Considering Chekhovs The Cherry Orchard, compare the effects of some arrivals and departures from the stage.

One good example can be of Madame Ranevsky's eighty seven year old manservant, Firs who is always talking about how things were in the past on the estate, when the estate was prosperous, and the master went to Paris by carriage, instead of by train; most importantly, he frequently talks about how life was before the serfs were freed. He, being a minor character also brings out and tells about the background and the history of the estate. Firs was born a serf on Madame Ranevsky's estate, and although the serfs have been freed, Firs had remained on the estate because he had no other opportunities. Although he and Lopakhin share the same background, Firs has not been able to adapt to the changing society as Lopakhin has. Firs is also a figure who represents time, and a character who symbolizes the old class system. He was the only surviving link to the estate's glorious past, and he also comes to symbolize that past, but at the end of the play, he is accidentally left behind and he presumably dies onstage. Even his death has contributed to the play abundantly marking the passing of the old class system, the passing of the aristocracy's reign on the cherry orchard. It also marked the passing of a phase in Russian history as well as the beginning of a new one. Firs being not such a major character also contributed to the understanding and the complexity of the play.

Another example could be the drunken man who passes by asking for directions and insulting the gayev’s, and being a nuisance. This happened when they were lazing around gayev’s estate. He is called various things at various different sources, but the guy who passes by plays the same role no matter what we call him, that is of a rude awakening for the dreamy aristocrats. After the sun has set, the "breaking string" sound is heard and Firs recalls the emancipation of the serfs. The Passerby enters, drunk and begging for money as Varya overreacts and shrieks and Lopakhin rushes to handle the situation. Mme. Ranevsky makes him leave by giving him several gold pieces.  The Passerby reminds them of the reality of the land just outside their safe, comfortable estate. He also symbolizes the intrusion of new ideologies and social movements that infringed on the aristocracy's peace in Russia at the turn of the 20th century. This minor character, who barely comes in for half a page went off stage by adding something which told a lot about the play. The addition of making them realise about the reality of the land outside the estate, and further adding to the complexity of the play.