- troubled dreamsphraseChapter 1 →
Disturbing or uneasy dreams that leave the sleeper unsettled, suggesting something is deeply wrong even before waking.
“When Gregor Samsa woke one morning from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.”
- transformedverbChapter 1 →
Changed completely in physical form into something entirely different, not gradually but suddenly and without explanation.
“he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.”
- monstrousadjectiveChapter 1 →
Shockingly large and horrifying in appearance, far beyond what is natural or normal.
“he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.”
- verminnounChapter 1 →
A creature regarded as disgusting, harmful, or worthless — here used to describe the insect-like thing Gregor has become.
“he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.”
- chief clerknounChapter 1 →
The senior office official sent by Gregor's employer to find out why he has not come to work; a figure of workplace authority.
- desirousadjectiveChapter 1 →
Strongly wanting or wishing for something — here used formally to mean the people outside his door urgently want Gregor to appear.
“who were now so desirous of his presence, would say at the sight…”
- serious intentphraseChapter 1 →
A firm, determined purpose to do something, with full commitment and no hesitation.
“Gregor's serious intent was to open the door, to show himself and speak with the chief clerk.”
- dennounChapter 2 →
A bare, animal-like lair stripped of human furnishings — used here to contrast a creature's living space with a person's room.
“Had he really wanted to transform his room into a naked den in which he would certainly be able to crawl around unhindered in all directions…”
- nakedadjectiveChapter 2 →
Completely bare and empty of furniture or decoration, stripped down to nothing but the raw space.
“transform his room into a naked den in which he would certainly be able to crawl around unhindered in all directions”
- unhinderedadverbChapter 2 →
Without anything blocking or getting in the way; able to move completely freely.
“he would certainly be able to crawl around unhindered in all directions”
- hostileadjectiveChapter 2 →
Showing open anger and unfriendliness, ready to act aggressively against someone.
“His father looked hostile, and clenched his fists as if wanting to knock Gregor back into his room.”
- clenchedverbChapter 2 →
Tightened and closed tightly, as when a hand is squeezed into a fist in anger or tension.
“clenched his fists as if wanting to knock Gregor back into his room.”
- embeddedverbChapter 2 →
Lodged firmly and deeply inside something so that it cannot easily be removed — here an apple is stuck inside Gregor's flesh.
“the apple remained embedded in his flesh as a visible souvenir, since no one dared to remove it.”
- souvenirnounChapter 2 →
An object kept as a reminder of an event — used here with dark irony, since the apple stuck in Gregor's back is a permanent mark of his father's attack.
“the apple remained embedded in his flesh as a visible souvenir, since no one dared to remove it.”
- festersverbChapter 2 →
Becomes infected and continues to cause harm without healing, making a wound worse over time.
- lodgersnounChapter 3 →
People who pay rent to live in someone else's home, sharing the household — here three demanding men taken in by the Samsas for money.
- charwomannounChapter 3 →
A woman hired to do rough cleaning work in a household, typically coming in daily rather than living with the family.
“When the charwoman arrived early in the morning—out of sheer energy and impatience she slammed all the doors…she found Gregor already completely still.”
- sheeradjectiveChapter 3 →
Pure and unmixed, with nothing else involved — here meaning the charwoman's door-slamming came from nothing but her own restless energy.
“out of sheer energy and impatience she slammed all the doors, however often she had been asked not to”
- convictionnounChapter 3 →
A deeply held and unshakeable belief or certainty about something, stronger than a mere opinion.
“His conviction that he had to disappear was, if possible, even firmer than his sister's.”
- tendernessnounChapter 3 →
A gentle, warm feeling of affection and care toward someone, even when circumstances are painful.
“He thought back on his family with tenderness and love.”
- solutionnounChapter 3 →
The one answer or course of action that will resolve a problem — used here to mean getting rid of Gregor is the only way out for the family.
- get rid ofphraseChapter 3 →
To remove or dispose of something or someone so they are no longer present or a problem.
“"It has to go," cried Gregor's sister, "that's the only solution, Father. You must just try to get rid of the idea that it is Gregor."”
The MetamorphosisNovella by Franz Kafka