Learning literature in media context

Interpretations of «Metamorphosis»  

by Franz Kafka in animation

Type of the lesson: Seminar on literature
Age of students: students of 4-5 year
General topic of the unit: Literature in media context
Topic of the class: Interpretations of «Metamorphosis» by Franz Kafka in animation
Goals of the class: to observe different animation versions of «Metamorphosis» by F. Kafka, and define the differences between them on different cultural levels (see below)

Activities: watching animation, reading, discussion. 

* the class occurs only after an usual seminar  on «Metamorphosis» with discussion of its formal and content elements.

1. There are several cultural levels which develop inside and outside form of the given text. See the table (in Ukrainian):

2. Watch the first animation (2005, Charlie Ramos' animated film «The Metamorphosis»):

3. Answer the next question, using the table above and the cartoon you’ve seen:

- What was added to the plot of the text by animators?

- Is the main hero’s image changed? Why?

- What technical details make the literary text different from one of animation?

4. Watch the second cartoon («The Metamorphosis of Mr Samsa»):

5. Answer the next question, using the table above and the cartoon you’ve seen:

- What was added to the plot of the text by animators?

- Is the main hero’s image changed? Why?

- What technical details make the literary text different from one of animation?

6. Making conclusion:

- What do you think is the main tool in animation which change the plot and the sense of the literary text?

7. Home task:

Choose one of the Kafka’s texts and sick it’s interpretations in animation. Having found one or two pieces, please, make analyses of them (what is added, what is missed? what do an animator creates the mood in a picture and how does it correlates with the original text? how does animation change the text?). You are advised to use the table above.