Quiz questions
The Metamorphosis
Franz Kafka
Reading comprehension quiz questions for The Metamorphosis — use them as a reading-check starter, a self-study tool, or a quick assessment. Answers are included below each question.
**Quiz Question — *The Metamorphosis* by Franz Kafka** At the beginning of *The Metamorphosis*, Gregor Samsa wakes up to find that he has undergone a strange transformation. What does he turn into? A) A giant rat B) A large cockroach-like insect (vermin) C) A wolf D) A snake **Correct Answer: B) A large cockroach-like insect (vermin)** *Explanation: In the novella's well-known opening line, Gregor Samsa finds himself changed into an "ungeheueres Ungeziefer" — a monstrous vermin or insect-like creature. Kafka intentionally keeps the exact species unclear, although it is usually interpreted as a large cockroach or beetle.*
ap_lit · ib_english · aqa · common_core
**Quiz Question — *The Metamorphosis* by Franz Kafka** At the beginning of *The Metamorphosis*, what does Gregor Samsa realize has happened to him? A) He has lost his job as a traveling salesman B) He has been transformed into a giant insect C) He has fallen gravely ill with a mysterious fever D) He has been robbed and left unable to move **Correct Answer: B) He has been transformed into a giant insect** *Explanation:* The novella starts with one of literature's most iconic lines — Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find he has changed into a "monstrous vermin" (or "ungeheures Ungeziefer"). This shocking and unexplained transformation sets the stage for the entire story and acts as the central symbol throughout the work.
ap_lit · ib_lang_lit · aqa · common_core
These quiz questions are part of Storgy's free teacher toolkit for The Metamorphosis. For a full study guide with chapter summaries, characters, themes, and key quotes, visit the The Metamorphosis study guide. To browse quiz questions for other works, return to the Quiz Questions hub.