"The inexorable facts closed in on him like prison-warders handcuffing a convict. There was no way out--none. He was a prisoner for life..." (66).
Throughout Ethan Frome Ethan is continually manipulated by other characters. Provide an example of this recurring theme. Do you feel that Ethan has resigned himself to the fact that he is not in control, or do you feel that he is struggling to assert himself?
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This blog is being moderated by Anne Stuart Riddick and Kelsey Tuck.
There is nothing in the novel that Ethan so very fears as the departure of his beloved Mattie. When Zenobia tells Ethan they are to send her away, the reader witnesses, at last, a flame of defiance in Ethan. But his innate weakness prevails in the end: "His wife's retort was like a knife-cut across the sinews and he felt suddenly weak and powerless." Throughout the novel Ethan displays this same weak nature. The reader continuously waits for him to "man-up," but even Ethan acknowledges his defeat: "Now she had mastered him and he abhorred her."
Even the object of Ethan's affections, Mattie Silver, constantly manipulates Ethan in order to get her way. When Ethan goes to pick up Mattie from her night in the town, he feels insanely jealous of other men that are dancing with her. She is either extremely sweet or plays "hard to get," and in a sense she herself contributes to Ethan's immobilization and inactivity. Her "alterations of mood were the despair and joy of Ethan Frome" (46). Ethan makes no motion of being in control simply because he has realized that he has none.
The entire plot of the novel is Ethan being manipulated by those around him. Though he was in love with Mattie, Zeena manipulates him with her "illness" so he can't leave her. Mattie also manipulates Ethan into doing her will with her flirtatious tricks such as using her eyes. In the end, Mattie manipulates Ethan to commit suicide in order to be together in the after life, but at the last moment Zeena's face appears to him and he swerves, once again manipulated for her will. Zeena and Ethan also have a very strange role reversal that was not common for the time period; Zeena was absolutely the dominant head of the relationship. These two women completely controlled Ethan's emotions, life choices, etc.
Throughout the entire novella, Ethan is manipulated very much by both of the women in his life, Zeena and Mattie. Through Zeena's constant infliction with various "illnesses" and the way Mattie is capable of making Ethan feel, he is constantly acting, or failing to take any action, due to the manipulations of the two women. Although the women's manipulative ways are the main contributor to Ethan's immobility, he allows them to have such a vast impact on him, proving him to be "weak and powerless". Because Ethan allows such behavior, it can be inferred that he realizes that he is being controlled by others around him and fails to fight back simply because he has been controlled for so long that he is no longer capable of taking action.
Ethan is clearly manipulated by both of the female characters in this novella. Zeena manipulates Ethan by using her illness against him. She makes him feel guilty by stating, "you grudged me the money to get back my health, when I lost it nursing your own mother!" (90). Imposing her illness upon him, even when she knows they do not have the proper resources to pay for her excessive treatments, shows that Ethan is an easily submissive and manipulated character.
Mattie also manipulates Ethan. She knows that he is a married man, yet continues to lead him on and let him pursue her. When they are alone at the house while Zeena is with the doctor, Mattie purposely plays with Ethan's mind. When Ethan came in from working, Mattie had put a "crimson" ribbon in her hair and "seemed to Ethan taller, fuller, more womanly shaped in motion" (67).
Each of these women manipulate Ethan in a different manner. Zeena imposes guilt upon him in order to keep him under her command. Mattie, on the other hand, manipulates him in order to get her own personal satisfaction by playing with his emotions.
Ethan doesn't seem to notice that he is easily manipulated by the women around him. He allows each of them to play with his mind in their own way, without rebelling against their control.
Ethan is constantly maniplated by the women in his life. Throughout the story, Zeena often controls her husband, making him feel "weak and powerless" (94), and Mattie tries to draw him away from Zeena. For example, Ethan's lack of backbone allows him to be easily manipulated by Mattie when she is about to leave. After they go down the hill on the sled, Mattie begs him to take her down one more time. "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'" (130). She uses her feminine charm to easily manipulate Ethan into doing what she wants him to do. She makes him believe that suicide is the best option, and he easily gives into her. Ethan gives up on trying to be in control and crashes into the elm with Mattie, dooming them both to a life of unhappiness.
Before his accident, Ethan realizes that his wife Zeena only finds pleasure in manipulating him and causing him pain. She constantly nags at him and complains about her own issues. Ethan works hard from sunup to sundown to care for Zeena. The only thing good that Zeena ever did for Ethan was take care of his ailing mother. Zeena is constantly ill with some problem or another and must always go to a doctor for medicine or a consultation. After his accident, Ethan is left crippled and weak, leaving Zeena to be the responsible one.
The conflict between mattie's manipulative capabilities due to her sexuality and zena's hold on ethan fueled by societal views doesn't allow ethan the freedom to take control of th situation. His universe is derived from the manipulative capabilites of those around him. His ability to make decisions is defunct. He is caught between these two women, each armed with a repertoire of credibility. He is not in control and never has been, because there has always been some other person holding him down. He has always lived under restraint:His mother, his wife, Mattie, his job. Everything and everyone around him is aware of his clay-like masculinity, which only affords him his sex and none of those assertive/chauvinistic traits that society has always looked for. Those are the type of men, the majority of men, who have a hold on society. Some of them shower their wives and sons with affection and love. Some of them have affairs. Either way, the choice is theirs. This will never be a possibility for Ethan
Throughout this novel, Ethan struggles with his deep inner desires. Although he desperately wishes to abandon his wife Zeena and run off with Mattie, he never actually acts on these dreams. Ethan is incapable of asserting himself and seizing independence because he has spent his whole life catering to Zeena's demands. Even when Mattie begins to manipulate him with her youthful ways, Ethan still remains stagnant. Both women are pulling him in opposite directions, and he is immobile as a result. The novel even ends with Ethan in a standstill has he lives with both Mattie and Zeena after his failed suicide attempt.
Ethan is constantly being manipulated by his wife, Zeena, and Mattie. When he discovers his love for engineering and finds a job in Florida, Zeena refuses to leave. During this time period, the males were the dominant figures in relationships. Had Ethan really wanted to move to Florida, he could have forced Zeena to do so. This same passive nature is also seen in Ethan's relationship with Mattie. He is constantly hanging on her words, trying to find a hidden meaning behind them, for, "The fact that he had no right to show his feelings, and thus provoke the expression of hers, made him attach a fantastic importance to every change in her look and tone; Now he thought she understood him, and feared; now he was sure she did not, and despaired" (46). Ethan never really tries to assert himself. He gives into the manipulation of Mattie and Zeena, rather than taking the reins.
Throughout the novell Ethan is portrayed as the sympathetic character. From the characters around him, we see that Ethan is being manipulated. By his love mattie, ethan is manipulated by her attractiveness. Zena manipulates Ethan by societies moral obligations.His entire life becomes a series of dreams destroyed by circumstance. Zeena’s illness and his poverty crush his desire for wider horizons, which we see in his hope to leave Starkfield and in his interest in chemistry and engineering. His desire for Mattie is likewise crushed by his inability either to break free of Zeena or to muster the courage to defy convention and risk ruin.
Ethan is constantly manipulated throughout the story by both Zeena and Mattie. Zeena restrains him by making him tend to her feigned illness. Being “sick” makes it impossible for Ethan to leave her side. If he did so, society would look down upon him. Zeena has basically pushed Ethan into a corner with her manipulative ways. Because of Zeena, Ethan cannot fulfill his desire to be with Mattie and therefore he never gathers the courage to assert himself.
Mattie manipulates Ethan in a way that is different from Zeena. She is essentially a giant temptation. Mattie possesses a lot of qualities that Zeena does not have and she is very attractive to Ethan. She plays along with his scheme even though she knows that they will never be together. Mattie manipulates Ethan not by force or sympathy, but by flirting. Ethan lacks the nerve to fully pursue his wishes. If he really wanted to be with Mattie, he could have certainly left Zeena. He was just indecisive and afraid of what others would think.
Throughout the entire story, Ethan is manipulated continuously by both Zeena and Mattie. Zeena makes Ethan feel obligated to stay with her and care for her, even though she is only sick in her head. By stating, "you grudged me the money to get back my health, when I lost it nursing your own mother!" (90) , Zeena makes Ethan feel guilty.
Also, Mattie uses her youthfulness and attractiveness against Ethan's desire for her. She uses firtatious tricks against him and in the end, manipulates him to commit suicide. Unfortunately for Ethan, he still ends up having little control over his life while Zeena does and Mattie is crippled and just as bitter as Zeena.
Both of these woman had almost complete control and domination over Ethan, although Ethan still made a few choices of his own.
Although he has one night alone with Mattie, he cannot help but be reminded of his domestic duties as he sits in his kitchen. He also plans to elope and run away to the West, but he cannot bring himself to lie to his neighbors in order to procure the necessary money. These reflect his slight control over some decisions but not most.
Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts! There seems to be a consensus that Ethan has relinquished control of his life. Many of you found fantastic quotations, and you all provided some great insight!
~Anne Stuart and Kelsey
John, I agree that Mattie provided Ethan with his "last flame of defiance".
Meera, good job and categorizing Mattie's behavior and correlating it with Ethan's needs.
Abby, interesting point about the control women exerted in Ethan's life; this is definitely a role reversal, especially in this time period.
Elizabeth, good point about Ethan being allowed to be manipulated.
Ashley, yes, both women manipulated Ethan in different ways, but they both had a role.
Andrea, interesting insight on suicide with great quotes.
Tripp, liked your focus on the ending.
Coleen, awesome point that Ethan has always lived under restraint.
Kristen, interesting way of looking at Ethan - being at a "standstill"
Alice, I liked your comment about Ethan trying to look into Mattie's words.
Alyssa - interesting defense of Ethan being the sympathetic character.
Deidre, good comment about Zeena's manipulation through sickness.
Channing, I like the fact that you mentioned that Ethan still made a few choices on his own.
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