Kafka's The Metamorphosis exemplifies great use of imagery throughout the work and at the same time uses it to contribute to some larger meaning in the story. There are multiple occurences where Kafka refers to events such as his struggle to keep his furniture in his room, to keep the picture of the lady, or to merely get out of bed to go to work, that represent his struggle and wanting to return to human form. Kafka uses these events to show the desire and the struggle Gregor experienced in his effort to retreat from his metamorphosis.
The first case in which Gregor's actions imply his desire to return to human form occurs on the morning he becomes a dung beetle. His simple efforts to get out of bed and go to work as normally as possible without thinking that anything has changed suggests his longing to wake up out of a dream and to return to his old human self. "It was very easy to throw aside the blanket. He needed only to push himself up a little, and it fell by itself. But to continue was difficult, particularly because he was so unusually wide. He needed arms and hands to push himself upright. Instead of these, however, he had only many small limbs which were incessantly moving with very different motions and which, in addition, he was unable to control." His strenuous efforts to get out of bed and to remain in control imply his struggle to remain as normal and human as possible. This is the first event where Gregor displays his desire to remain human.
The following case that exhibits evidence of Gregor's desire to return to human form is his unwillingness towards Grete and his mother removing the furniture from his room. His resistance to this idea is apparent through his thoughts as he watches Grete and his mother take away his life memories.