The gravestones are
for Ethan’s dead family
. … Ethan has wanted to escape Starkfield his entire life, and the gravestones are mentioned many times throughout the novel as a reminder that fate is inevitable and his life was already chosen for him.
What is symbolic in Ethan Frome?
The most important use of symbolic imagery in Ethan Frome is
the winter setting
, which is first described in the prologue and is carried throughout the main story. … Winter is also symbolic of the isolation, loneliness, and immobility that Ethan experiences.
What does the Frome graveyard represent?
The Frome’s graveyard represents
death, but also Ethan’ s inability to escape Starkfield
. As Ethan passes the graveyard, he thinks about the generations of his family who lived an died on the farm, “We never got away- how should you?” (pg. 21).
Why does Ethan feel mocked by the gravestones?
Ethan’s feelings that the gravestones mock
him show his frustrated ambitions
. But his delusional belief that things will just stay as they are hints that his ambitions were thwarted at least in part by his own failure to take action.
What does Shadow Pond symbolize in Ethan Frome?
As Mattie and Ethan begin their ride, Ethan feels almost happy. He takes a route that leads them to Shadow Pond. The name “Shadow” is suggestive of the memories that Ethan and Mattie have of the spot; as well, it connotes
the inability that Mattie and Ethan have of really communicating their feelings to each other
.
Why does Ethan believe Zeena is jealous of Mattie?
He thought that someone had broken into the house. What reason does Zeena give for locking Ethan and Mattie out? … He liked the thought of he and mattie being together. At
first he was concerned about the money but then liked the idea of being alone with Mattie for an evening
.
What does Ethan lie about?
At the last minute, in order to buy more time with Mattie, Ethan lies to Zeena—he says
he needs to collect payment for the delivery of lumber from his mill
to Andrew Hale, a builder in Starkfield, and that therefore Jotham Powell, the hired man, will have to take Zeena to the train.
Zeena is seven years older than Ethan
. She married Ethan, at the age of 28 (seven years earlier), after the death of his mother.
What kind of person is Ethan Frome?
A
sensitive figure
, Ethan has a deep, almost mystical appreciation of nature, and he feels a strong connection to the youth, beauty, and vital spirit of Mattie Silver, his wife’s cousin.
What does the pickle dish symbolize in Ethan Frome essay?
The pickle-dish, Zeena’s favorite wedding present, is a symbol of Ethan
and Zeena’s marriage
. For this reason, its destruction is particularly devastating to Zeena. The red color of the dish can be interpreted as symbolizing the passion that the couple no longer share.
Why does Ethan regret lying to Zeena?
what lie does Ethan tell Zeena, why does he tell it, and why does he regret it? He told her he would be getting money from Andrew Hale so he wouldn’t have to take her to the Flats, and he
regretted because she would spend more money on medication
.
Why does Ethan marry Zeena?
Ethan married Zeena
because he was afraid of silence, just as his mother was
. The Fromes appear to suffer from a fear of loneliness, which causes them to make poor decisions.
Who finds Zeena a hired girl?
He takes her in his arms and they kiss passionately. He says he can’t and won’t let her go. Mattie is bewildered, and
Ethan
is forced to tell her that the doctor has ordered Zeena to get a hired girl, which Mattie realizes would force her to leave.
What is the irony at the end of Ethan Frome?
The most obvious examples are found within the ending of the novel. It is
great situational irony that Ethan intends to commit suicide with Mattie, but ends up merely crippling both of them
. This seems worse than death, especially considering the ironic change in Mattie’s behavior.
What happens to Mattie at the end of Ethan Frome?
Instead of finding escape in suicide, he and Mattie have
ended up in a state of living death
, in which all Mattie’s vitality has been leeched away, and she has transformed into a carbon copy of her former opposite, Zeena.
Why does Ethan say she shouldn’t sit in front?
Expert Answers
They did this because of the overwhelming fear of losing each other for good, and the prospects of life that were awaiting them- not good at all.
When Ethan agrees to the pact
, he asks her to sit behind him.
