Ethan went to town looking for glue to fix the plate, just as he was looking for Mattie as a temporary solution to his failed marriage. Mattie's desire to decorate the table for a nice dinner frustrates Zeena because of the meaning behind the dish: it was a wedding gift that is now being used in an adulterous relationship. Ethan is quick to defend Mattie for being accused of breaking the plate, but has no sympathy for Zeena. The memories that are brought back by the shattered plate evoke tears and pain, but Mattie and Ethan ignore Zeena's suffering. While the fragments of the glass pickle resemble pure carelessness, they are also reminiscent of a relationship so broken that not even glue can mend the fragments of their relationship.