The Importance Of Relationships In Wharton's Ethan Frome

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There is a strong relationship between Mattie and Ethan Frome in the novel Ethan Frome, and it helps the author to convey a lesson about life. Whereas most relationships between two people that love each other are often helpful and bring out the good in not only the people in the relationship but in others around them this one did not. The main reason for this being because Ethan was married to Zeena, but he did not love her anymore. In the novel Ethan and Mattie’s relationship cause harm to themselves, and to Zeena. The author was trying to get the reader to realize that when people are in love they tend to make decisions based on pure emotion without taking a step back to analyze the situation. You see this plain as day at the conclusion of the novel as instead of moving out of the house like Mattie was supposed to, she not only convinced Ethan to come with her but she convinced him to attempt to commit suicide with her. Shortly afterwards though you find out that the attempt failed and now they must live …show more content…
He never actually elopes with Mattie because if he did then it would not be as irrational of a decision. Because Ethan was married to Zeena and did not love her the way that he loved Mattie, he would almost work up the courage to do elope with Mattie and then something or someone would convince him or say something that would help him nullify his feelings and begin to feel remorseful for even beginning to think that way. The relationship between him and Mattie almost forced him to abandon his wife and do the unmoral thing to do and run away and start a new life. Had it not been for some little reminders that were always presented to Ethan whether it be someone he knew complimenting him because he had so much patience with his sick wife or the financial aspect of eloping and basically running away with nothing but the clothes on his
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