Symbols In Ethan Frome

The oak tree is used to symbolize Ethan in the novel. The connection can be seen by comparing the characteristics of each. The Oak tree is seen by the characters in the novel as a solid, unchanging, and immovable object. The same can be said about Ethan. He has always has and probably always will live in Starkfield.

One item, actually the idea that the item represents, that symbolizes the theme of the novel Ethan Frome is the red pickle dish. That pickle dish symbolizes something different for each person connected to it. The primarily symbolism of the pickle dish is that of Ethan and Zeena’s marriage, it was a wedding present from her aunt (Wharton 35) and one of her most prized possessions. This highly symbolic pickle dish meant different things to the three people involved with it.

Question marks symbolize the unknown, four leaf clovers symbolize luck, and an olive branch symbolizes peace, but in Ethan Frome it’s not quite that simple. The author presents the symbols in a way that there are an abundance of inferences that need to be made throughout different occurrences in the novel. To recognize the brilliant symbolism within the novel, you need to think about all of the details within the plot. Some of the symbols can’t even be recognized until the last occurrences and events take place. The author of Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton, uses a variety of symbolism including symbolic and indicative colors, contrasting lights, and significant names to add to the development of the plot as long as well as the takeaway from

In the novel Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, the minor character Mattie Silver serves as a foil towards the main character Ethan Frome. Throughout the novel, Ethan is a man who faces many challenges in his path causing what little happiness he has to vanish therefore illuminating the work as a whole. One may realize the faults of Ethan’s ways through theme, symbolism and irony.

Symbolism approach to interpretation has so many possibilities—so many paths to consider! An exciting approach to interpretation and criticism, comparable to hunting, finding the symbols, an object or image that, although interesting in its own right, stands for or suggests something larger and more complex—often an idea or a range of interrelated ideas, attitudes, and practices (Murfin & Ray 391), practiced by finding the repetition of colors throughout Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome became the adventure. Within the pages of the novel, repetition of colors reveal themselves and critic’s interpretations discussed. Symbolism

    Though too intelligent for rural life, Ethan finds himself stuck in an average man's shoes. Leaving any opportunity he had to become someone in life, Ethan moves back to Starkfield to take care of his ailing mother and attend to their farm(Wharton 29).  Rather than living a lonesome

Throughout Ethan Frome, winter seems to be a prominent season that is spoken of or described. In symbolic terms, winter is a time of dormancy. It is a time when life gives way to stillness and people take the time to reflect and still their minds and souls. Although winter does, in fact, reflect despair, death, loneliness and pain, it is not all negative. The main component of a winter storm is snow and what color is snow? White. White symbolizes hope, rebirth, naivety and much more just like life in a winter wonderland might. In the case of Ethan Frome though, there seems to be a far darker meaning behind it. The fact that he's "...been in Starkfield too many winters" (Pg. 4) shows the real symbolism that's been the long-lived dormancy of Ethan's life.

Ethan faces reality when he realizes that he cannot leave his wife even if he does not love her. Ethan had married his wife out of debt which had caused them to be distant.“Then she too fell silent. Perhaps it was the inevitable effect of life on farm, or perhaps, as she sometimes said , it was because Ethan ‘ never listened’”(42).To explain, Ethan found nothing in common with his wife.. Due to their lack of interest with each other, they had ignored one another and their household was quiet until one needed something from the other. To continue, near the end of the book Ethan realises his real dream is to run away with his true love, Mattie, and to start a new life. Once given the option, Ethan and Mattie try to act fast to leave but realise they have not thought it through. He says,“ what’s the good of either of us going anywheres without the other one now?”(90). To clarify, once they think about leaving Zeena, Mattie and Ethan realize they have nowhere to go. The lost, forbidden lovers are soon given the option that they are able to live out their false dream through death. On their way back to convince

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is a novel about a man who falls in love with the feeling of being freed. Ethan’s mother becomes sick and needs a caregiver, Zeena. Ethan has felt trapped ever since his wife, Zeena, becomes ill. Zeena needs a caregiver, so her cousin, Mattie, moves in with them. Ethan begins to fall for Mattie because she makes him feel as if he can live again. Each of the characters show isolationism in this novel.

The novel, Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton tells of Ethan Frome and his struggles to be with the one he loves, Mattie Silver, and escaping the one he’s married to, Zeena. The tragedy that is Frome’s life is founded on the differences between Mattie and Zeena, such as their physical appearance and their communication and relationship with Ethan.

The dish begins to take the form of Ethan’s love for Mattie, especially when the dish was broken by the cat. Ethan wanted to do all he could to make sure Zeena wouldn’t find out about the broken dish in order to protect Mattie. To fix the problem he put the dish back together so it would be “undetectable from the floor” (33) so Zeena wouldn’t discover it before he could fix it. Ethan’s willingness to save Mattie from his wife’s wrath only solidifies his love for Mattie. The broken shards being placed back together is only for show of marriage for Zeena, but with the underlying message of Ethan isn’t doing it to make Zeena feel better, but for the sake of keeping Mattie safe. Though Mattie through her personality and skills only intensify the situation between the three of them. When Mattie went to grab the pickle dish from the top of the cabinet, she didn’t believe anything would happen to it, until the cat knocked it over. When Zeena had discovered the broken dish and demanded why Mattie had taken it down, Mattie’s only response was she “wanted to make the supper table pretty” (48). Mattie’s boldness of taking something Zeena held to her so dear and using it for her own personal gain, which in turn was getting Ethan to want her. The dish represents everyone in the Frome household, and how they interact with each other through their daily lives. Mattie’s

Ethan was in an unhappy relationship because Zeena was sick and miserable, which made Ethan miserable. When Zeena needed help, her cousin Mattie Silver came to stay with them in Starkfield to aid her. Ethan began to grow fond of Mattie and over time developed strong feelings for her, for she was young and pure compared to Zeena whom was old and ill. As Ethan and Mattie grew closer, Zeena decided to get rid of Mattie and hired a girl that would best suit her needs, to take care of her. Before Ethan withdrew from Mattie, they took a sled ride and crashed into a tree because they couldn’t bare not being together. They chose to attempt suicide; however, their suicide attempt failed and they are left crippled with Zeena to take care of

As shown in Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton symbolism plays a key role in establishing the characters and plot of the story. Ethan and Zeena’s cat symbolizes Zeena and takes her place when she isn't home. The red pickle dish is a symbol for Ethan and Zeena’s broken marriage. Mattie’s red scarf and ribbon are symbolic of the passion and love shown through Mattie. Each of these symbols contributes to the story as a whole and add depth to it as well.

Tracing back to the year that changed Ethan Frome’s life forever, the reader finds themselves outside of a church where Ethan Frome is mesmerized by the sight of this girl, Mattie Silver, who is actually his wife’s sister. When Mattie

Ethan Frome, written by Edith Wharton; this novel is about a farmer, Ethan, who lives a sad life in the town of Starkfield; he had many ambitions for the future only to have them crushed by his wife, Zeena. When Zeena’s cousin, Mattie, comes to live with the Fromes, Ethan soon realizes that he has developed feelings for Mattie and she was the object of his affection. Ethan immediately becomes involved in a love triangle between Mattie and Zeena. Unsure whether or not to follow his heart and run away to marry Mattie or just ‘shrug off’ his feelings for Mattie and pretend like they were never there, Ethan is faced with a tough decision. A few days later while Mattie and Ethan are out sledding, Mattie has the idea of running into an elm tree,