Broken Steps

The particular steps within the apartment building that the tenants collectively understand are not to be stepped on are a symbol of both the solidarity between the tenants and Edith's gradual decay. As Edith begins to decline mentally, so, too, does the house begin to decline physically. However, the community comes together because of their collective and shared understanding of the circumstances that they live in.

Santarella

Edward's successful but not especially artful feature-length film, Santarella, is a symbol of Paulie's ability to help Edward overcome his own self-loathing and pretension. When Paulie first finds himself in Edward's apartment, he sees a copy of Santarella and mentions loving the film, expressing further astonishment when he learns that Edward made it. This allows Edward to overcome the shame he feels due to the failure of his career and the success of his corporate contributions.

Cooking Dinner