Gilbert gets bothered about being the responsible one in his family because he never gets a spare minute of his own time to do what he wants to , and is constantly looking after his brother Arnie .Two times during the film, Gilbert doesn't stay around Arnie and both times Arnie takes off and climbs the water tower. Arnie see this as an act of freedom and escaping from Endora. But after all their relationship is good. " arnie could go anywhere. Some days you want him to live. Some days you don't." suggest Gilbert. Gilbert is also upset by Mamma weight problem because it force him to be responsible on everything bad that happen.
Gilbert's entire family annoys him because they don't see the sacrifices he has to live with, they don't see are that looking after Arnie and keeping him out of trouble is a full time job with no pay or breaks and stacked with his job at the failing grocer which is on the verge of closing down. An argument about gilberts work load is almost always starts around the table during a family meal and no one ever notices Arnie is always around Gilbert and that Gilbert never has a moment of spare time while he is with him ,and that he is one of two people in the family with a job that pays for food and everything else in the house. " you're shrinking Gilbert." Says Mamma.
Mrs Carver annoy Gilbert with a constant need for attention and feeling that Gilbert can't provide she is a big output for Gilberts emotions, and a big part of his sociol life he is having an affair with her because she thought she needed