Symbolism, Strength, and Setting in Ethan Frome
Symbolism in Ethan Frome
The course of events in Ethan Frome is punctuated by a series of symbolic devices, each illustrating the development of relationships among Ethan, Mattie, and Zeena.
- Mattie and the color red: Her red scarf and ribbon symbolize her vitality and attractiveness, contrasting with Zeena’s cold demeanor. It also represents her temptation of Ethan.
- The cat and broken dish: Symbolizes Zeena’s dominating presence in the household and her interference in Ethan and Mattie’s romance.
- The climactic sled ride: Represents Ethan’s out-of-control course when he gives in to Mattie’s death wish, symbolizing his general approach to life, relinquishing responsibility.
Wharton’s use of symbolism creates dramatic irony, adding to the sense of inevitable doom.
Is Ethan a Strong Person?
Ethan possesses great physical strength and a strong conscience. However, he lacks inner strength, mastered by circumstances. He fails to realize his desires, allowing Zeena’s illness to crush his desire to leave Starkfield and never daring to break with convention.
His only proactive deed, the final sled ride, is pushed on him by Mattie, representing a continued passivity. Unable to face consequences, Ethan lets Mattie make a choice for him.
Starkfield’s Environment and Inner States
The bleak, oppressive cold of Starkfield shapes the characters’ psychic landscapes. The narrator uses a metaphor of a city under siege to describe Starkfield in winter, establishing the theme of how the icy climate oppresses human lives.
Ethan’s home becomes a prison, and he yearns to escape. Mattie, with her high spirits and red trimmings, offers a way out, but she too succumbs to the landscape’s aura. By the end, she complains about the cold, showing how the environment affects everyone.