How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph). We used Stanley Corngold's translation.
Quote #4
[His sister] came in on tiptoe, as if she were visiting someone seriously ill or perhaps even a stranger. (2.7)
In the beginning, Grete seems far more considerate than later on in the novel, when she calls Gregor a "monster" and refuses to acknowledge him as her brother.
Quote #5
"Doesn't it look as if by removing his furniture we were showing him that we have given up all hope of his getting better and are leaving him to his own devices without any consideration?" (2.20)
Mrs. Samsa is perhaps the last member of the family to relinquish the idea that Gregor's transformation is irreversible. In this passage, she makes the case that Gregor is still deserving of their "consideration."
Quote #6
And hardly had the women left the room with the chest, squeezing against it and groaning, than Gregor stuck his head out from under the couch to see how he could feel his way into the situation as considerately as possible. (2.23)
Gregor is convinced by his mother's argument that moving out his furniture is tantamount to giving up on his human self. Despite his earlier recognition that his only option is to be patient and trouble his family as little as possible, Gregor can't help himself here and seeks a way to assert himself. Even though he's trying to act as "considerately" as possible, his actions end up infuriating the entire family.