The man sleeping on the couch
The first act of the play opens with the narrator describing Artie in his apartment after having performed at the bar. Artie, the owner of the apartment, is described as sleeping on the couch, in a sleeping bag, and not in his own bedroom. The author creates through this description on image of Artie as a man which is not in control of his own life. The impression left is that Artie was pushed and treated almost as a stranger in his own house, thus showing how little power he had over his own life.
Woman dressed in mismatched clothes
At the end of the first act, Bananas comes out of her room, dressed in mismatched clothes, ready to go with her husband and see the Pope pass through New York. The way in which Bananas is described here is extremely important because it has the purpose of transmitting the way she was feeling on the inside, having to deal with the psychological pressure of not fitting in on her own.
Lonely man in his apartment
At the end of the second Act, Artie remains alone with Bananas, after Bunny decided to leave him and go with Billy to Australia. After everyone leaves, Artie remains alone in the room, looking at the mess around him. This last image is important because it portrays Artie and the life he has, a life which he can’t escape no matter what. This also has the purpose of making the audience feel sorry for Artie who is trapped in a life he does not want for himself.
The death of Bananas
The play ends with Artie killing Bananas after Bunny decided to leave with Billy to Australia. One concluding touch is the description of Banana’s body, the narrator hinting the idea that Bananas found peace in death, finally being released from her tortured existence. This transmits the idea that in some cases, death is a merry rather than being a punishment.
