The novella, Ethan Frome, was about a poor farmer who had a forbidden love with a girl that he could never be with. The conflicts, characters, and symbols of this story give this novella a sense of loneliness and isolation from the outside world. The conflicts in Ethan Frome represent the depression and loneliness of living in the countryside in the early 1900s. Zeena was always fighting for Ethan’s attention. Zeena was always sick and going to doctor appointments to make Ethan pay attention to her and want to take care of her. Zeena’s sickness only pushed him away and made him feel even more alone. Zeena and Mattie were also always at odds. When Mattie arrived, Ethan began giving her all of his attention. She was young and lively and brought joy back into Ethan’s life. This always made Zeena dislike Mattie for taking Ethan’s attention. …show more content…
He always felt guilty for being unable to love and take care of Zeena. He never took risks in life and just went wherever the wind blew him. Mattie was an id character. She wanted to be with Ethan even though he was still married to Zeena. She showed some of her desire for him when she used Zeena’s fancy pickle dish for their dinner when Zeena was gone. She even went as far as to convince Ethan to attempt suicide so that they could be together in death even if they could not be together in life. Mattie would never settle for a different man like Denis Eady who was young, had money, and could give Mattie the comfortable life she was used to. Zeena was the ego character. She represented the harsh reality to Ethan that he would never be able to leave the town or love another woman as long as Zeena was still around. Zeena brings Ethan back to reality when she throws Mattie out and hires a new girl to take her