Throughout Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome a lot of conflicts and struggles occur. Edith Wharton presents the story of Ethan Frome using language and symbols that address the moral dilemma that Ethan Frome encounters. First of all, the author depicts Ethan's moral struggle using repeated images throughout the story. Secondly, she reveals different character's feelings and conflicts using symbolism. Lastly, the reader gets a good idea of the emotional struggle that Ethan and Mattie are going through when compared to Ruth and Ned Hale. Edith Wharton definitely uses many symbols and images to "emphasize problems which are basic to the central action"(Shuman 90).
             The many repeated images within this novel allow the reader to better understand the struggles and emotions the characters experience. The pickle dish represents one example of an image used repeatedly in the novel. Mattie uses the pickle dish during the dinner she and Ethan share alone, while Ethan's wife, Zeena, travels to the doctor. However, Zeena has never used the dish because it has sentimental value to her and was given to her as a wedding gift. The pickle dish represents the relationship between him and Zeena. As soon as Mattie gets a hold of the pickle dish and brings it out, it gets broken. As soon as Mattie came to live in the house, Ethan's relationship with Zeena weakened. Also, Ethan forgot about the pickle dish as he did about his relationship with his wife, which he also tries to keep hidden away. As the dinner progresses the pickle dish gets use again. The cat "tried to effect an unnoticed retreat, and in doing so backed into the pickle-dish, which fell to the floor with a crash" (61). The relationship is broken; taking care of Zeena has tired Ethan out and he despises her constant complaining. Also, the fact that Ethan does not seem to care about her anymore really makes her angry. Later on in the nove...