Contrast of Zeena and Mattie in “Ethan Frome” Essay

more or less decisions have an everlasting effect on ones life. Ethan Frome, the protagonist in Edith Whartons Ethan Frome, is tormented by his fanatical love for Mattie Silver, but is morally pinion to Zeena by the sacred bonds of conjugal union. After eld of harsh life with his wife in the dreary town of Starke field of force, Ethan vexs to believe that his great chance at a bright life is with Mattie Silver, a cousin of Zeena, who has come to live with him. However, in the end Matties other side, one which is extraordinarily exchange commensurate to Zeenas attitude, comes to light, later a forestall suicide attempt. In Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton reads an ironic rumormonger on the choices present in an destitute world by presenting tell aparting images to bring up Zeena Frome and Mattie Silver, yet withal presenting details which make them seem a alike.Wharton suggests that Matties cheerful attitude, her plucky activity, and her readiness to inspire cartel in E than, prompts him to believe that Mattie could bring him bliss. One of the reasons wherefore Ethan thinks that Mattie could turn his life around was because she unremarkably everywhereflowed with cheerfulness and energy. Ethan is often fascinated by her gaiety , which to him, was a plain trial impression of indifference. Her cheerful image contrasts sharply with that of Zeena who is ungenerous and melancholy, and brings some cheer into his otherwise obtuse life. Mattie a enlighten exhibits her ability to spread lovingness while she learns her theater duties. When Ethan sees her performing her household duties awkwardly, he bursts come out of the closet express mirth, and, to his surprise, Mattie in like manner bursts out laughing and this made them better friends. This misadventure baffles Ethan who assumed that a woman would flower with embarrassment instead of laughing it outside and charms him so that the idea comes to be embed into him that Mattie would bring him a keen life. Mattie brings him farther happiness by s call for earshot to him especially when he talks of subjects exclusively new to her.When he talked active stars on their way back from the dance, Ethan and Mattie stood entranced and gazed at the starry sky. Talking to Mattie of such subjects gives Ethan a considerable amount of pleasure because he could impart his knowledge to an eager, cheerful and approximately ignorant listener. Matties colorfulness and liveliness also helps Ethan to fall in love with her and establish his conviction that she could bring happiness into his life.Matties colorfulness and liveliness is seen in the church where Mattie is dancing. Ethan, who is sightedness through the window, is entranced by her pretty figure as she danced, and when scarf flew turned her head and stood out behind her shouldersrevealing her laughing panting lips. By righteous feel at her dance, Ethan seems to share the joy that Mattie feels as she dances. Her liveliness also differs with that of Zeena who is something of a cold, egoistical intr everywheret and seldom goes outside for the disquietude of her health. Another scene in which Matties liveliness captivates Ethan is when they are alone in the living board while Zeena was in Bettsbridge. epoch Ethan was talking to Mattie, she changes her countenance oft like a wheat field under a summer breeze. Ethan takes a secret pleasure in see how Mattie reacts to his remarks especially when they talk about compassion Varnum and Ned Hales upcoming marriage and is overjoyed to see Mattie blush when he recounts what he saw Ruth and Ned do. to that extent another scene in which Matties activity streng thuslys his belief is when Mattie intertwines by the fireplace. As she knits, he watches in admiration as her fingers fly like a geminate of birds making short perpendicular flights over their nest. This encourages his notion because she seems to be able to knit like his mother could in the happy days bef ore the illness had taken her. He also shows his appreciation of her abilities by kissing the stuff she made.Matties ability to inspire confidence in Ethan also slip aways him to believe that Mattie could guide him to a happier life. Matties ability to inspire Ethans confidence is clearly shown when they are walking photographic plate from the dance. While walking home he talks to her about the Orion, Aldebaran, and the Pleiades. Mattie listens to Ethan eagerly, leading him to esteem how his dull talk could interest a carefree person who cared little about stars. Mattie also inspires confidence in Ethan when the purge breaks the pickle cater. Shocked and terrified she raises her eye to him for a solution and his courage was up.He is able to free her mind of the overturned stunner and able to mend it copious so that it would look unbroken until he could obtain some glue to lot it. Matties ability again inspires Ethan to gain self-confidence when Zeena orders Jotham Po saluta ry to take Mattie to the railway station. He gains self-confidence by looking at Matties stricken looking and responds by insisting to Zeena that he would take Mattie over to the railway station. This incident in which Ethan was able to muster enough self-confidence to couple Zeena shows how Mattie is able to directly or indirectly to encourage Ethan to have confidence in himself, thus corroborating his idea that he and Mattie could lead a happy life.Despite Matties untiring gaiety, Wharton includes scenes in which she is closely link up to Zeena to imply that Ethans choice is nought but an illusion. One of such scenes in which Mattie closely resembles Zeena is when she prepares the table when Zeena is in Bettsbridge. While she prepares the table, she uses the pickle dish which Zeena never meant for it to be used. Mattie shamelessly using the pickle dish strongly resembles the character of Zeena because like her, Mattie uses the dish secretly and with deception, a quality of Zeen as which Ethan abhors. Mattie again shows strong analogy to Zeena when she and Ethan tantalize down in the living room to pass time.When she sits down to sew in Zeenas chair, Ethan sees in Matties face the face of the superseded woman who was then at Bettsbridge. This shows that Ethans choice is an illusion since Zeena haunts him correct when she is not present and disproves the idea that Ethan would be happy with Mattie because even then Zeenas face would haunt him. The character of Mattie after the coasting accident rudely reveals to Ethan that he had never had any choices all along. When he takes the cashier into his house, the narrator faces two women who look sickly Zeena looks old, and gray withpale opaque eye while Mattie looks bloodless and her eyes have a witch like stare. The narrator also reveals that Matties voice sounds querulous like Zeenas voice. This shows how Mattie and Zeena are similar and the dependency of both the invalids on Ethancontrary to the dreams of Ethan in which he and Mattie would have been free.Wharton depicts the sharp contrast between the morose Zeena and the gay Mattie to imply that Ethans choice is obvious. However, Wharton includes scenes that show the resemblance of Mattie to Zeena to warn the unsuspecting Ethan that Mattie has another personality, which is just as bad as that of Zeena. In the end, Ethan realizes that Mattie had just been a wolf in a sheeps clothing and that from then on he had to carry pack to care for 2 invalids as well as himself.