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Motifs and Symbols of Ethan Frome
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Motifs and Symbols of Ethan Frome
Motifs
- The color red
- illness and disfigurement
- weather
Weather
In Ethan Frome, the weather, specifically the cold, recurringly has a direct effect on the characters.
Red
Throughout the novella, the color red is often associated with the warmth and passion brought with Mattie Silver. This is seen with the red scarf, the red ribbon, and the constant appearance with red around her.
Cat and Elm Tree
Disfigurement and Illness
Cat: Symbolizes Zeena's presence in the house when she is away.
Elm Tree: Symbolizes his fate.
Mattie and Ethan's smash-up, his mother and wife's illness, and his father's accident are all examples of this motif.
Symbols
- Pickle Dish
- Cat
- Elm Tree
Definitions
Definition of Symbol
Red Pickle Dish
A thing that represents or stands for something else especially a material object representing something abstract.
Definition of Motif
a distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition.
Symbolized the disintegration of their marriage. Their marriage has become "fractured."