ipl-logo

Ethan Frome Theme Essay

650 Words3 Pages

While everyone has a right to their own happiness, the truth of the matter is that it is not always easy to reach. While a person can struggle their entire life searching for happiness, some may never find what they’re looking for or may never be satisfied with what they have in front of them. The character Ethan, in Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is a story of full of unlucky love and fate. Ethan stumbles upon a gravestone with his name on it, except this man had a wife, Endurance. This leaves Ethan wondering what his own gravestone with his wife, Zeena, will one day say. This moment took a toll on his view of his own dying marriage and opened up many more foreshadows of fate as well as a pickle jar and the color red. The significance of the …show more content…

The red scarf and red ribbon Mattie wore at the dance and later throughout the story make her stand out from the crowd, which proves Ethan's belief that she is more than just exceptional. The color red represented Ethan’s fate, passion, and love. Another message of fate in the story was when, "A red sun stood over the grey rim of the fields, behind trees that looked black and brittle." This quote from shows the scenery and gives and idea about life in Starkfield. The red sun coming up over the grey field shows that nothing interesting goes on. The quote also gives the idea that it is grim in Starkfield but the color red, representing desire, showed more than just a plain town. Overall, the significance that the gravestone of Ethan Frome and Endurance his wife took, related to the novel's theme of fate greatly. This moment in the story was not the only sign that changed his view on his marriage and living in Starkfield, but the pickle jar and the color red too. Ethan was shook and knew he did not want his future to end up living the same life in Starkfield after seeing the gravestone. Although Ethan was never truly satisfied, the gravestone definitely helped change his views on what and who he

Show More
Related
288 Words | 2 Pages

The color red symbolizes the blood Doodle's brother seen after Doodle dies. The deer that Joe sees after Simon dies symbolizes how Simon will be always be with Joe to fulfill his purpose. Both stories also include one of the main characters having physical limitations. The characters also wish to

Read More
447 Words | 2 Pages

In the book Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton multiple objects are used to represent big moments in the book and is heavily used. There are many objects that clearly relate to people and relationships between people. The first emblem that represents love between Mattie and Ethan is Mattie's red scarf and ribbon in her hair. The first symbol is the pickle dish representing Ethans and Zeena’s relationship. The final commodity is the cat which represents Zeena.

Read More
1239 Words | 5 Pages

Even though Doodle was not strong, the red can give the idea of Doodle's blood. Present with the flowers also is the phlox flower that represents love, the love for Doodle. The description of the rotting flowers and the red colors gives a dark and grim feeling. Another example of how Hurst shows grim through diction. In the middle of the story, Brother is teaching Doodle how to walk and says.

Read More
1635 Words | 7 Pages

The color red is spread through the story to emphasize not only the blood, but also the palpable presence

Read More
150 Words | 1 Pages

In the story " The Scarlet Ibis" James Hurst shows images of red and expresses that every choice we make has a consequence and its either good or bad. The first place he shows images of red is when doodle and brother went up to the barn loft and saw the coffin. "Daddy had Mr. Heath, the carpenter, build a little mahogany coffin for him". Mahogany is a shade of reddish brown. It shows how death can change the mood of the story.

Read More
260 Words | 2 Pages

The color red is intense; it is often associated with emotions that fall on opposite ends of the spectrum. Passion, desire, and love are polar opposite of fire, war, and blood. James Hurst used the color red throughout his short story, The Scarelt Ibis, to create literal and figurative symbols, which illustrated the dichotomy of the narrator’s memories of his younger brother, Doodle, to convey both beauty and tragedy. A reader is immediately introduced to the symbolism of the color red, and its beauty, the moment they read the title of the short story, The Scarlet Ibis.

Read More
447 Words | 2 Pages

In “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, the color red symbolizes uncertainty of how life will play out. It was neither autumn nor summer, the time in which death was prominent. The garden was stained brown, and the bleeding tree arose from the ground, intimidating the atmosphere. The young boy recalled his dear little brother, Doodle they called him. “He seemed all head, with a tiny body which was red and shriveled like an old man's....

Read More
484 Words | 2 Pages

The color red is shown for when symbolizing for death or fire. But in this case it is known as the death of Doodle. For example when it says “A grind stone stands where the bleeding tree stood…” (Hurst 595), the author tries to tie together the death of Doodle and the death of the Scarlet Ibis. In this way we can see that the Scarlet Ibis had struggles just like Doodle. But unfortunately in the process in trying to succeed in their struggles they did not make it.

Read More
755 Words | 4 Pages

“…rogued lips…nails were red.” This shows that she is always put together. The recurring colour red symbolizes a sign of danger which makes the readers wary. Steinbeck’s use of repetition emphasis her as a dangerous character. Similarly red can also be seen as the colour of passion and love.

Read More
1342 Words | 6 Pages

In the novel, the color red is affiliated with the desolation of many of the characters. Other occurrences of the color red are shown with devastation, anger, and violence. Analyzed in an article written by Zhang Haibing, he thoroughly describes that, “ Red is usually related to blood and is escusely associated with Tom in the novel.” (Haibing). Here, this quote describes one of the main characters, Tom Buchanan, and his relation to the color red.

Read More
451 Words | 2 Pages

Ellison uses the color red to symbolize blood, anger, and danger throughout the book. For example, describing Brother Jack's red hair, the “red-faced” men at the battle royal, the vet's red wheelchair, and even Santa Claus. Red functions as a symbol of evil in the book. It showed that the narrator feels uneasy and

Read More
1682 Words | 7 Pages

The color red is “associated with blood, so it is the symbol of violence, danger and rage” (Haibing 42). A horrendous event happened that impacted most of the characters with was the hit and run that killed Myrtle Wilson, Tom’s mistress and George Wilson’s wife. As Tom, Nick, and Jordan arrive at the scene, they see everyone crowding George Wilson’s garage and an ambulance. The three characters advanced forward to see what the commotion is. They see Myrtle on a table covered in a blanket with bruises, cuts, and blood everywhere.

Read More
477 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout the novel, we see red in the Buchanan’s home such as the mansion, and the rooms inside. It suggests the hostile relationship Daisy and Tom have towards each other. Fitzgerald writes the “crimson room”(Fitzgerald 6). Which could be a symbol of danger and hostility between anyone that could be in the Buchanan’s house. The red color illustrates danger and warning throughout the book and foreshadows the future as it connects with danger.

Read More
1006 Words | 5 Pages

Melissa Palacios English 3A Feb. 21 2017 The novel Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is about a tragic hero, Ethan who is not in love with his wife, but another person named Mattie. An important symbol in this novel is a pickle dish. This dish symbolizes Ethan’s relationship with his wife. The pickle dish first appears in chapter 4 of the novel.

Read More
738 Words | 3 Pages

Both Zeena and Ethan have varying responses, however both showing some commitment to repair their union. In Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton utilizes a broken pickle dish, to represent the views of espousement, and the representation of their varied human actions. Ethan and Zeena Frome’s marriage represents a union based on obligation rather that love. Throughout the story, Ethan is a weak and submissive husband under the control of a domineering wife.

Read More

More about Ethan Frome Theme Essay

Open Document