Piranesi
Piranesi is a name given to the man inhabiting the House by the Other. The name is an allusion to an Italian architect who built labyrinths. The House is a labyrinth in and of itself, various doors and corridors make it easy for a person to lose oneself. Labyrinth implies entrapment, no means to escape, and it correlates with Piranesi’s situation. But, he is in a labyrinth of his own mind, the more he dwelled in the House, the more he lost himself/Matthew Rose Sorensen, and the more he became a nameless part of the House.
Statues
The House is filled with various statues, the statues are the focal pieces of it. Statues in general represent time etched into stone, a part of history visible and tangible. Among the various statues, there are a few that Piranesi point out. There are the Minotaur statues, which are revealed later, to be guarding the gate to the House. The statues of a Gardener and a woman carrying a beehive, which Piranesi interprets to represent Industriousness, a statue of an Angel blowing a Trumpet, a statue of a man reading, are present among the others.
Writing
Piranesi is a record keeper. He carries his numbered notebooks and records the important events of his life in the House. It is later revealed just how essential his record-keeping actually is. It helps him uncover the truth behind the House, the Other, and his existence at the House. This shows the importance of writing as a witness to the truth of the past.
Albatross
Birds are an important part of the House and Piranesi’s life. Aside from the Other, they are the only living beings there, and Piranesi treats them with respect and kindness, and they have what he doesn't - the ability to leave. One day, an albatross suddenly flies into one of the corridors, and Piranesi has a sudden vision of becoming one with this bird and being able to fly. This is a significant moment, and it reveals Piranesi subconscious sense of entrapment and desire for freedom, despite his blissful amnesia and loss of self.
