Red:
Definition: noun
1. Any of various colors resembling the color of blood; the primary color at one extreme end of the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 610 and 780 nm.

Symbolism:
• “Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love.” (ColorWheelPro)
o Light red: represents joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity, and love.
o Dark red: is associated with vigor, willpower, rage, anger, leadership, courage, longing, malice, and wrath.
• “Red can symbolize many things; from blood, to love, to infatuation.  Basically red symbolizes strong emotions, or things of strong emotions rather than intellectual ideas.  For example, red can symbolize excitement, energy, speed, strength, danger, passion, and aggression.” (ColorWheelPro)
o According to Henry Dreyfus, it is popularly felt that red, the color of blood and fire, represents life and vitality. Red also signifies the color of the sun: a symbol of energy, radiating its vitalizing life-force into human beings. Red is also looked upon as a sensual color, and can be associated with man's most profound urges and impulses.
Within “Old Woman Magoun,” Ethan Frome, Snow White, and Jane Eyre, red plays a key role in symbolizing youth, passion, life, and contrast.
In “Old Woman Magoun”, written by Mary Wilkins Freeman, young Lily has a beautiful red cape. The cape is not only a way for Lily to keep warm, but also a symbol of her youth and the vibrant life that flows through her.
In Ethan Frome, written by Edith Wharton, Mattie Silver wears beautiful ribbons in her hair, specifically red ones, and a cherry colored scarf to keep her warm. The scarf allows for a contrast between the dreary town and life that Ethan Frome is subjected to. “He had been straining for a glimpse of the dark head under the cherry colored scarf and it vexed him that another eye should have been quicker than his” shows how much of an impact the simple red ribbons have on Ethan and how they set her apart from his wife, Zenobia (Zeena) (Wharton, p. 22). Given that red signifies vigor, joy, and love, having Mattie wearing red ribbons allow for the appearance of passion, hope, and vitality. In addition, the red in the beginning is also a contrast for the later description of Mattie, which has her looking more like Zeena.
In Snow White, written by Grimm, Snow White wears a red ribbon in her hair. As with Ethan Frome, the author uses the ribbon to reflect Snow’s innocence, life, and a temptation to men. Her step-mother sees the attraction which Snow White garners and of course is jealous of it. Again the ribbon is a contrast to the harsh description of the wicked step-mother in addition to the fact that young girls are the ones who wear ribbons in their hair, such as with Mattie, thus signifying the age of the step-mother. Also, the red attracts the eye to the face, which becomes a temptation to men, “Apples are what make the men folks mouth water” (Grimm).
Along with the ribbons, the poisonous apple that is used at the end to supposedly kill Snow White is beautiful and red. As with the ribbon, the red in the apple signifies the fresh, delicious exterior of the apple. Old apples are darker and less attractive, as with the step-mother. In addition, Snow White couldn’t help but take a bit of the apple because it looked so delicious and wonderful, “It does look delicious” (Grimm). As with the ribbons, the red offers an irresistible temptation which is hard to fight and in the end Snow White gives in. This reflects the same choice Ethan makes in Ethan Frome in that Ethan chooses the possibility of death to be with the red. In both stories, the protagonists do not die, but are forever changed by the experience.
In Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte Bronte, Jane is described as plain, “You—poor and obscure, and small and plain” (Bronte, chapter 23)To add some color to her outfit and herself, she ties a ribbon around her neck. In doing this, she is bringing added attention to herself, but also signifying her youth, femininity, and a show of passion. The event which triggers this choice is her sudden recognition of attraction of Mr. Rochester after she saves his life from the burning bed. As with Mattie in Ethan Frome and Snow White in Snow White, signifies her age and spirit in addition to the attractant for males.
Mutilation:
Definition: verb (used with object), mu•ti•lat•ed, mu•ti•lat•ing.
1. To injure, disfigure, or make imperfect by removing or irreparably damaging parts: Vandals mutilated the painting.

During the resolution of Ethan Frome and Jane Eyre, mutilation is an infliction which befalls the males within the story.
In Ethan Frome, Ethan’s mutilation is introduced at the beginning when the narrator spots him while exploring the town, “He's looked that way ever since he had his smash-up; and that's twenty-four years ago come next February… The "smash-up" it was-I gathered from the same informant-which, besides drawing the red gash across Ethan Frome's forehead, had so shortened and warped his right side that it cost him a visible effort to take the few steps from his buggy to the post-office window" (Wharton, p. 3-4). The causation on the other hand, is revealed at the end of the story when the events of Ethan and Mattie’s affair are made know. In trying to commit suicide, Ethan’s face is disfigured and his abilities are hindered. Mattie was not as disfigured by the accident, but was crippled, which made her transform from a beautiful, youthful flower into a bitter, unhappy woman. The mutilation being a reflection of the past and choices made in concerns with a romantic relationship and the consequences for such choices. The innocence ruined by the truth and bleak reality of their situation.
In Jane Eyre, Mr. Rochester is mutilated at the very end of the story. As with Ethan Frome, the disfigurement is caused by a suicide attempt. Unlike Ethan and Mattie, Edward Rochester did not try to commit suicide to be with Jane, but instead his wife lit their house on fire and dove off the roof of Thornfield Hall because of her mental instabilities. Also, unlike Ethan Frome, Mrs. Rochester was successful at killing herself and she did not commit suicide to be with Edward, but to keep him from Jane Eyre. In addition, the happy couple are freed from the oppressive wife and allowed to live their lives out together.
Also, Mr. Rochester’s afflictions are worse than Ethan’s because he is actually crippled by his just as Mattie is. “Divine justice pursued its course; disasters came thick on me: I was forced to pass through the valley of the shadow of death.” (Bronte, p. 248), describes how he believes his injuries are a punishment from God for tempting Jane into damnation with their relationship. His disfigurement includes being blind, scarred from the flames which cover his face, and his left arm is useless, “He is stone-blind," he said at last. "Yes, he is stone-blind, is Mr. Edward… a beam had fallen in such a way as to protect him partly; but one eye was knocked out, and one hand so crushed that Mr. Carter, the surgeon, had to amputate it directly. The other eye inflamed: he lost the sight of that also. He is now helpless, indeed--blind and a cripple." (Bronte, chapter 36). The mutilations make reuniting with Jane hard because he can only hear her and believes that she would not want to be with him since he is less than he used to be and when he asked, “Do you find me attractive?” (Bronte, p. blank) at the beginning she had said no, so of course having the mutilations would make him highly unappealing to Jane. He is even described ““with his broad and jetty eyebrows; his square forehead, made squarer by the horizontal sweep of his black hair. I recognised his decisive nose, more remarkable for character than beauty; his full nostrils, denoting, I thought, choler; his grim mouth, chin, and jaw—yes, all three were very grim, and no mistake. His shape, now divested of cloak, I perceived harmonised in squareness with his physiognomy” (Bronte, chapter 13). He even asked, “Am I hideous?” but instead of making the situation serious, Jane joked to make him laugh and think of past joys. So, as with Ethan Frome, the disfigurements are symbol of the past and the consequences of past choices, such as marrying Bertha, but unlike Ethan and Mattie who are forced to suffer the mutilations with Zeena, Edward and Jane are free to look past the scars and create happy new memories together. In time his eyesight came back in one eye, thus reflecting the healing over time.
Poison:
Definition: noun
1. A substance with an inherent property that tends to destroy life or impair health.

Symbolism: (Dream) Poison is a fairly obvious symbol. It rarely links to poison itself but is more connected to bitter feelings and poisoned atmospheres.

As Snow White and “Old Woman Magoun” progress, the matriarchs in the different families turn to poison. The reasons on the surface are quite different, love versus jealousy, but examining the decisions in depth, the need for control is shared by both women.
In Snow White, the evil step-mother tries multiple times to kill Snow White, poison comb, killer corset, but does not succeed. She finally creates a beautiful, red apple which she knows Snow White cannot refuse. Her plans works and Snow White is poisoned and in doing so accepts the realities of the world and shies away from her innocent past.
In “Old Woman Magoun”, the grandmother is a lot nicer than the wicked step-mother in that she does love her granddaughter. Unfortunately she also believes that there is no other way to control Lily, her granddaughter, so she allows her to eat the nightshade berries, which are deadly. Unlike Snow White, the grandmother does not intentionally make the berries as the wicked step-mother does with the apple, but she could have stopped Lily from eating them, but instead puts her to bed and waits for the end to come. Both women have the ability and opportunity to let go of their power, but choose to end a life or attempt to in the case of Snow White.