One morning Gregor Samsa wakes from anxious dreams to find that he has become a monstrous verminous bug, his back hard as armour and his many thin legs trembling. He cannot turn onto his right side and, after numerous painful attempts, resigns himself to remain in bed. The family—his mother, father and sister Grete—knock at the door. His mother’s soft voice urges him to get up; Gregor replies with a strained, squeaky voice, promising to rise. The father soon follows, demanding why Gregor missed the five‑o’clock train. The manager from Gregor’s firm arrives, having been summoned by the father to demand an explanation. The manager, after a brief, polite greeting, presses for why Gregor has not reported to work; Gregor, still trapped in his insect body, attempts a frantic speech pleading his innocence and promising to go to the office. The family tries to open the door; Gregor’s limited mobility forces him to push against the door and unsuccessfully manipulate a lock with his mouth, finally succeeding in opening it after great pain. He emerges into the living room where the manager, his parents and Grete are present. The manager leaves angrily after a confrontation; the mother collapses, the father assaults Gregor with a cane, and Grete cries. Over the following weeks Gregor lives hidden under the couch, surviving on meagre food brought by Grete, while the family increasingly isolates him. The mother, father, and sister debate removing furniture to give him space, arguing about whether to keep or discard items. Grete eventually decides the family must get rid of Gregor; she locks the door and threatens to leave him to die. Gregor’s condition worsens, a wound from an apple remains in his back, and he drifts into a quiet, reflective state. At three a.m. he dies. In the early morning the cleaning woman enters, finds the flat, lifeless corpse, and loudly announces that Gregor has “kicked the bucket.” The Samsa parents, now dressed, enter the bedroom, confirm his death, and pray. The three lodgers who have been renting rooms in the apartment protest the unsanitary conditions, give notice, and leave the building. The family, relieved of the financial burden, decides to move to a smaller, cheaper apartment. They write apology letters to their employer, a client, and Grete’s proprietor, and discuss future prospects, including arranging a marriage for Grete. The chapter ends with the family looking forward to a new start.