Final answer:
When a family loses the income from a key provider, the remaining members are often forced to find paid employment to maintain balance and function, reflecting a universal economic reality depicted in both literature and historical contexts.
Step-by-step explanation:
In response to circumstances requiring additional income for a family, members often need to take paid employment outside of the home. For example, when a key income provider like Gregor is no longer able to support the household, the family may be forced into seeking jobs. This act ensures the family's economic balance and function.
Similarly, in historical contexts, families have seen their offspring move to urban areas or even abroad in search of work to remit money home, thus taking on an instrumental role in maintaining the family's livelihood. Situations from literature, like those described in plays where characters anticipate future earnings and prosperity, reflect the optimism that increased income can bring to a household.