Ethan Frome
Themes
1. Moral Dilemma
Ethan Frome is filled with questions of morality and thought provoking description of character emotion. In a time where divorce was unreasonable and uncommon, his feelings toward Zeena are left unsettled. Ethan realizes that his wife could not provide for herself, and that leaving her would result in her destitution. Nevertheless, he feels for himself that life without Mattie would be like unto death. In this, he finds himself at an unmistakable crossroad throughout the novella. In the end, his thoughtlessness results in his own misery and the misery of the ones he loves.
2. Contrast
The contrast of every symbol and idea in the book is magnified. The white of the snow contrasted against black night, the contrast between Zeena, Ethan's wife, and Mattie, and the unseen summer and the "siege of winter." This contrast gives the story the feeling that everything should be black and white. That there were no grey and that decisions were simple and straight forward. The name of the town, Starkfield, even suggests this. Nevertheless, the story reflects the grey area of man's longing and unbridled passions.
3. SufferingThe entire story is founded upon suffering. From the beginning, we see the miserable nature of Ethan in his old age, then, in his youth, he suffers from poverty, a sickly wife, and unspeakable feelings toward Mattie. Ultimately, each aspect of his suffering demonstrates humanity and the never-ending cycle of life.
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