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Ethan Frome Research Paper

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Who’s to blame for Ethan Frome
In the book “Ethan Frome” by Edith Wharton we see the main characters involved in a tragedy that has lifelong effects. The person to blame in this tragedy is Ethan Frome. Ethan Frome is to blame in this tragedy because he let love manipulate his judgment. If Ethan Frome was mentally strong enough to speak on his feelings with the woman he loved and his wife maybe the tragedy would’ve never happen.
The tragedy is that both Ethan Frome and Mattie Silver go sledding and crash into a tree. Both sustain major injuries that could’ve be life ending. Ethan only sustained a bad leg that impairs him from walking normally again and Mattie became Paralyzed. But before that happen Ethan Frome struggled internally over the …show more content…

Ethan’s love for Mattie started from as soon as he met her. Ethan’s favorite part of being with Mattie were the walks back to their farm. Ethan always looked forward to these for weeks in advance. Even though he saw her every day, he enjoyed the walks home the most: “Ethan felt the sweetness of his communion with Mattie most intensely during their night walks back to the farm.”(p.24) Ethan loves the walks home with Mattie because he gets to be alone with Mattie. He likes the way she is always interested in what he has to say. “It pleased him that she felt wonder and also admired his knowledge.”(p.24)
Ethan loves Mattie but on the other hand, the sight of Mattie puts him in a bad mood. Ethan knows that he loves Mattie but he knows he cannot act on these feelings because he is stuck with Zeena. Zeena has helped Ethan throughout the bad times in his life and Ethan has always depended on Zeena for things. “Zeena’s efficiency shamed and dazzled him. He felt grateful” (p.49).
In Conclusion Ethan Frome is the one that is to blame for the tragedy that injured and nearly killed Mattie Silver and himself. Ethan should've express his feelings with Zeena and Mattie. The fact that Ethan never spoke out against Zeena and took charge in his life makes him the blame for the

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