diff --git a/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/Pose2SLAMExample_g2o.py b/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/Pose2SLAMExample_g2o.py
index 1ea7fc300..b2ba9c5bc 100644
--- a/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/Pose2SLAMExample_g2o.py
+++ b/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/Pose2SLAMExample_g2o.py
@@ -53,16 +53,15 @@ graph, initial = gtsam.readG2o(g2oFile, is3D)
 assert args.kernel == "none", "Supplied kernel type is not yet implemented"
 
 # Add prior on the pose having index (key) = 0
-graphWithPrior = graph
 priorModel = gtsam.noiseModel.Diagonal.Variances(vector3(1e-6, 1e-6, 1e-8))
-graphWithPrior.add(gtsam.PriorFactorPose2(0, gtsam.Pose2(), priorModel))
+graph.add(gtsam.PriorFactorPose2(0, gtsam.Pose2(), priorModel))
 
 params = gtsam.GaussNewtonParams()
 params.setVerbosity("Termination")
 params.setMaxIterations(maxIterations)
 # parameters.setRelativeErrorTol(1e-5)
 # Create the optimizer ...
-optimizer = gtsam.GaussNewtonOptimizer(graphWithPrior, initial, params)
+optimizer = gtsam.GaussNewtonOptimizer(graph, initial, params)
 # ... and optimize
 result = optimizer.optimize()
 
diff --git a/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/Pose3SLAMExample_g2o.py b/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/Pose3SLAMExample_g2o.py
index c06a9d12f..82b3bda98 100644
--- a/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/Pose3SLAMExample_g2o.py
+++ b/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/Pose3SLAMExample_g2o.py
@@ -43,18 +43,17 @@ priorModel = gtsam.noiseModel.Diagonal.Variances(vector6(1e-6, 1e-6, 1e-6,
                                                          1e-4, 1e-4, 1e-4))
 
 print("Adding prior to g2o file ")
-graphWithPrior = graph
 firstKey = initial.keys()[0]
-graphWithPrior.add(gtsam.PriorFactorPose3(firstKey, gtsam.Pose3(), priorModel))
+graph.add(gtsam.PriorFactorPose3(firstKey, gtsam.Pose3(), priorModel))
 
 params = gtsam.GaussNewtonParams()
 params.setVerbosity("Termination")  # this will show info about stopping conds
-optimizer = gtsam.GaussNewtonOptimizer(graphWithPrior, initial, params)
+optimizer = gtsam.GaussNewtonOptimizer(graph, initial, params)
 result = optimizer.optimize()
 print("Optimization complete")
 
-print("initial error = ", graphWithPrior.error(initial))
-print("final error = ", graphWithPrior.error(result))
+print("initial error = ", graph.error(initial))
+print("final error = ", graph.error(result))
 
 if args.output is None:
     print("Final Result:\n{}".format(result))
diff --git a/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/SimpleRotation.py b/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/SimpleRotation.py
index 2dd7b1194..de8ab07c3 100644
--- a/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/SimpleRotation.py
+++ b/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/SimpleRotation.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ a single variable with a single factor.
 
 import numpy as np
 import gtsam
-
+from gtsam.gtsam.symbol_shorthand import X
 
 def main():
     """
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def main():
     prior = gtsam.Rot2.fromAngle(np.deg2rad(30))
     prior.print_('goal angle')
     model = gtsam.noiseModel.Isotropic.Sigma(dim=1, sigma=np.deg2rad(1))
-    key = gtsam.symbol('x', 1)
+    key = X(1)
     factor = gtsam.PriorFactorRot2(key, prior, model)
 
     """
diff --git a/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/VisualISAM2Example.py b/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/VisualISAM2Example.py
index d33ec98bf..e4c0c8b8d 100644
--- a/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/VisualISAM2Example.py
+++ b/python/gtsam_py/python/examples/VisualISAM2Example.py
@@ -13,23 +13,13 @@ Author: Duy-Nguyen Ta (C++), Frank Dellaert (Python)
 
 from __future__ import print_function
 
-import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
-import numpy as np
-from mpl_toolkits.mplot3d import Axes3D  # pylint: disable=W0611
-
 import gtsam
 import gtsam.utils.plot as gtsam_plot
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import numpy as np
+from gtsam.gtsam.symbol_shorthand import L, X
 from gtsam.examples import SFMdata
-
-
-def X(i):
-    """Create key for pose i."""
-    return int(gtsam.symbol('x', i))
-
-
-def L(j):
-    """Create key for landmark j."""
-    return int(gtsam.symbol('l', j))
+from mpl_toolkits.mplot3d import Axes3D  # pylint: disable=W0611
 
 
 def visual_ISAM2_plot(result):