Themes

=Introduction- Chapter 1 = -"Marriage is a perpetual comedy bound to fail." "Zeena herself, from an oppressive reality, had faded into an insubstantial shade." (Pg.26) This theme is proven in this passage when it is revealed that Ethan Frome is attracted to his wife's cousin more than his own wife. He regrets marrying his wife so young because he is not even attracted to her now.

-"Society and a person's inner nature are always at war." "All his life was lived in the sight and sound of Mattie Silver, and he could no longer conceive of its being otherwise. But now, as he stood outside the church and saw Mattie spinning down the floor with Denis Eady, a throng of disregarded hints and menaces wove their cloud about his brain." (Pg.26) This is reasoning for Ethan Frome's feelings toward his wife's cousin. It is frowned upon to cheat on your wife with her cousin, so even though he has strong feelings for her, he cannot act on them.

=Chapter 2- Chapter 3 = "Without love, death often appears to be the only alternative to life." "'I knew Zeena wasn't feeling any too good to-day.'" "'Oh, she's in bed long ago,'" (pg. 29). "'I've got my shooting pains so bad that I'm going over to Bettsbridge... and see that new doctor,'" (pg. 38).
 * chapter 2 **
 * chapter 3 **

In this section, it is evident that Ethan has a liking for Mattie by the way he looks at and thinks about her, and as Ethan is picking up Mattie from a dance, Mattie tells Ethan that Zeena wasn't feeling good. This shows that without love, death often appears to be the only alternative to life. As Ethan and Zeena, are growing apart and falling out of love, Zeena becomes increasingly ill even to the point where she has to visit another doctor in chapter 3. It is clear that Ethan and Zeena no longer love each other as Ethan and Mattie develop an obvious love for each other and as soon as Ethan and Mattie's relationship is clear, Zeena must leave because she is so sick and perhaps deathly ill.

=Chapter 4- Chapter 5 = <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"The wrong always feels right." <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"...But it was surprising what a homelike look the mere fact of Zeena's absence gave it[kitchen],"(pg.40). <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"For the first time they would be alone on each side of the stove, like a married couple,"(pg.40). <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">In Ethan Frome Zeena is Ethan's wife. As you can see his feelings toward her seem cold and caustic. He is not happy when she is there, as a matter of fact he implies the house is happier when shes not there. When Ethan talks about Mattie, "The Temptress", he has an unrestrained love for her, and noticeably forgets that he is married stating, "like a married couple." Ethan wants love and marriage with Mattie, but this is wrong because Ethan is a married man. Although he is a married man, he is not happily married, and Mattie gives him this hope for a happy marriage. Although the idea of cheating on his wife is wrong, the feelings behind it are right and true.

=<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Chapter 6- Chapter 7 = <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"Love is the worthiest of all pursuits." <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"As soon as the sledge was loaded he meant to send Jotham back to the farm and hurry on foot into the village to buy the glue for the pickle-dish." (pg. 57) <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">The theme, love is the worthiest of all pursuits, is shown in this section when Ethan Frome goes to great lengths just to be with Mattie and protect her from Zeena. For example, when Ethan Frome embarks on the never-ending journey to find glue, which he will use to glue back together the pieces of the broken pickle-dish, symbolizes Ethan's love for Mattie. The fact that Ethan is trying to hide the broken plate from Zeena also shows that he has lost the passion he once felt towards Zeena.

=<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Chapter 8- Chapter 9 = <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">-"Without love, death appears to be the only alternative to life." <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"Ethan! Ethan! I want you to take me down again!" <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"Down where?" <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"The coast. Right off," she panted. "So't we'll never come up any more." <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"Matt! What on earth do you mean?" <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">She put her lips close against his ear to say: "Right into the big elm. You said you could. So't we'd never have to leave each other anymore." <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"Why, what are you talking of? You're crazy!" <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">"I'm not crazy; but I will be if I leave you." (pg.90-91). <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Mattie and Ethan love each other so much that they decide to sled down the hill into the big elm tree. They seem to feel as though that is the only way they will be able to be together. They probably feel as though that will solve all their problems because without love, death appears to be the only alternative to life.