Failure In Ethan Frome :: essays research papers

The main theme of the book Ethan Frome is failure. It is shown in three ways throughout the story Ethans marriage, him not creation able to stand up to Zeena, and his inter-group communication in the "smash up".Ethan marries Zeena so he wont be simply after his mother dies. She seemed like a actually cheerful, vivacious soulfulness while his mother was sick. After their marriage all this changed. She became a very nagging, sick wife. Because of Zeenas "complications" they had to hire someone to help around the house. Mattie, Zeenas cousin, needed a place to live and seemed fit for the job. She moved in and Ethan took and immediate desire to her. He found someone that cared for him, was always happy, and could share his youth. All of which, Zeena was incompetent of doing. Ethan longed to be with Mattie, but he was loyal to Zeena. Being married to Zeena was Ethans prototypical failure.Ethans second failure was not standing up to Zeena. She claimed the doctor ut ter that she was extremely sick and needed more help around the house. She told him without some(prenominal) discussion that Mattie had to go. Ethan could not find the words to make her alter her decision. Zeena withal decided that Mattie had to leave the next day. It was stated in the book that Zeena had the velocity hand in the house by the line "Now she Zeena had know him Ethan and he obeyed her." Ethan could not find the right things to say, and it was because of his failure of not being able to stand up to his wife that he was going to abide the only thing that made him happy.Ethans last failure was the way he modified his and Matties lives regarding the "smash up". He wanted to run away with Mattie, but he could not because his practical sense told him it was not workable to do so. Mattie wanted so desperately to be with Ethan that she suggested in ordinate to stay together forever, to die together. It was Ethans job to steer into the tree with the sled so that it looked like an accidental death.