Ethan Frome is a novel written by Edith Wharton in 1911. Ethan is caught between love and morality as he is married but is in love with another woman. He is being treated horribly by his wife Zeena, and sees her cousin and caretaker Mattie as his only chance at love. The broken pickle dish, the cat, and the sled all symbolize the war Ethan was facing between love and responsibility.
The broken pickle dish represents the shattered state of Ethan and Zeena's marriage. The dish is their marriage, and the cat in this case is Mattie, who shatters it. When the cat breaks the dish, Mattie becomes worried because she knows she is not supposed to use it, just like how she isn't supposed to love Ethan. Zeena and Ethan’s marriage crumbled a long time
The broken pickle dish represents the shattered state of Ethan and Zeena's marriage. The dish is their marriage, and the cat in this case is Mattie, who shatters it. When the cat breaks the dish, Mattie becomes worried because she knows she is not supposed to use it, just like how she isn't supposed to love Ethan. Zeena and Ethan’s marriage crumbled a long time