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The Tragedy of Ethan Frome

 

            
             Ethan Frome himself is not colorful at all. In fact, he is dull and boring but this is not his fault. The town of Starksfield, Massachusetts is to blame. Nothing can stay colorful in this blank town. That is until Mattie comes along like a fresh breeze and makes Ethan want more, to want to be something more. The main colors in this novel are red and white, and they are used constantly. Most importantly we see the significance of Zeena's (Ethan's wife) red pickle dish, Mattie's relation to the color red, and the town of Starkfield and the color white. Edith Wharton wrote Ethan Frome to juxtapose what people thought about rural northeastern life. She did so by creating a town, Starkfield, that is like no other.
             Zeena Frome became Ethan's wife after being the caretaker of Ethan's sick mother in her dying days. They married out of convenience, believing that the marriage was the best they could get. The old Zeena used to be full of energy and enthusiasm, but now is cold and calculating and had an illness of her own. Mattie is then hired to assist her and is a breath of fresh air which attracts Ethan immediately. However ill Zeena is though she still sees what is going on and plots against the two. The one night that Ethan and Mattie have alone, their romanticism is spoiled when Zeena's prized dish is broken. The pickle dish is of course red and in this case one would believe that the red symbolizes the heart and Zeena's heart is being broken. Also, it is not coincidence that the dish is never repaired, but remains broken.
             As Mentioned, red can symbolize the heart or blood, but it can also symbolize other things. Mattie silver is the one character in the novel who stands out. She can always be seen wearing a red scarf, ribbon, or dress. This symbolizes her happiness, individuality, and what Ethan likes most her liveliness. Unlike the cold Zeena, Mattie is a pleasure to be around and this draws new feelings from Ethan that he has not experienced.


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