Fingernails of different length
When Bananas is first introduced in the play, she is described as having an extremely heretic behavior, being described as being almost an animal. When Artie tells her about his desire to go and see the Pope, Bananas claims she won’t be able to go with him as her fingernails all have different lengths. The fingernails are used here as a metaphor to suggest Banana’s different perspective when it comes to the everyday world and how, because of this, she and her actions may be misunderstood by others.
The apartment
The action of the play, excluding the events which take place in the prologue, all take place inside the little apartment Bananas and Artie call their home. Time and time again, the apartment is described as being extremely small and filled with various pieces of furniture and odd things to the point where the reader or the viewer may feel as if he is suffocating. The apartment is the central metaphor of the play, being used here to suggest the way in which Artie felt living the life he had, unsure of his purpose in life and feeling trapped in an unhappy existence.
Ignoring reality
An important element to analyze in the play is the way in which everyone ignores Ronnie, especially Arnie who seems to refuse to acknowledge the presence of his son, no matter what happens. This proves to be deadly, especially at the end of the play when Ronnie’s action kills four innocent people. The way Ronnie is treated is used in this play as a metaphor, the narrator wanting to transmit through this the dire consequences which often result from a person’s reluctance to accept the reality.
Safe land
After Corrinne and the nuns died, Billy is tries to deal with the aftermath and to find some comfort in Artie. During this time, Bunny comes into the room and Billy invites her to go with his to Australia. Bunny quickly agrees and leaves Artie alone to deal with the aftermath. During the interaction Billy had with Bunny, it becomes clear how Australia became a metaphor for the promise land instead of America.
