What grade level is The Metamorphosis?

The Metamorphosis is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–10. It appears on 1 school reading list. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read The Metamorphosis?

It takes about 1h 45m to read The Metamorphosis (96 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 105 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign The Metamorphosis?

The Metamorphosis appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is The Metamorphosis banned in schools?

The Metamorphosis does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally. See the banned books list by state.

What themes does The Metamorphosis explore?

Central themes in The Metamorphosis include translations into english.

The Metamorphosis

Name: The Metamorphosis
Availability: InStock
Author: Franz Kafka
ISBN: 9780486290300

by Franz Kafka · Grades 9–10 · Realistic Fiction

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is assigned in US schools at grades 9–10. It appears on 1 list: the Common Core State Standards (ELA). Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Free at your library: Libby

Before you buy: Ages 14–15 · Grades 9–10 · 96 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9780486290300). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

Which translation should you buy?

Susan Bernofsky (2014)
Plain modern American English and an easy first read. Introduction by the filmmaker David Cronenberg.
Norton paperback on Amazon →
Stanley Corngold (1972)
A Kafka scholar’s version that keeps close to the German. For years the standard classroom paperback.
Bantam Classics paperback on Amazon →
Stanley Appelbaum (1996)
A low-cost Dover Thrift paperback with more Kafka stories in the same book, in close, plain English.
Dover Thrift paperback on Amazon →

Translators and editions as Amazon lists them. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Famous line

“One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin.”

The Metamorphosis, Part I (first line), translated by David Wyllie (translation © David Wyllie). Checked word for word: Project Gutenberg #5200

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

This page shows where The Metamorphosis is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Reading level at a glance

Grade range: Grades 9–10
Age range: Ages 14–15
Pages: 96
Reading time: about 1h 45m (est.)
First published: 1996
Genre: Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780486290300

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

Good fit for grade 9?

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Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Metamorphosis→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This realistic fiction title is typically read at grades 9–10. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on translations into english; cited on the Common Core State Standards (ELA).

Themes

translations into english

Where this book is assigned

Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended·9th grade source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 9-10 story exemplar
- recommended·10th grade source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 9-10 story exemplar

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Common questions

What grade level is The Metamorphosis?: The Metamorphosis is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–10. It appears on 1 school reading list. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read The Metamorphosis?: It takes about 1h 45m to read The Metamorphosis (96 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 105 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Metamorphosis?: The Metamorphosis appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Metamorphosis banned in schools?: The Metamorphosis does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally. See the banned books list by state.
What themes does The Metamorphosis explore?: Central themes in The Metamorphosis include translations into english.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure: Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band: Grades 9–10 — drawn from the curriculum sources cited on this page.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence: Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
Removal / banning records: No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags: No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.