Magical Realism and/or Extended Metaphor Entry # 3

Dear AP students:

Let's look at The Metamorphosis in a couple ways.

First, let me introduce the literary concept of Magical Realism. One definition of Magical Realism is literature in which fantasy is combined with realism in such a way as to have the magical elements of the story presented in a straightforward manner. In other words, the narrator does not try to explain the origins or background of magical elements--they just are. (There are no sorcerers or magic potions that the magic can be attributed to (if so, that would make a the story fit into the fantasy genre.)

We see characteristics of Magical Realism in Kafka's famous but very non-chalant opening line in which he states..."When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin." The character doesn't spend any more time trying to figure out how this happened. He just proceeds with the story. Thus, the magical part of the story--the metamorphosis into a bug--is effortlessly combined with the rest of the story--his relationship with his family and his thoughts about his job. The author doesn't spend the rest of the story explaining how the character turned into a bug--he just is for the purposes of the story.

Those of you who have been in AP Spanish Literature are probably very familiar with Magical Realism since many Latin American writers have used this genre to express their thoughts. If so, please provide some insight on the blog comments about/examples of Magical Realism so everyone can better understand it.

Another way of looking at this story is to see it as an Extended Metaphor. Seen from this perspective, the reader can interpret Samsa's metamorphosis as merely psychological. He hasn't really turned into a bug, he just feels that way--like a giant parasite. Instead of being a real bug, perhaps Samsa just becomes a "slacker dude"--someone who hides out in his bedroom, unwilling to go to his job or do anything else expected of a responsible adult, even if his family is depending on him. He's given up on societal demands because he feels alienated. Maybe you know people like this--unwilling to take on responsibility like work or school, merely hanging out in their bedroom, playing video games or texting all day/night long. Could it be that this is the way some of you are spending your vacation time? Like teen parasites?

Or maybe he is like a sick person, bedridden, unable to take on societal demands. He becomes parasitic, like a bug, in this sense, because he is unable to do anything for himself, and must depend on his parents/sister who are obligated to help him, and eventually feel resentful towards him, just like some family caretakers eventually resent their patients.

What do you think? How did you interpret the story? More Magical Realism or more Extended Metaphor?

Alienation: post # 2

Hey AP students:

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

I also hope you have already read The Metamorphosis! If not, please do. If you already have read it, I encourage you to read it at least once more in the following week.

As you read this novella I want to draw your attention to the theme of alienation. We have previously discussed this theme when reading Brave New World. Remember, alienation can be defined as not fitting in with mainstream society, a certain group, or with a culture. People often feel this way when they come to a new country or when they join a new school or job. But people can also feel alienated even when they have been longtime members of a society--for some reason they just don't feel any affinity with mainstream society; for some reason they don't share the same values. Some of the great literature of the 20th century was about the sense of alienation felt by individual characters out of sync with mainstream society. As you remember, alienation became popular as theme in the 20th century as a result of such factors as wars, genocide, migrations of people, technology, and working in factories or impersonal big institutions.

A related theme I want you to focus on in The Metamorphosis is that of "absurdity". Absurdity can be defined as the idea that things are so hopeless or unreasonable as to be actually ridiculous and even humorous. We saw this concept in Heart of Darkness.

We see alienation and absurdity at its best in the writing of Kafka. After all, what is more absurd than a situation in which a person turns into a bug--and who would experience more alienation than a person who must live as a bug amongst an otherwise normal family?

My questions for you to comment on are:

What do you think of Kafka's technique of using a transformation into a bug to express that sense of alienation/absurdity?

What other novels have you read in which an author uses a similar outrageous technique to get his point across?

What do you think Kafka's character of Samsa is alienated about?

Keep reading!

Greetings: Entry # 1

Dear AP Englsh Lit students:

Please make this site a favorite on your computer so that you can facilitate coming here during the holiday break.

This is where we will meet to comment on The Metamorphosis, to reflect on novels we have already read, as well as to examine new vobalulary words.

Feel free to email me as well should you have questions.

I hope to start putting entries here for you to comment on no later than Wednesday Dec 21.

In the meantime, do some initial background research on the author Franz Kafka by going to

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Kafka