The Metamorphosis, Chapter 1 summary

What happens

1. Gregor wakes as an insect, struggles to control his body, and worries about work and his parents’ debt.
2. His family calls through locked doors, and the chief clerk arrives after Gregor misses his train.
3. The clerk threatens Gregor’s position, while Gregor’s unintelligible explanations lead his parents to send for a doctor and locksmith.
4. Gregor unlocks the door with his mouth; his mother collapses, his father weeps, and the clerk retreats.
5. Gregor discovers that his legs work together on the floor and tries to follow the fleeing clerk.
6. His father drives him toward his room, then shoves him through the narrow doorway, injuring him and shutting him inside.

In this chapter

What to notice

The clerk identifies the change that prevents Gregor from making himself understood. Gregor still reasons and pleads, but his listeners cannot receive his words.

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