Color Imagery in Ethan Frome

Color plays an important part in the novel Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. There are many examples where you can tell by the imagery what mood the author is trying to convey. One example is in the first chapter when Ethan knows to look for Mattie by searching for her red scarf (Wharton 14). The color is cheery and vibrant, characteristics that embody Mattie. Also, in Chapter 2, Mattie’s cheeks are very red, unlike the dismal-looking …

…is] meant to marry” (Wharton 66). This is the first time that they acknowledge their love for one another and their desire to be with one another. As they drive away in silence, the sun sinks behind the hills and the landscape turns from a deep red to grey. That Mattie is always associated with the color red shows that she is a fiery, bubbly, and emotional person, unlike Zeena, who is usually dreary and dull.