diff --git a/gson/src/main/java/com/google/gson/stream/JsonWriter.java b/gson/src/main/java/com/google/gson/stream/JsonWriter.java
index 597bd569..84eaa0a7 100644
--- a/gson/src/main/java/com/google/gson/stream/JsonWriter.java
+++ b/gson/src/main/java/com/google/gson/stream/JsonWriter.java
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ public class JsonWriter implements Closeable, Flushable {
    */
   public JsonWriter beginArray() throws IOException {
     writeDeferredName();
-    return open(EMPTY_ARRAY, "[");
+    return open(EMPTY_ARRAY, '[');
   }
 
   /**
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ public class JsonWriter implements Closeable, Flushable {
    * @return this writer.
    */
   public JsonWriter endArray() throws IOException {
-    return close(EMPTY_ARRAY, NONEMPTY_ARRAY, "]");
+    return close(EMPTY_ARRAY, NONEMPTY_ARRAY, ']');
   }
 
   /**
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ public class JsonWriter implements Closeable, Flushable {
    */
   public JsonWriter beginObject() throws IOException {
     writeDeferredName();
-    return open(EMPTY_OBJECT, "{");
+    return open(EMPTY_OBJECT, '{');
   }
 
   /**
@@ -315,14 +315,14 @@ public class JsonWriter implements Closeable, Flushable {
    * @return this writer.
    */
   public JsonWriter endObject() throws IOException {
-    return close(EMPTY_OBJECT, NONEMPTY_OBJECT, "}");
+    return close(EMPTY_OBJECT, NONEMPTY_OBJECT, '}');
   }
 
   /**
    * Enters a new scope by appending any necessary whitespace and the given
    * bracket.
    */
-  private JsonWriter open(int empty, String openBracket) throws IOException {
+  private JsonWriter open(int empty, char openBracket) throws IOException {
     beforeValue();
     push(empty);
     out.write(openBracket);
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ public class JsonWriter implements Closeable, Flushable {
    * Closes the current scope by appending any necessary whitespace and the
    * given bracket.
    */
-  private JsonWriter close(int empty, int nonempty, String closeBracket)
+  private JsonWriter close(int empty, int nonempty, char closeBracket)
       throws IOException {
     int context = peek();
     if (context != nonempty && context != empty) {
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ public class JsonWriter implements Closeable, Flushable {
 
   private void string(String value) throws IOException {
     String[] replacements = htmlSafe ? HTML_SAFE_REPLACEMENT_CHARS : REPLACEMENT_CHARS;
-    out.write("\"");
+    out.write('\"');
     int last = 0;
     int length = value.length();
     for (int i = 0; i < length; i++) {
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ public class JsonWriter implements Closeable, Flushable {
     if (last < length) {
       out.write(value, last, length - last);
     }
-    out.write("\"");
+    out.write('\"');
   }
 
   private void newline() throws IOException {
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ public class JsonWriter implements Closeable, Flushable {
       return;
     }
 
-    out.write("\n");
+    out.write('\n');
     for (int i = 1, size = stackSize; i < size; i++) {
       out.write(indent);
     }