Gregor Samsa In Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis

Initially the fact that Gregor Samsa, the main character, has become a human-sized pest is confusing in and of itself. What caused his transformation? Why is he a human-sized pest and not a regular sized pest? Instead of thinking about his current situation along with the complications it will bring (like I was), Gregor starts to think about how much he dislikes the job he has. "Gregor's first thought upon waking up as a creature are not even related to his new physical form, but to his state of affairs in his life" (Kafka, pg. 14).

Moreover, the side-notes provided throughout these few pages are quite perplexing as well. For instance, when describing Gregor's room, the author mentions a picture of a woman. The side-note directs the reader to the book's glossary which then shows no connection whatsoever to the picture itself. It does however talk about sexual things he would like to do with his sister, a desire for his mother to "come into his room" and a jealousy between he and his father (Roberts, pg. 71). Is this mystery woman actually his sister?
7). I found these statements confusing because the book specifically tells the reader that "Gregor's idea of desiring others' help is the first step toward complete reliance on his family," which is the opposite of independence (Kafka, pg. 18). While Gregor's life itself is a picture of existentialism, his desires are contrary to this philosophy. So, how then does Gregor fit this