Life Turned Upside Down
After Giorgio steals her purse and pushes her in the water, Maria is rescued by a group of kids. A couple of men attempt to get the water out of her lungs and they do so by turning her upside down and shaking it out of her. This symbolizes that Maria's life has been turned upside down after the betrayal of her lover.
Strands of Shells
Hanging in the doorway of Maria's home are strands of seashells. Fellini uses the sea as a metaphor in many of his films, and this reference is not an exception. Maria has a dream of a better life, and the sea shells symbolize being able to walk into that dream as she enters her home. That can see the fruit of a better life being born.
Shut In
We see Maria's home is built with cinder blocks. It's sturdy and hard. It represents how Maria has built four walls around herself in order to protect her from the outside world. She carries these walls with her in life as well. She believes they will help protect her, but they quite often serve the opposite purpose. Fellini shows us these walls literally when Wanda attempts to comfort Maria in her home and Maria will not let her get any where near the truth of what's happening inside of her.
No Keys
Maria is able to make her way back to her home, but when she arrives she is locked out. She doesn't have the keys because Giorgio has stolen them. The symbol is that Maria has given away control of her life both literally and figuratively, as her keys now belong to a man who's betrayed her, and her body she gives away every night on the streets. It shows her need to regain control of her life so that she can access 'home,' the true parts of herself.
False Idol
After Wanda tells Maria that she should have drowned her herself because she is a fool for protecting Giorgio we see Maria walk back into her home. The first thing she sees is the shrine she has created of Giorgio. It symbolizes how she's created a false idol in him. That she's put her trust in a man that she barely knows, giving him everything and like all idols he betrays her.
