Symbolism is defined in Webster's Dictionary as a representation of a concept through symbols or underlying meanings of objects or qualities, sometimes abstract, other times more literal. Often in literature an author or poet employs the concept and use of symbolism where an object is used to refer to something else in order to create emphasis or convey a point without throwing it in the reader's face. It is a person's individual perception or belief system that leads them to the true meaning of a specific symbol as it applies to their life. Sometimes an entire work is an extended metaphor for an idea the author is trying to convey, as in Animal Farm. However, the importance of this literary device is undisputed, in any work. Writers insert symbols into their writing to allude to a feeling, mood, attitude, or ideology, without directly stating the intended perspective or mood. The authors of Ethan Frome and The House of Spirits use symbolism to convey both emotions such as anxiety and foreboding, as well as other things such as ideas about what a woman should be like, morality, and representations of revolutionary ideology. In Ethan Frome, the speaker Ethan himself is presented as a sort of tragic hero who lives with a love he will never have. His life is surrounded by a grayness that he has no power to change because of his obligations, first to his parents, then to his wife, then to Mattie. The whole story is about a man who for once never chased his dreams or indulged his passions, nothing in his life goes as it should. Everything in Ethan's life, from the weather, to the people around him, to Ethan's personal responsibilities and his surprising lack of drive, stops him from achieving his dreams. I have...... middle of paper ......es that connected the living quarters so that people could communicate during the siesta." (Allende 53) These changes are made according to Clara's inspiration and instructions that he receives from the spiritual world. And although these changes can often seem chaotic, they create a world of peace and "complete freedom" for the female characters in the novel. Both Isabel Allende and Edith Wharton use symbolism to convey subtle ideas about the mentality of the protagonists . characters and also the issues that influence them greatly. Without the use of symbolism, much of the meaning would be completely lost to the reader, the author's use of symbolism added a new dimension to the reader's thought process continues these novels. The motifs of rebirth, death and repression were expressed through the symbolic acts of the characters in both novels.