Guest Blogger - Karissa B.

Today in class we analyzed different topics in Ethan Frome. My group discussed the idea of power in relationships. It’s pretty obvious that Zeena is the dominant one in the relationship between her and Ethan. It’s strange because, although she has health complications and comes off as weak, she has a control over Ethan and Mattie, too. It seems as though she uses her poor health as a way to make Ethan feel bad for her and do whatever she wants him to. She tries to make him feel guilty about her situation on page 97 when Zeena says that she lost her health nursing Ethan’s mother. She then goes on to say “Yes, and my folks all told me at the time you couldn’t do no less than marry me after-“. (Wharton 98). This line reflects the circumstances under which Zeena and Ethan were married. Zeena’s character reminded me of the scene “A Poor Helpless Creature” in the play the Good Doctor. The character in the play is much more dramatic than Zeena, but both characters have the same pretense of seeming helpless. Zeena’s power over Ethan can also be seen on page 107 when Ethan is conversing with Mattie. “You can’t go, Matt! I won’t let you! She’s always had her way, but I mean to have mine.” Ethan tells Mattie that he’s going to take a stand against Zeena and forbid her from letting Mattie go. Prior to this conversation with Mattie, Ethan revealed that he does not have loving feelings for Zeena anymore. This is most obvious when he says, “Now she mastered him and he abhorred her.” (Wharton 103). It seems like in his relationship with Mattie, Ethan is more dominant. Ethan and Mattie are both fairly passive, quiet people though, so maybe it only seems that Ethan is more dominant because the reader can see what he is thinking and we don’t exactly know what is going on in Mattie’s head. Who do you think is more dominant in Mattie and Ethan’s relationship?