’s uninviting hairstyle, Mattie’s hair had a soft and silky quality to it. Mattie seemed to walk about the house with a halo of light surrounding her, almost like an angel. The conflicting hairstyles of the two women represented an overall difference in personalities. Mattie was a feminine young girl, while Zeena was an old hag who made no attempt to better her appearance.In addition to appearance, the two women have extremely different relationships with Ethan. In order to portray each woman’s relationship with Ethan, the author uses the motif of silence. Ethan and Zenobia lived in an uncomfortable quiet. After marrying Ethan Zeena had deteriorated into a stoic state of wordlessness. She and Ethan rarely communicated and life around the house was extremely lonesome. Even in their bedroom, Ethan and Zeena seldom communicated; ”He and Zeena had not exchanged a word … She… had lain down with her face turned away. Ethan hurriedly blew out the light so that he should not see her when he took his place at her side (pg. 41).” Even in their bedroom Ethan and Zeena did not interact with each other.When Mattie entered Ethan’s life, she was a person to talk to; a person who would listen. Mattie was Ethan’s only connection to the outside world, and in some ways Ethan’s only hope for sanity. She was an outlet for Ethan to pour all of his emotions and fantasies into. She was his only salvation – his only hope for a joyful life. As time went on Ethan became more, and more attracted to Mattie because of the sharp contrast between her and Zeena; the only two women he saw daily. Even when Ethan and Mattie shared silence it was not the stoic silence Ethan and Zeena shared. As Ethan was about to see Mattie off, “Deep silence had fallen with the starless dark” (pg. 118). The silence shared by Ethan and Mattie was extremely tranquil. They were delighted to be together, and their ...
