quickly forgets of Gregor, wishing to be rid of the bug as soon as possible. We see during this period that as the family becomes less dependent on Gregor they become more irritated by the cockroach that now is Gregor.

During the final section of The Metamorphoses Gregor reveals himself to the household for one last time to hear the sound of his sister playing the violin. The tenants that have moved in to help the family provide or aghast and insist to move as soon as possible. The family upset Gregor over the incident no intend to ‘get rid’ of him. Gregor who was the only one who appreciated the music his sister played, died shortly after realizing that he was only a burden to his family. Soon after his passing his family is able to move on, to pursue their own dreams, a chance that Gregor never had.

3. Regardless of wheather the Requiem was released before or after the purges that took place during Stalin’s reign it is a truly influential piece of literature. During the preface when one of the women confronts the narrator and asks her to describe  what had happened her says it all. We cant forget about the terrible abuse and huge losses these people went through.  Akhmatova uses biblical references to compare the sons and mothers to show what sacrifice they had taken here, a sacrifice that should not be forgotten.

4. I believe we should interpret the last lines of the Torso of Apollo  as a plea  to find inspiration in all things. The example of the Torso of Apollo  shows us how a mere  piece of stone has been given immeasurable value because someone crafted it with such beauty. It was the artisan that found inspiration to carve this piece of art and make something wonderful out of a piece of rock.

1. The relationship between Gregor and his family is one of Gregor’s family living off of him. This is what stresses his relationship between him and his father and mother. His relationship with his father is especially stressed due to this because he knows that if his father was supporting the family instead of him he could leave. It is also what drives him to be close with his sister because he knows that she does not view him as a source of labour.

2. The first central event of the Metamorphoses is when Gregor changes. This signifies the change of the system of the family as a whole preventing the continuation of what was going and forcing them to adapt. The second event covers the adaption to the new situation in their lives all of the family members trying to find out how they are going to keep on living. Going into how it seems that everything is getting better until when the sister and mother try to improve Gregor’s room instead freak him out. causing him to run around the house and leading his father to beat him back into his room. The third event is when the family is forced to take on tenets and bring other people in their lives and further adaptation which drives them to make choices that benefit only themselves due to a lack of resources. Finally leading to them realizing that they cannot go on the way that they have and must make still more changes. Gregor realizes this too and since he knows not how to do anything else that will still benefit his family, the only motivation that he has in the whole story, he dies.

3. I don’t think that Akhmatova’s Requiem lacks effectiveness depending on the audience. When it comes to Russians who lived through the same horrors that Akhmatova did it would speak to them reminding them of what they endured. It is also likely that anyone who descended from those same people or who knew about that time period would feel the same. When it comes to those who have no level of context to give Akhmatova’s work its likely that it carries very little meaning for them.

4. We should interpret the line command to be that even though we cannot know all of the dreams, knowledge, and achievements of the past. Still we are able to view part of it and that part can be glorious. With that glory that we can only imagine is what drives us to further greatness.

1. What is the relationship between Gregor and his family? What clues in the story suggest that his relationship with his family, particularly his father, is unsatisfactory?

Gregor is the sole provider for his family; they couldn’t live without him, or so he thinks. He is loved, but it is a love based off of need and ego and manipulation. His father is weak and pitiful, and none of the family members work except Gregor.

2. Discuss the central events in each of the three sections of The Metamorphoses. In what ways do these events suggest that the weakening of Gregor results in the strengthening of the family as a whole?

The first phase is Gregor waking up as a cockroach, and he is so involved in providing for his family that he immediately experiences a need for rationality and normality, and a way to eat breakfast and get to work. When his transformation is discovered by his boss and family, he is disowned and he disgusts everyone that sees him. As he recedes to his room, he finds that his family was hiding a meager savings from him, and they all start thriving and getting jobs. His father starts working and becomes stronger. The family also makes a transition, caused by Gregor’s transition, as they becomes more uncaring than they previously were. His sibling and mom try to help but his repulsion is undeniable, and when he disgusts a family that is staying with them, he is shunned. We see Gregor unable to be depended on physically, and so he gets trapped in the mental confines of his conscious and the physical confines of his room. The final state shows the death of Gregor, unable to eat and then dying of depression. The family is better for it, as they are now all working and are better for the change. It is very sad to me.

3. How effective do you find Akhmatova’s Requiem as a political protest? Requiem was not published until well after the purges were over and Stalin was dead; is it, then, totally lacking in influence?

I find Requiem’s protest entirely relevant in influence. Although it didn’t published in time to see Stalin in rule, Stalin’s influence in Russia and the world was still very important to the political welfare of the countries around it, and anyone’s thought on the subject matters. Especially with all the riots happening around the world today, although they are sometimes exaggerated, are necessary for finding peace. I just wish it could be more effective, because although it has the ability to be, it is not often you see it as an example in a textbook. You see Hitler and the Nazi regime, not the just as influential Stalin.

4. How should we interpret the famous command at the end of Archaic Torso of Apollo?

We should interpret it to live a strong life. To make a transition of our own, from who you are to something great, and only you are capable of doing it. The entire poem is boasting of this beautiful body, and it sounds so inspirational and dazzling, it is only natural to want to aspire towards it. I like to think every human body is “defaced” (as Rilke says), if they do not live to their fullest.

1. Gregor is the provider for the family. He is the only one that works and is the one who chose their apartment and is the reason they can afford their accommodations. Work is a large contributor to the degree in which the relationship between his father and himself is unsatisfactory. We learn that Gregor started providing for his family early in his life and that he is a relatively young man. This implies that he should be starting a life and family of his own, but he is taking care of his family. When Gregor is no longer able to work, his father is forced to get a job. This shows that his dad has always been able to work, he just did not want to and was willing to let Gregor do all the heavy lifting.

2. The central event in the first section of The Metamorphosis is the transformation of Gregor. This is the start of the family coming together. At first they are all trying to figure out what is wrong with him and why he missed work, and when he emerges, the family is unified in their terror of Gregor’s new appearance.

The central event in the second section is Gregor’s second emergence from his room. Before this both his sister and mother finally became comfortable enough to enter his room. Also, his father is at work. This shows the return to traditional roles in the family. When Gregor comes out of his room, he is beaten back with apples by is father.

The main event in the third section of the story is Gregor’s death. His family is seemingly apathetic about the loss and are not worried about the disposal of the body. There is a huge sense of relief in the final parts of the story as the setting is outside of the apartment for the first time.

Each time Gregor is pushed back into his room, the encouragement he gets comes from a larger and larger distance. First Gregor’s father is close and is physically beating him back with a cane and a newspaper. The second time He is throwing apples from across the room, which is not direct contact. The last time, no one helps him until he is already back in his room and they close the door on him. This shows the progression the family takes from being close to him to distancing themselves form his existence.

1.   Gregor’s family valued Gregor for his economic achievements and not because he was part of the family.  While Gregor was healthy and was maintaining the family, each of them did what they wanted to do.  The father would sit around reading his newspaper, had not worked in five years, even had such a trouble standing up.  The sister played the violin and the mother was always sick.  It was a picture of self-pity.  They had accustomed in that it was Gregor’s responsibility to maintain them.  After Gregor started his metamorphosis, the family’s appreciation for Gregor was less and less to the point that at the end, they wanted to get rid of him.  The father was the first one to get disgusted, and making a fist was “ready to push Gregor back into his room.’  At the beginning, his sister was concerned about Gregor’s health, taking the desired food to him, cleaning his room every day.    Then, she stop caring for Gregor  when all three members of the family were working so hard to keep up with the economic status.  The father that used to be a lay back person,  fragile and used to welcomed Gregor back from his trips, now was working and seemed strong, with an arrogant and insolent look, who resolved every situation that involved Gregor by harming him.    None of them  never considered that all the work they did, between the three of them, to maintain the family, Gregor did all alone without their help.

2.   In the first section, Gregor wakes up one day to find himself transformed  into a bug.  He realized that he was late for work.  He gets frustrated with the fact that his boss does not trust anybody and sends the chief clerk to see why their employees are late for work, even when they are hardworking individuals.  The chief clerks comes to his house, to which Gregor’s family get worried since Gregor is never late for work, and knocking at his door tried to convince him to open the door.  He tries to talk to the clerk, but nobody understands him because his voice also has changed.  After Gregor’s struggle to move, he finally opens the door, to which the chief clerk flee out of the house, his mother fainted and his father kick him back to his room.  They demonstrate how dependable is the family in Gregor and how caring and responsible is Gregor with them.

In the second section, you can see how the family is slowly changing from caring to uncaring.  At first, Gregor’s sister established a feeding routine for Gregor and finds out what he likes and what he dislikes.  Gregor spends most of his time listening to the conversations between his family members about the economic difficulties they are going through.  He feels sad about his incapability to save his family.  Gregor gets more comfortable with his physical state and start hanging out of the ceiling and crawling the walls, to which his sister and mother moves the furniture out of his room to make him feel more comfortable.  In an attempt to save a picture that was hanging in his room, he was seen by his mother, who fainted in the process.  His sister tells his dad, who injures Gregor by throwing him apples.  His dad, now was a different person, is a worker and is not puny anymore, but now is insensitive and uncaring.

In the third section, Gregor’s family rent a room to three individuals, who are supplied with regular meals.  The family did everything the individuals wanted to make them feel comfortable.  Each member, also had a responsibility, a role to contribute and they no longer care for Gregor.  They don’t even realize that Gregor stopped eating a long  time ago.   One day, while they were in the living room,  the lodgers  demanded Gregor’s sister to play violin for them.  Gregor, depressed by the way their family was struggling and trying to defend his sister’s dignity, creeped out of the room.  One of the individuals saw Gregor and all three were upset and claimed they were not going to pay for anything if such creature lived in the house.  Gregor’s sister, angry by the incident, tells his dad that they needed to get rid of Gregor, he was to blamed for all the problems.  Gregor, depressed, went into his room and died.  The family felt relief and rejoice!

At the begining, this family felt self-pity for themselves, they did not have any sense of responsibility but were considerate with Gregor.  The struggle to keep with economic situation, brought the best of their skills, but made them more inhumane and lost their dignity.  It looks to me that at the end they had more bug on them than Gregor  had on him.

3.   I think Requiem is a description of a historical event, in which families were separated, due to “the mass arrest in the 1930’s’.  The woman suffering is compared to the one of Virgin Mary when Jesus was crucified.  It is a moment of horror in the story of this country due to political control.  It describes how politicians can turn a nation’s everyday life into a horror movie, where children are orphans, and the mothers are emotionally tortured, while the fathers and sons are physically tortured and killed.  In this sense, I think Requiem is a political protest because it creates a sense of political awareness, to not be ignorant of the actions of politicians, because they have a nation’s life in their hands, to learn from the past experiences and to not commit the same old mistakes.

4.   The meaning of this phrase is about how a piece of art can challenge the observer.  Even if the piece have no eyes, or smile, or any communicative expression, the person can still connects with the torso, as if it does have an expression.  The art speak for itself a message.  The strong and defined muscles in the torso confronts the observer to change its self-pity and puny life to a more strong and healthy one.

1. What is the relationship between Gregor and his family? What clues in the story suggest that his relationship with his family, particularly his father, is unsatisfactory?

“Die Verwandlung” or “the Transformation”.

Even though Gregor is a grown man, served in the army as an officer, and has carried the load for the family for several years, he is evidently not highly regarded.   He is inconsequential except for his labor.     His mother of course feels love for him, his sister, appreciative initially, but his father seems to take him entirely for granted.   The biggest clue is the discourse his family has after they are resolved to see what savings they have accumulated from their failed business, but also from the money they had been skimming off his pay.   He learns that not only did they possess some money when he thought they had been completely destitute, he also realizes that they had enough from his money to invest and earn a small increase.   He sees the wisdom in handling money like this, but doesn’t see as quickly, that they have not been honest with him, considering he was earning the family livelihood.

2. Discuss the central events in each of the three sections of The Metamorphoses. In what ways do these events suggest that the weakening of Gregor results in the strengthening of the family as a whole?

There is an interesting transition as Gregor gets weaker and weaker from a lack of food.     In the beginning the family is entirely reliant on Gregor to provide   for their well being.   After his change, his sister is attentive and concerned for him, his mother mourns his situation and his father wants to crush him.   Once backed into his room, he really never leaves it again in a significant way.   In the second part, as time goes by, his life is transformed as he is treated like the caged creature he has become, but his heart is wounded, for he is still Gregor.   No one understands this but him.   By the third part, Gregor is not eating and his family has begun a dramatic change.   His sister is confident and enjoying her position in the family with Gregor no longer her guide, imprisoned in his sell.   His mother, once pleading for his life, is unable to defend him any longer, and secretly wishes the agony over.   She is ready for a change.   His father, reeemerges, aggressive, fond of his old uniform, pushing his weight around and more than ready for Gregor to be gone.   He is not a son, he has become a cockroach and he must go.   Gregor’s passing is barely a moment in the story.   His family, by this time has become independent from his labor and he is simply in the way.

3. How effective do you find Akhmatova’s Requiem as a political protest? Requiem was not published until well after the purges were over and Stalin was dead; is it, then, totally lacking in influence?

“When Joe the Georgian” gets here, we will dance, dance, dance…”   — Al Stewart

Joe the Georgian. Not always on top, Joseph Stalin as a anti-czarist revolutionary. Mugshot from 1911. He was known as a killer even then. Photo public domain.

“Requiem” is a stunning piece.   As I have mentioned before, I struggle with poetry.   For example, I do not think much of Rilke’s works as entertainment.   But Akhmatova’s, “Requiem” is altogether different.   A tragic life makes for good poetry, but a tragic Russian life always seem to be an epic.   Akhmatovka’s work is no different, especially for one like myself who enjoys world history.   The saga of Russia’s past is never really happy and dwells in bleak places, descending into tragedy and suffering on a frequent basis.   Stalin’s era was most likely the very worst.   My personal opinion is that he was as evil as Adolf Hitler and every bit as murderous.

The haunting image of Maria Tchebotareva who was sent to the Gulag in 1933. Her crime was trying to feed her children from a field she had formerly owned. She was accused of taking 3 pounds of rye. For this, she was imprisoned until after Stalin’s death. She never found her children…Photo by Gulaghistory.org

“Requiem”, may have been a very effective protest at the time, for even though Stalin was gone, his legacy lasted for a long, long time.   Leadership takes time to grow new roots.   Leadership is taught, from the leader, to the follower.   A follower must be courageous and individualistic in their mindset in order to change course and alter the lessons learned.   These are not things that were acceptable then.   “Requiem”, even in the 1960’s would have been a poignant reminder of what “the people” had been through; what it had cost them.   So, no, I think it carried greater influence in the decades after Stalin’s death.   But that is hard to assess.   Akhmatovka’s narrative painfully recreates the suffering of so many people who waited for some word, for reprieve, for relief from loss.   I think even as politics change, those memorial words continue to be effective.   For are we so far from this ourselves?   Are we “free” to speak?   Do you ever really hear tales of the Communist atrocities against their own people?     No, you don’t.   You see the evil Nazi’s in movie after movie.   Why not the horror of the Soviets?   Stalin murdered far more people than Hitler.   I think “Requiem” may still have a place in protest.

4. How should we interpret the famous command at the end of Archaic Torso of Apollo?

Rainer M. Rilke. Photo shamelessly pinched from the web.

Ah, ….hmmm..Yes, well I think what is going on here is that Rilke’s poem is describing the “Torso” statue assumed to be all that’s left of the Greek god Apollo.   Poor Rilke seems to have taken it into his head that the god is somehow fascinating in its decapitated and armless, legless state and his focus ends up on the, “zu jener Mitte, die die Zeugung trug.”, which of course is slang for the statue’s private parts.   In all seriousness, I’m not sure what Rilke is getting at, however, he is apparently very moved at the end, and having had his awareness or soul, deeply affected by the headless Apollo, feels that this is a life changing event.   Some days are like that…He will not be the same afterwords.   Can’t say that I agree.   Seems a little odd.

Discussion Questions 13 — Kafka; Rilke; Akhmatova; Lorca; Xun; Mahfouz

1. What is the relationship between Gregor and his family? What clues in the story suggest that his relationship with his family, particularly his father, is unsatisfactory?

In the beginning of the story Gregor is the provider for his family. He is the only one that works in the house and he provides all the financial help. Even though he is the only one supporting his family, his father is cruel to Gregor and beats him. Gregor’s Mother and sister on the other hand care for Gregor. His mother tries to see him even during his transformation and his sister even feeds him. When Gregor is unable to work due to the metamorphoses, his mother and sister try to cover for him.

2. Discuss the central events in each of the three sections of The Metamorphoses. In what ways do these events suggest that the weakening of Gregor results in the strengthening of the family as a whole?

In the first section of The Metamorphoses, Gregor is the sole provider for the family and everyone is incredibly distant from each other. When Gregor awakens to find himself changed into a bug he thinks about life and how he will be able to provide the way he has been.

In the second section of The Metamorphoses, Gregor becomes unable to take care of himself let alone his family the way he had been previously. Gregor’s father disowns him because he is disgusted with Gregor’s new form while his mother and sister kind of take Gregors place and take care of him.

Towards the end of the story Gregor’s family starts to change their ways and start providing for themselves. I think that Gregor’s metamorphoses was beneficial for the family in the end because it took the all responsibility off of him and put some onto the family.

3. How effective do you find Akhmatova’s Requiem as a political protest? Requiem was not published until well after the purges were over and Stalin was dead; is it, then, totally lacking in influence?

I didn’t find Akhmatova’s Requiem to be very effective as a political protest in its time. No one was able to read it because it didn’t get published until well after the purges were over and Stalin was dead. However, it was very well written and used today as more of an example for todays generation.

4. How should we interpret the famous command at the end of Archaic Torso of Apollo?

I think the famous command “you must change your life’ should be taken literally. Only you are in charge of you, and if you’re unhappy with what you’ve accomplished then you must change your life and accomplish something great and burst like a star.

1.Gregor’s relationship with is family is not very good. He is kind of like the annoying one in the family. I think this is shown by the fact that he turned into a cockroach. Out of all bugs he turned into a cockroach, one of the most annoying bugs in my opinion. His relationship or lack there of with his family is demonstrated in the interactions between his family members and himself when he is a cockroach. For example in the story his sister says, “…and so I will merely say: we have to get rid of it’ (973). Although at first she gave him food and tried to look after him, end the end everyone wanted Gregor gone. I would say the relationship between his father and Gregor is one that was very prominent in the story. In the story his father is constantly trying to get rid of Gregor in ways that demonstrate that he is the person in the house that holds the power. I think this symbolizes that Gregor’s dad feels threatened by him and his coping mechanism is to try and prove his place on the power ladder.

2.The first central event in the story tells about how Gregor is afraid of losing his job and how his family doesn’t really get along that entirely well. The second part is centered around his actual metamorphoses and what happened while he was a cockroach. The third section focuses on the fall of Gregor and the “rise’ of his family. In the second event it really shows how weak Gregor is in the situation. He can’t feed himself and so his siter has to feed him. He also can’t work which means he can’t make money. This is what leads to the strengthening of his family though. Because he can no longer be the provider for the family they start to learn how to provide for themselves and in the end become a better and stronger family.

3.I find Akhmatova’s Requiem as a political protest was not effective for trying to persuade people one way or another during Stalin’s rule solely because it was not published. I do think that it has been very effective in giving an example for the people after that time and has made an impact in history.

4.I think we should interpret the quote as being a hint as to how as individuals, we should try to be in the world. Everyone can benefit from changing their lives, even if there is just one thing in their life that they change. This change also sparks other people’s ideas and thus creates advances throughout society and the world.

1. What is the relationship between Gregor and his family? What clues in the story suggest that his relationship with his family, particularly his father, is unsatisfactory?

The relationship between Gregor and his family is one that I think is seen more and more in today’s society. Today there are many greedy people and to most of them it doesn’t matter what relationship they have with people they will never really give them the time of day. What I gathered from the story was that he brought everything back to the table. He was the moneymaker in the family; he was the provider. Gregor never seemed to get around to spend quality time with his family, which made the relationships grow weak especially the relationship between him and his father. When things were on the down slid for Gregor, his father didn’t support him let alone even visit him. It is not only his father that doesn’t have a great relationship with him it is also his mother, they didn’t see eye to eye yet there bonded better than him and his father. When Gregors was in the down days of a beetle his sister was the most caring and gave him the most respect. I feel that him and his sister although they didn’t really communicate they had the best relationship. I think that this all comes from the foolishness and selfishness of the whole family because if they all tried a little bit harder to be thankful and respected each other a bit more they would have a stronger bond as a family.

2. Discuss the central events in each of the three sections of The Metamorphoses. In what ways do these events suggest that the weakening of Gregor results in the strengthening of the family as a whole?

Like I said above, Gregor was the provider for the family, he put the bread on the table as they say. The family seriously relied on him and his great supply of money, food, and shelter. Then things go down hill for Gregor. He turns into a roach. His family starts to betray him and forget all the great things he had done for them in their lives.

Gregors change into a human was looking slim and the family shows little desire to even want him around any longer. His sister was the only one that seemed to care but cared only enough to feed her and didn’t try to converse with him. Of course the family begins to fall apart more and more because their provider his lost his abilities to do his work. This is when family really hits Gregor the hardest.

In the last part of the story, Gregor had enough of the hatred and ran into the room that the rest of the family was in and startled them. The family was not to fond of him doing that and had a deep conversation about their health and well being with the roach in the house. In the end it turns out that the family kicks him out of his own house and he is left to die. For the family they are finally able to be peaceful without thinking about the terrible roach they had in their house.

3.  Bow effective do you find Akhmatova’s Requiem as a political protest? Requiem was not published until well after the purges were over and Stalin was dead; is it, then, totally lacking in influence?

Akhmotatova’s poem was a rather interesting way of describing the life of women in that era. This poem seems to speak for all women. I find this poem was pretty effective as a protest as it helped her push through all the bad times with the war and prison. I think that this poem is more of a motivational piece to me because of the perseverance that she showed throughout the war to continue to be a Great Russian poet.

4. How should we interpret the famous command at the end of Archaic Torso of Apollo?

I think this poem is summed up in the end very well with just one verse. “You must change your life.’ (908) What this should be interpreted to is that if one wants to be heard, if one wants to make a difference in life they must change the way the act, feel and behave as a human. If you want to be bright you must act it. You must be the difference, because if you try to do the same things other individuals are doing you will just be average. If you want to stand out you must make the correct changes.