Outline Format for HL Essay
Directions: Fill out the following categories for your essay. For each body paragraph I want you
to find TWO pieces of evidence so as to develop your points as completely as possible.
Due date: Friday, June 5th
Introduction:
Context: The book Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka has presented us with the idea of
mortality, and how this affects people’s lives. We have an example of this when Gregor turns
himself into a bug, he doesn’t know the reason but somehow he feels that sort of way, Kafka
shows us the power of perspective, and how it can lead to a person suffer a lot of changes
throughout depression.
Thesis: This evidence is shown to us when Gregor begins to talk about his daily life, and
how he has become a provider for his family after his father retired. He explicitly says that he
wishes he “doesn’t have to go to work”, this explains to the readers that after a lot of given
consideration, at the end of the day Gregor is not happy. Which is explained by the fact of his
daily routine before he turned into a bug, he didn't have any kind of social life outside of his job,
which is ironic because himself is a salesman.
1st Body paragraph
Topic sentence: Gregor has become used to being the backbone of his family, he has
gotten himself in the idea that if he is the supporter of his family then they would be in a certain
level, thankful or at least indebted to him for the financial support. Since they are all Gregor has,
the approval of his family makes him not search for any external approval which leads him into a
different and more sadly position.
Evidence (Quotation): “Gregor’s serious injury, from which he suffered for almost a
month . . . served to remind even the father that Gregor, despite his now pathetic and repulsive
shape, was a member of the family who could not be treated as an enemy; on the contrary, in
accordance with family duty they were required to quell their aversion and tolerate him, but only
tolerate.” (chapter 3)
Explanation: Gregor’s family has realized that they have made a huge mistake for
hurting Gregor even though they don’t recognize him. But even so, they have made it clear that
they no longer love him but because he was a part of the family they tolerate him, as if he was
dead.
Evidence (Quotation): “His thoughts, full of tenderness and love, went back to his family.
He was even more firmly convinced than his sister, if possible, that he should disappear.”
(chapter 3)
Explanation: Gregor has realized that his family, even his own sister wants him to
disappear, he believes that he is being a burden on his family. And he doesn’t want them to deal
with that burden because he now knows that his family doesn’t respect him.
2nd Body Paragraph
Topic sentence: At the beginning of the book, we got to see a Gregor who has given up
on life, he doesn’t care about his job but regardless he needs to work to help the family out. This
all turns into a symbol of the emptiness in Gregor’s life and how it affects it internally and
externally.
Evidence (Quotation): “His room, a regular human room, only a little on the small side,
lay quiet between the four familiar walls.” (chapter 1)
Explanation: The way that Franz Kafka describes Gregor’s room as a “regular human
room” could mean that the character didn’t feel like a regular human being, he felt like an
outsider to his own society. Also the way he says “four familiar walls” makes sense, meaning
that Gregor has become lonely for being a salesman and not having regular human interaction
with people other than his family.
Evidence (Quotation): “The manager burst out with a loud "Oh!" – it sounded like a rush
of wind – and now he could see him standing closest to the door, his hand pressed over his
open mouth slowly backing away, as if repulsed by an invisible, unrelenting force.” (chapter 1)
Explanation: Although Gregor has been depressed even before the events of the book,
now that he has turned into the insect that he thinks he is, people are noticing this change and
repealing it away from them. Which makes Gregor enter a new state of isolation and loneliness,
he is afraid of not being understood by others so he shuts the door on them, while now he is so
far gone that he has the others shut the door on him.
3rd Body Paragraph
Topic sentence: Throughout the course of the story, Gregor has become an insect and
every person he comes into contact with, finds him repulsive, when actually the repulsive ones
are them for not treating Gregor as if he weren’t human enough for them to speak to.
Evidence (Quotation): “Pitilessly his father came on, hissing like a wild man […] If only
his father did not keep making this intolerable hissing sound! It made Gregor lose his head
completely” (chapter 1)
Explanation: We have evidence that the family is not concerned by the form Gregor has
adapted, and this makes Gregor mad, since they are acting as if they don’t want to face reality.
Since some of Gregor’s senses have heightened, he feels pain when his father is making that
“intolerable hissing sound” making it clear that the people that are now surrounding Gregor have
become cold and cruel towards him.
Evidence (Quotation): “At first he thought that his grief at the state of his room kept him
off food, but it was the very changes in his room to which he quickly became adjusted.” (chapter
3)
Explanation: The transformation that Gregor endured didn’t end at the beginning of the
story, it had just begun. The treatment that Gregor receives from part of his family makes
changes throughout his body, as if he’s dying from depression. And on chapter 3 when the
family takes Gregor’s stuff out of his room, they also take part of Gregor’s personality, thinking
that he is now just a mindless bug who should be taken care of.
Conclusion:
Summary of main points: During the period of this book, we got to see the character of
Gregor who is someone who suffers from depression and tries to do everything for his family.
The only reason that he hadn’t quit his job was because of them although they didn’t even
notice his hard work and sacrifice which makes Gregor the victim. His family has abused so
much of him that when he turns into a bug, his family see and treat Gregor in a grotesque way
even though he has always helped them.
Profound Lesson: Depression is an important issue as we see illustrated by Franz Kafka,
the disconnection a person may have with his/her own family creates resentment towards them
and them towards him/her. And it almost seems impossible for the family to understand what
that person’s going through, but that’s why during the transition a person may have there’s one
key concept that helps, presence.