Metamorphosis

In Metamorphosis, Gregor shows a surprising amount of consideration towards others even when it is apparent that others will not return the favor. Even when he's a bug he still cares about other people and their feelings though they don't care about his feelings or even his wellbeing. One example of this is from his human life, "They took the money with thanks and, he happily surrended it, but the special warmth was no longer present." (Kafka 12). This shows that even though Gregor works a job that he hated just to pay off his parents' debt, they aren't especially grateful. Yes they did thank him for the money but they didn't actually mean it. Yet Gregor realizes that he is being taken for granted but continues to work the job that he hates. But even when the worst thing possible happens to Gregor and his family deserts him, he still cares considerably more about other people's well being than his own. Like when the manger is knock on the door asking if Gregor is all right and one of the first things that Gregor says is this, "'Take it easy on my parents!'" (Kafka 5). Instead of asking for help because he has been turned into a giant bug, Gregor asks the Manager to be nicer to his parents. So their wellbeing overrides his, once again. A lot of people won't really care about their parents emotion states if they had just magically transformed into a giant bug but Gregor is apparently nicer than a lot of other people. "In order to spare her even this sight, one day he dragged the sheet on his back and onto the couch—this task took him four hours—and arranged it in such a way that he was now completely concealed and his sister, even if she bent down, could not see him."(Kafka 14). Even though Gregor hides under the couch to spare his sister from having to see him and only a little part of his back sticks out from underneath. He still takes the time to pull a sheet over himself so that when his sister comes in to clean the room she will not even have to look at a small part of his back. That proves just how considerate Gregor is of other people's feelings and wellbeing and how he always puts other people before himself. 

In short, everyone in Gregor's family is a jerk even before he was turned into a bug but one of worst is his sister, Grete. Throughout the story, Grete pretends to be the caretaker and protector of Gregor the bug but you find out later that it is a act for her own gain. "She had grown accustomed, certainly not without justification, so far as the discussion of matters concerning Gregor was concerned, to act as a special expert with respect to their parents...For surely no one except Grete would ever trust themselves to enter a room in which Gregor ruled the empty walls all by himself." (Kafka 15). This proves that the only reason why she took care of Gregor and continues to take care of him is because her parents are now dependent on her. Therefore she has power over them on all things concerning Gregor and her parents no longer think of her as worthless. Also to try secure her position as Gregor's one and only caretaker she (with the help of her mother) tries to remove all the furnitures from Gregor's room. Because as the quote says no one will go in a completely bare room with a giant bug crawling on the walls. Her scheme, as sound as the logic may be, is a very evil thing to do to someone especially your own flesh and blood. Also since the sister didn't have to work a day in her life thanks to Gregor, she is a spoiled brat. Yes she takes care of Gregor but only to have power over other people. Here's an example of her brattiness, "'When people have to work as hard as we all do, they cannot also tolerate this endless torment at home. I just can’t go on any more.'" (Kafka 24). So even though the sister has only had to work for a few months being a sales girl which isn't especially taxing, Gregor is too considerate to cause trouble and Grete is no longer taking care of Gregor. She still manages to complain that it's all Gregor's fault that her life is just too hard. Though the only reason she didn't have to work and she could be a proper lady was thanks to Gregor. So maybe she should thank him for putting food on the table and giving her a life of luxury than curse him for something that is completely out of his control. Also to make matters worse she suggests to kill him when he is no longer of use to her, which can be seen in this quote, "'It has to go,” cried the sister. “That is the only way, father.'"(Kafka 24). Since the sister now has a job and is seen as a useful part of the family keeping Gregor around is no longer useful. Therefor she asks her father to "get rid of it" which basically means to kill Gregor. That is why Gregor's sister, Grete, is a jerk.