Lionnet
Throughout the play, Birdie makes reference to her family's grand plantation, but we never see it. However, she describes the property and house with such florid detail that we begin to get a clear image of what it was like. "...the lawn was so smooth all the way down to the river, with the trims of zinnias and red-feather plush. And the figs and blue little plums and the scuppernongs—" Birdie says, describing a lush and thriving environment.
The Stairs
The stairs are a central image in the play. While most of the action takes place in the main sitting room of Regina's house, several climactic moments take place on the stairs. For instance, the top of the stairs is the place where Horace goes to rest upon returning home. It is also the place where he suffers his fatal heart attack, trying in vain to flee to his room in a moment of panic. Finally, at the end of the play, Regina ascends the staircase, isolated and loathed by her daughter, Alexandra. It is the image of a woman ascending the financial ladder, but completely alone.
Birdie and Alexandra at the piano
Birdie and Alexandra are characters that are linked by their sensitivity and their gentle hearts. As such, they are vulnerable to the manipulative ways of the Hubbards, but luckily enough, they have each other. At one point, they sit beside each other playing something on the piano. The image evokes their shared sensitivity—the fact that they have artistic and gentle spirits, as opposed to aggressive, business-savvy attitudes.
Addie squeezing Alexandra's arm
The final image of the play, after Regina has left the stage to go to bed, is Addie, Alexandra's lifelong caretaker, going to her and squeezing her arm, proud of her for standing up to her mother. The image shows that there is a deeper bond shared between Alexandra and Addie than there is between Alexandra and her own mother.
