Ethan Frome, a Contrast of Ironies
By Matthew Cox


Author Edith Wharton writes the story Ethan Frome to explore the relationships between a family in Starkville, Massachusetts. Teachers often times use the tale to teach critical thinking skills to high school students. It deals with ethical issues, choices, social pressures, and the like. The story deals with the relationship that the title character has with his wife Zeena and cousin Mattie. Both Ethan and Mattie love each other. Also, they try to take care Zeena who is very difficult. Each woman does not get along. Although Ethan tried to get away from their quarreling, he does not have the money to move. After getting very upset with the way Zeena treats them, Ethan and Mattie try to kill themselves by sledding into an elm tree. They end up crippled with Zeena taking care of them. Literary critics attach various kinds of significance to the story. These reflect the experiences that Wharton had in life. Edith Wharton uses conflict to explore family relationships in her story Ethan Frome.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is an easy book for high schoolers to read. It is short and east for teenagers to identify with and concentrate on. Young people can identify with the moral choices and identity conflict of Ethan. Also, students could understand what it is like to be pulled in different directions by friends and family. Lessons from this book also deal with people taking responsibility for themselves. Other issues in Ethan Frome also deal with suicide, love, social relationships, and the like. Today’s teenager should connect such ideas with ones that happen today. Most teachers say that the book is good about teaching critical thinking and multisensory lessons.

The Prologue introduces the story from an omniscient narrator’s point of view. He never tells us our name, but says that he is an engineer. Our speaker is sent to a job in Massachusetts and is detained in Starkfield. The narrator asks the towns people how he is deformed by his accident and is twisted to one side. However the main character’s landlady Mrs. Hale and the stagecoach driver, Herman Gow. He is also known as the oracle. Mrs. Hale volunteers some information about Ethan’s early life. Gow also tells the narrator that Frome has a tragic past, but does not go into a lot of detail. The title character agrees to take the speaker to his new job. During the ride, both men get to know each other a little better. Both men get into snowstorm and the narrator is able to figure out the background of his travelling companion.

The first chapter introduces Ethan as a young man who takes classes at a technical college and is interested in physics. He stops when his father dies and the family loses money. The protagonist goes to pick up his wife’s cousin, Mattie Silver, from a church dance. His village is buried under two feet of snow. Before arrive at the church, he pauses for a moment to look at a big hill behind the church, a good place for sledding. This foreshadows a tragedy in Chapter 9. Readers learn that Mattie in an orphan who lives with the Fromes to help Ethan’s wife, Zenobia, who is an invalid. Both Ethan and Mattie share communion to make Zeena jealous. The cousin is sensitive and lazy. Plus, she does not live housework. Mrs. Frome implies that she can replace her cousin with someone who can do the housework. Mattie dances with many partners. Ethan remembers his wife’s threats and feels uneasy.

In chapter two, Both Ethan and Mattie walk home past the big elm at the bottom of the hill. They talk about two engaged friends, Ned Hale and Ruth Varnum. Mattie mentions how both of her friends almost ran into the tree while coasting. This is more foreshadowing. Mr. Frome implies that Mattie gets married and leaves his house. His cousin rejects the idea. While they walk past the family cemetery, Ethan has a vision of possibly living forever with Mattie and having her beside him when they are dead. This vision is interrupted by Zeena who is standing at the front door. She does not hide the house key in its usual place. Mrs. Frome gives the couple a harsh stare. It seems to accuse them of improper behavior. Also, this part contrasts Zeena’s ugliness and unhappiness with Mattie’ beauty.

Chapter three starts with Ethan remembering how ill Mattie looks when she moved to Starkfield. Now, the cousin is healthier and stronger. When Miss Silver is twenty, her father dies and leaves the family bankrupt. She does not have many work skills. Zeena plans to talk with the doctor in Bettsbridge. Ethan does not like this because he knows that it will be costly. He knows that the long trip will be expensive. Besides, the main character does not want to endure a long trip with his unpleasant wife. To avoid making the journey, Mr. Frome lies about picking up lumber he ordered. However, he will regret this later.

The fourth chapter concerns Ethan and Mattie alone together. Mr. Frome feels happy with Zeena gone. He reveals more about his past. Than is social and enjoys college studies. After returning to Starkfield to take care of his farm and mother, he becomes more serious and withdrawn. The mother is a talker in the past, but withdraws after becoming sick. Now, the silence is so overwhelming, that Zeena’s chatter his loneliness unbearable. After his mother dies, Mr. Frome marries his wife with plans to leave Starkfield. He wants to try his luck in a larger place. Zeena does not like the town but does not want to move to a place where nobody knows her. After year in the marriage, the wife becomes withdrawn and a hypochondriac.

Although Ethan enjoys his evening with Mattie in chapter five, he worries about Zenobia. The cousin serves a snack of pickles on Mrs. Frome’s best glass dishes and the cat accidentally breaks it. Both Ethan and Mattie are upset. He orders his cousin not to cry. This command gives him a feeling of superiority that he has not felt in years. After calming down, both people talk about Ned’s and Ruth’s engagement. Ethan worries that Mattie will get married soon and leave. Miss Silver is curious about Zeena’s negative attitude towards her. Both cousins do not want to discuss this topic . The fire in the fireplace symbolizes the unspoken and unfulfilled desires.

Chapter six starts with Ethan hoping wondering about what life in Zeena’s view is like. Unfortunately, the day has problems. When the main character finds glue to repair the broken dish, Zeena comes home and finds out what happens. Upset she goes into her room for the rest of the day. Jonathan Powell, the hired man who drives her back from the station refuses food that Etna offers to him. This hints that something ominous will happen.

Zeena’s medical report in chapter seven says that she has complications that prevent her from doing heavy work around the house. She hires another girl to help with the chores. Mr. Frome is horrified with both the extra expense and thinking about losing Mattie. He shouts at Zeena and accuses her poor health on taking care of his mother. When Mrs. Frome says that the cousin must leave to make room for the other girl, Ethan’s depression turns into hatred for his wife. Later at supper, the protagonist breaks the news to his cousin. He kisses her and promises never to kick her out. Zeena interrupts them and talks about her own health issues to make them upset. This chapter ends when the wife argues with Ethan and Mattie over the broken pickle dish. Mrs. Frome uses it as proof that Miss Siler is incompetent and dishonest.

Ethan goes into his cold study to think of a plan to get rid of Zenobia. Acting without thinking, he plans to move west with Mattie. He writes a letter to Zeena stating that he will leave her the farm and mill. However, the protagonist realizes that he does not have the money. Exhausted, he calls asleep and dismisses his false hopes. Jonathan Powell tells Ethan that Zeena kicked Mattie out and told her to take the 6:00 train. Mr. Frome goes to Andrew Hale and planning to ask him for money. On the way, he meets Mrs. Hale who sympathizes with him. This helps Ethan to realize that he want to take advantage of their kindness. Seeing that this is wrong, the protagonist still feels responsible for taking care of his wife. This is stronger than wanting to help Mattie. Reluctantly, Ethan goes back to the farm.

The climax in chapter nine explains the events in the earlier part of the book. Mr. Frome demands that he takes Mattie to the train station although Zeena tells him to stay home. Both cousins take a detour around Shadow Pond. They think about the happy moments that they share. Also, Ethan and Mattie regret that the circumstances did not permit to care for each other. Each relative feels overwhelmed with sadness. They plan to commit suicide by sledding down the hill and hitting the elm tree. However, they miss the tree and survive the crash terrible injured. The first person narrative ends.

When the narrator enters the house, he sees two unpleasant looking women in a sparsely furnished room. Ethan introduces them as his wife and cousin. After the accident, Zeena and Mattie put their differences aside. With tragic irony, Zenobia has been caring for both Mattie and Ethan for over twenty years. Mrs. Hale says that it is her opinion that Ethan may have escaped his problems if Mattie died. He is defenseless and stuck between women who do not get along. His land lady also compares the Frome home life to the people buried in the family cemetery. The only difference is that the graveyard is quiet.

Many literary experts look for significance in Ethan Frome. For example, Elizabeth Ammons indicates that the novel shows her evaluations of romantic love, marriage, divorce, and motherhood in her own experiences. Wendy Gimble says that such novels are journeys of self realization and identity. Susan Goodman finds that the characters find independence in unusual ways. David Holbrook says that Wharton depicts Ethan as an unsatisfactory male. Such negative attitudes towards men come from the abuse that Edith suffered caused by her father. Candace Waid says that Edith uses her stories to explore women’s place in society. Carol Wershoven says that characters including Zeena are examples of intrusive women common to Wharton’s work. Another theme that the writer deals with is her own identification with women outside of the social boundaries in early 20th Century America. Most literary experts agree that the writer explores the relationships between individual choices, family pressures, and society’s expectations. Such critics say that these themes reflect Edith Wharton’s own need for impulse control.
Edith Wharton uses conflict to explore family relationships in her story Ethan Frome.

Many educators use the work to teach high school students about cause and effect. Ethan Frome has material on ethical choices, family relations, and how people interact to each other. The story takes place during the winter in Starkville, Massachusetts. It involves the interactions between Frome, Zeena, Mattie, and a few other characters. Although Ethan and Mattie love each other, Zeena tried to get in the way. Ironically, both are trying to take care of Mrs. Frome. However, both women are at odds. Ethan wants to leave with Mattie but does not have the resources. The cousins do not like the way that Zeena act towards them. They try to commit suicide by running their sled into an elm tree. Both of them survive and are deformed. Zeena takes care of them for twenty years. Literary critics see different view point in the work based on their and Wharton’s life experiences.
















Works Cited


Asya, Ferda. “Edith Wharton's Dream of Incest: Ethan Frome.” Questia. 2008. 23
March 2008.
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Bell, Wendy. “A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of Edith Wharton’s
Ethan Frome.” Penguingroup.com 2008. 23 March 2008.
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pdf/teachersguides/ethanfrome.pdf