RC 01

Directions for questions 31 to 33: The passage given below is followed
by a set of questions. Choose the
most appropriate answer to each question.
The Metamorphosis is so canonical, it's hard to offer an honest (or an
interesting) review. A story like this
one especially, which is loaded with bizarre props in an otherwise
realistic story, drives academic types to
hunt hard for symbolism. The endnotes to the story contain the most
tedious sorts of observations, whether
offering strong hints that it's an allegorical story (the business
with the father throwing apples at Gregor), or
the cultural symbolism of open or closed doors and windows, or dreary
notes on technique (the three
boarders are indistinguishable, which cleverly adds to the spookiness
of the story (sorry, if I saw it used in
Bugs Bunny, then I refuse to be awestruck). It may all be true even,
but although Kafka is careful about the
mood he builds, the purpose of the story isn't quite that
mind-boggling. Importantly, the story holds up just
fine as a story. It's more an odd exhibit to be appreciated than it is
a puzzle to be solved, and Kafka
manages to evoke emotions and convey scenery with economy and skill,
and on the basic level, here's
one that doesn't shy from being read and enjoyed.
I'm sure that any pointy-headed academic would be the first to tell
you that the sturdy storytelling is part of
what makes this story so beguiling (and here I start off on my own
wacky over analysis). The style holds up
against, and cleverly contrasts, the giant absurdity of the premise.
Kafka avoids in his own language, as
does Gregor himself, the predictable hysteria that would surround the
appearance of a gigantic insect in
Gregor's bed one morning. Gregor has transformed into the insect. His
bugginess is by no means ignored,
but there is, in places you'd otherwise expect it, a big,
beetle-shaped hole in the exposition. (It's a shame
sometimes what breaks through into the vernacular. Wouldn't a
cockroach upstairs be more evocative than
proverbial family-room pachyderms?) It's a different sort of balancing
act than Robbins was into, one that
gets the very structure of the narrative up onto the tightrope with
everything else.
And as much as I hate to dig into the comparative meaning of
everything here, Kafka does choose his
language with precision. The opening, "as Gregor Samsa awoke from
unsettling dreams" sets up his
contrasting views splendidly. It's not just an opposition between the
concrete prose and absurd circumstances,
there's a deep division at work here between the intellectual (or
realist) and emotional planes. Gregor is the
thinker of the story, approaching his new body with (quite obtuse)
rationalism. How will he open the door,
he thinks, how will he explain to his boss that he's late? He's the
character that is shown trying (and failing)
to express himself with reason instead of the predictable alarm. But
Gregor's every action is verminous,
and without his point of view, would only be seen as mindless: he
exudes filth and craves garbage, scuttles
about the ceiling and stuffs himself into dark places. To his family,
he hisses uncontrollably in anger, and
creeps around stealthily surprising their conversations. The people in
the story act, by contrast, emotional
and un-intellectual when confronted with the monstrous Gregor. Their
actions are all expected and natural,
but Kafka robs them of their reason in the face of horror. Kafka pulls
all sorts of switcheroos with these
dichotomies, playing with Gregor's empathy (much stronger than his
family's, though his sister shows
glimmers of it), with physical strength (Gregor's and his father's
waxes and wanes), and morality.

31. Which of the following would best describe Gregor's actions?
(a) He acts like a disobedient family member.
(b) He expresses himself rationally.
(c) His behaviour is similar to that of a pest.
(d) He succeeds in gaining the empathy of his family.

32. The author would agree with which of the following?
(a) The Metamorphosis is a story skillfully woven by Kafka with
incidents, which drive home the
point that it is an allegorical story with subtle symbolism.
(b) The Metamorphosis is an example of an allegorical story, which
confounds academicians and
aims to pose a conundrum for the readers.
(c) The Metamorphosis, by Kafka, is a skillfully told story with
bizarre props and tedious notes,
which provoke academicians to hunt for allegories or symbolism in it.
(d) The Metamorphosis aims to confound readers and academicians alike
with bizarre props and
allegorical incidents in an otherwise realistic story.

33. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A. The way the story is narrated when contrasted with the absurdity of
the plot leads to an impression
of trickery.
B. Gregor shows an absolute disregard for reason when he finds himself
transformed into an insect.
C. Gregor's family members show more maturity and reason as compared
to Gregor after his
transformation.
(a) Only A (b) A and B (c) A and C (d) B and C