In the novel "Ethan Frome", written by Edith Wharton, there are many symbols used to represent other things. There are three symbols that she uses to represent the relationship between Ethan and his wife Zeena. Ethan and Zeena are married, but are not happy together. Ethan feels the need to stay with her because he felt he owed her something for helping him care for his sick parents, and Zeena needs Ethan to support her and her medical expenses. The pickle dish, the glue, and the cushion are three symbols that are used to symbolize their crippled marriage/relationship.
             Zeena had received a red pickle dish on the day that she and Ethan were married. She had never really used it, so on the day that she was gone to see a doctor Mattie took it down for her and Ethan's dinner. During dinner the cat backed into it and the dish shattered on the floor. The reason that this scene in the book is important is because the dish represents Zeena and Ethan's marriage. All the years before Mattie had come to the house it was kept together in one piece but never really given any attention, but when Mattie came into the house it was taken down and broken. This symbolizes that Mattie has destroyed Ethan's and Zeena's marriage, and that it can never be put back together again.
             The glue that Ethan claims will fix the pickle dish symbolizes that Ethan needs something outside of the marriage to make it work. The glue is a symbol of Mattie; Ethan needs her to keep the marriage between him and Zeena functional. Ethan said that he was going to glue the dish and then went out to find the glue but the store was out, this is a hint that Zeena will find the dish. The fact that Zeena did find the pickle dish broken and unglued is a symbol of her finding out that their marriage will never get better and never work.
             The cushion that is used in the story is used to represent Zeena's presence in the house when she really is no...