Kaydance Heathcock Mrs. Agee 11.4 English 25 February 2023 Symbolizing Ethan Frome Throughout the years most literary works have contained symbolism. Symbolism represents the truth symbolically through language and metaphorical images, mainly as a reaction against naturalism and realism. One writer today, Wharton uses the smallest ideas to create a larger impact on an overall view of examples. In Edith Whartons’ Ethan Frome, the author uses symbolism of the red pickle dish, the cat, graveyard, and Starkfield to show the tragedy of Ethan’s life. The red pickle dish is a representation of the past and future relationship between Zeena and Ethan. The dish, one of Zeena’s favorite wedding gifts, shows the destruction of the shattered …show more content…
“Oh, Puss!” said Mattie, and they laughed again” (p. 39). On the night Zeena is in Bettsbridge, Ethan and Mattie are sitting and talking. They touch hands and the cat jumps into the chair and knocks over the pickle dish. The dish in which Mattie had secretly taken down to use on the occasion. “The name has benumbed him again, and once more he felt as Zeena was in the room between them” (p.39). The cat represents intelligent, graceful, and independent like Zeena; it serves as an implicit invisible presence in the house. It is a force that keeps coming in between Mattie and Ethan reminding them of his wife’s …show more content…
She portrays the feeling of fear Ethan has of being trapped in Starkfield. Not only does it represent Ethan’s fear, it also symbolizes darkness and death. “He passed by the graves on the knoll and turned his head to glance at one of the older headstones, which had interested him deeply as a boy because it bore his name. SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF ETHAN FROME AND ENDURANCE HIS WIFE, WHO DWELLED TOGETHER IN PEACE FOR FIFTY YEARS” (p.37). This made him feel as if he was going to be trapped in Starkfield forever with Zeena, whom he did not love or want to be with. Ethan found out his mother was going to die and instantly panicked. He saw Zeena was going to leave and with the fear of being alone in the harsh winter he asked her to