Deeper Meaning of Ethan Frome

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The deeper meaning behind Ethan Frome Ethan Frome is a book mostly set on mystery; the narrator is in a small town of Starkfield, New England and wants to know more about a local named Ethan Frome. Ethan walks with such a limp and many people want to know more about him because he has such a mystery to him. Edith Wharton uses many themes in this novel to give the reader a deeper meaning of what the subject is meant to be about. The author really empathizes on how Mattie wore red so often. When they are alone outside of the church the author emphasizes that Mattie wears red. At the dance she wears a red scarf, and when they were alone she puts a red ribbon in her hair. Red is the color of blood, good health and vitality. All of those characteristics Mattie has and all of which Zeena doesn’t. In the white landscape of Starkfield, red stands out, and she also stands out in Ethan’s life as well. Red is also the color of sin, the trademark color of the devil especially in New England. During this time the Puritan adulterers had to wear red and they did not believe in having more than one wife or loving more than one person. Mattie wearing red all the time symbolized her role as Ethan’s mistress, which was not believed in during this time. Another theme in this novel was the red pickle dish that belonged to Zeena. During their night alone Ethan and Mattie share the house with the cat, which first breaks Zeena’s pickle dish and then sits in Zeena’s rocking chair. The animal is a symbol of Zeena’s presence in the house, as an object that comes between Mattie and Ethan, and reminds them of the wife’s existence. The breaking of the dish, Zeena’s favorite wedding present, symbolizes the hardship of her and Ethan’s marriage. Zeena’s got so upset over the broken dish represents her deeper anguish over her broken marriage. The setting of Ethan Frome is built around
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