Ethan Frome Character Analysis Essay

Once he was introduced to Mattie, he was happier. It was almost like he got a sense of adrenaline from the situation. Ethan just made everthing worse. Zeena came back from her trip basically planning to get rid of Mattie. Ethan and Mattie didn’t realize that. But seeming that “Nobody can tell with Zeena” (Wharton 82) makes it excusable. Zeena soon found the broken pickle dish and she was heated. “You wanted to make the supper-table pretty. . . and you waited till my back was turned. . .” (Wharton 111). Ethan tried his best to argue against Zeena but it didn’t work. Because of Ethan, Mattie was being sent away. Ethan couldn’t fight against Zeena and he knew that if he left Zeena, he would have to deal with a quicker downfall of himself. “...he was a poor man, the husband of a sickly woman” (Wharton 142). That’s all Ethan was because he chose to marry Zeena. He got himself stuck in a permanent situation. Instead of moving, he agreed to take Mattie but on the way they decided to symbolize their love for each other. They atteempted suicide together but this did not work. Ethan and Mattie ended up together. But, they ended up with Zeena taking care of them. Mrs. Hale describes it as being “. . . pretty bad, seeing all three of them there together” Wharton 154). Ethan’s actions caused him to live the rest of his life dreadfully when he might as well have been

Ethan realizes that Mattie has to live her own life and find happiness. He feels that Zeena is being manipulative towards him and Mattie.

So, it can be seen that Zeena and Mattie do have common feelings for Ethan Frome. She probably has resentment and dislike for Ethan From and even herself since it was her idea to crash the sleigh into the oak tree. Also, since her youthfulness was cut short because of an accident and there was no everlasting love that followed it.

Although the two have a rare and precious day together without Zeena nothing happens because of Ethan’s moral values. His moral values is what keeps him isolated from Mattie and the happiness their relationship could provide “The cat who had been a puzzled observer of these unusual movements, jumped up into Zeena’s chair, rolled itself into a ball, and lay watching them with narrowed

Ethan has such a moral dilemma because Zeena and Mattie are so incredibly different. He struggles with which personality and character traits he likes better. Zeena has been by Ethan's side since his mother was ill and he respects her

Ethan marries Zeena and falls in love with Mattie as a direct response to his neediness for care and company. As well, Ethan also finds it a necessity to be accepted by Starkfield, which compels him to live with Zeena and finally stops him from escaping with Mattie. Ethan’s desire for love and acceptance could have been the outcome of a neglected childhood. He had been caring for his parents from a young age, as Harmon Gow tells the narrator, “Sickness and trouble: that’s what Ethan’s had his plate full up with, ever since the very first helping”(6). Ethan spent most of his life caring for others and possibly lacked love from his own sick parents, which may be the reason for his neediness for society to be both proud of him and others to give him the care, which he had to give up from an early age, taking care of his parents. As many studies show, the young need love and affection in order to help with their self-esteem and it is a vital aspect of one’s mental health. Seeing the outcome of Ethan, a lack of care for the young, may cause detrimental effects on ones life as he or she grows

Mattie Silver's arrival at the Frome household is everything Ethan needs.  His lack of assertiveness has led to his deep hatred of his wife and his life.  He soon falls in love with young Mattie and when Zeena decides it's time for her to go, Ethan hesitates to stand up for himself and Mattie.  When he is forced to take her away, he tells Mattie about a story similar to theirs(Wharton, 56); he offers the chance for them to run away together, but Mattie declines.  If Ethan had only made the decision for them, or stood up to Zeena, his life would be much better off.

Ethan meets Zeena when she serves as a nurse to his dying mother. Though he does not know her very well, Ethan decides to propose to her, out of the fear of loneliness and desperation, caused by the effects of an undesired life in Starkfield. At first, Zeena and Ethan seem happy, but eventually, Zeena develops into a harsh woman. Ethan does nothing but complain about her. She does not want to move to the city, since she has no hope of being the center-of-attention there. So, Ethan has no choice, but to stay in Starkfield and make a living off of the mostly fruitless farm. In addidtion, whenever Ethan is around Mattie, the setting (weather) is “clear as a crystal.”(Wharton 49). Whenever he is around Zeena, it is nasty and stormy.

Zeena appears to use her illness as a way to manipulate others to do things. Ethan usually does things to please Zeena. He is taking care of her and feels as if he cannot run off and abandon her. Zeena is controlling over Ethan and wants him to do whatever she pleases. She went away to see another doctor to get a second opinion on her illness and used Ethan’s money to pay for the treatment that she was prescribed even though she knew she wouldn’t be able to do the treatment. As the relationship between Ethan and Zeena becomes worse, Zeena is able to sense the relationship between Ethan and Zeena and becomes

Mattie and Ethan never follow their love due to Ethan's morals and the respect he has for his marriage to Zeena. He wants Zeena to be well and he takes care of her when she is ill. Frome’s feelings for Mattie never oscillate and he wants to be with this woman who is not his wife. Even though Ethan only had one night with Mattie alone, he cannot help but think of what he has done as he sits in the kitchen. Mattie presents minority, beauty, and good health- all of which Zeena does not possess. It seems he favors the more hip, young, and beautiful women than dull, boring, and unattractive women.

Another ironic element of the sledding ride is the appearance of Zeena’s face, Ethan’s wife, during the scene. Ethan and Mattie are speeding down the hill towards the elm to what they believe will be their deaths. In one of the last instants before they reach the tree, Zeena’s face appears to Ethan. “But suddenly his wife’s face, with twisted monstrous lineaments, thrust itself between him and his goal, and he made an instinctive movement to brush it aside”. Ethan seems not to have thought about the effects his death would have on his wife, but this sudden image of his wife suggests that he feels guilty. It is ironic that he uses phrases such as “sullen self-absorption” and “evil energy” to describe his wife. Yet, she is the last person he imagines before he reaches the elm. This moment is one last time that he must brush her aside, as he attempts to break free from Zeena forever.

Ethan, while possessing a shy and reserved demeanor, is likely more intelligent than most would assume of a poor farmer from the countryside. The narrator offers Ethan a scientific journal, and he accepts with a polite “Thank you-I’ll take it”(6). This adds another dimension to Frome’s character, adding to his quiet, pensive, and conspicuously intelligent personality. His reserved intelligence also manifests itself in his manipulation of Mattie, casually implying that she would “‘have found me right off if you hadn't gone back to have that last reel with Denis,’ he brought out awkwardly”(16). Ethan resorts to this kind of manipulation to find out how Mattie really feels about him. His plan is to

This information the narrator gives makes me think that later in the story and through Ethan Frome is going to perpetually attempt to demonstrate his love to Mattie Silver, as well try to make her like him. Furthermore, as a result of Ethan’s strong obsession to be with Mattie, I can elicit that Ethan is going to incorrectly assume and interpret Mattie gestures, due to his obsession and will not be thinking clearly about her actions. Which, is evident in the passage being he took incorrect ideas into his brain, by seeing Mattie with Denis Eady.

Ethan Frome meets Zeena because his mother is sick, so she has a relative look after her. Eventually, Zeena becomes sick and has a relative of her own watch over her and care for her. Ethan suffers in silence while staying with his wife because although he wants to leave, he cannot due to her health.

Although Frome can be held responsible for his moral inactivity, he can be considered a morally inadequate man in his present state. His inadequacy, however, was not a constant in life or a sudden occurrence-- it snowballed from his youth and finally solidified through the ‘smash-up’. His earlier experiences in a university and the joy it brought him was quickly interrupted after a year by his sickly parents. The unfortunate circumstance forces Ethan Frome to move back to the depressing Starkfield he had just escaped. His parents’ illnesses bring along Zenobia, who would be another future, unseen oppression along with Starkfield. For years, Ethan lives in depressing conditions that decline as time goes on. The chance to finally leave them behind, however, comes in Mattie, Zenobia’s cousin and maid. Ethan’s inability to act on this chance of escape finally seals his fate when Mattie is paralyzed and he is critically injured. Although jinxed with unfortunate circumstances, Ethan Frome’s life could have been bettered if one small step or action was taken by him for himself with the intention to create personal joy or pleasure.