Dream
The beginning of the play shows Bill Maitland in a dream he is having - more a nightmare scenario in which he prosecutes himself with the evidence of his life. The imagery from the dream sets the tone for the reader to understand the life underneath all of Bill's bullying, demands and sexual harassment throughout the rest of the play. It tells us how insecure he truly is and that he is in desperate need of connection, which he pushes away fervently.
Closing Statement
The final scene is Bill speaking to Anna over the phone. He declares that he will stay in his office before telling her goodbye. The imagery shows us that this is a man who has resigned from putting any effort into repairing his life, he believes it is too broken to fix.
Couch
Bill sleeps on the couch and doesn't go home one night. The imagery shows us that he despises his life, and more so himself, to a great degree. The imagery of sleeping on the couch becomes a way of showing how he self-punishes himself rather than having to deal with anything.
Law Office
Bill Maitland's law practice has been built up over years. He deals primarily with divorces while his partner, Hudson handles the courtroom litigation. The law office has become the sight of his running away from having to deal with any cases, including the case of his life. Thus, the setting becomes a poignant place of unrest as it is where Bill has run to hold up and protect himself from actually having to deal with life.
