Plot Summary and Reflection

Ethan Frome was a story of a man who actively and willingly had feelings for his wife’s cousin, Mattie. Ethan’s wife, Zeena, was in declining health so to receive assistance for housework she had called upon Mattie for help. Throughout the story, Zeena knew little of the relationship between Mattie and Ethan. As the story is being told, it reveals that Ethan goes out of his way to spend time with Mattie. When he picks her up from town, he would deliberately take the longer route in order to be able to spend more time with her. As the story progresses, Ethan is starting to get more curious as to Mattie’s feelings towards him. One night, when he was supposed to pick Mattie up from church, he decides to evade and to observe Mattie after he sees her dance with a wealthy boy. Ethan was relieved when the wealthy boy had offered Mattie a ride home and she had politely declined. Ethan felt that this was going the right way for him, so he had decided to make his move soon. Zeena’s sickness had gotten worse so she had decided to find a new doctor in another town and as a result, she was leaving for a night. Ethan felt that this was the perfect time to make his move because this was one of the rare moments that he and Mattie would spend together. Mattie at this point had too showed interest in Ethan, so much so that she had disobeyed Zeena. As she set up dinner, she had used Zeena’s special pickle dish which had broken. Zeena returns home to find this out and tells Ethan Mattie is no longer needed because there will be a new housekeeper. Ethan shows his disagreement in a temper and goes into his room to being writing his letter. He had decided to run away Mattie as her expulsion was inevitable at this point, in the end he decides he cannot do it because of his lack of money to start over. After giving in, Ethan decides he would be the one to bring Mattie to the train station for her departure. Ethan uses his last moments with Mattie to bring her to all the places they have