When I first started reading this book, I felt it was boring and confusing. The narrator is in Starkfield, an imaginary town in Massachusetts, where he first catches a glimpse of Ethan Frome. The narrator describes him as a ?ruin of a man? because even though he is tall and powerful, Ethan is disfigured and crippled. The narrator (I still can?t figure out if it?s a man or a woman!!) is very interested in him and wants to find out the cause of Ethan?s ruin.
The narrator gets some information from some of the townspeople. What strikes the narrator the most is the statement the stage coach driver makes about Ethan that ?he?s been in Starkfield too many winters.? He also learns that Ethan is very poor and has had to take care of his father, mother and now his wife because all of them were sick. It isn?t until the narrator talks personally with Ethan that he truly learns the cause of Ethan?s silent suffering.
The story then goes into a flashback to some 20 years in the past. Ethan is about 21 years old. Zeena is Ethan?s wife and she has taken in Mattie, her cousin, so she can help Zeena around the house. I think Zeena is the most interesting character in the book. Even though she is only 7 years older than Ethan, she acts much older and even looks much older than that. She is icy and uncomfortable to be around.
The only reason Ethan had married her was because he was lonely in the winter and wanted a companion. Ethan even says that if it had been spring, he wouldn?t have asked Zeena to marry him. Anyways, after young Mattie comes to live with them, Ethan falls in love with her. She brings in some light and companionship to Ethan?s otherwise drab and hard-to-live life. One day Zeena goes to another town to see a doctor. Ethan is very glad to have a whole day alone with Mattie and thinks he will tell her how he feels about her. However, the whole day passes and he hasn?t even said anything to her.
The next day Zeena comes back and she has some bad news. She says she will have to get rid of Mattie and hire another girl because Mattie isn?t very good at housework. Ethan is appalled about the situation and tries to keep it away from Mattie?s ears. Nevertheless, Mattie soon learns about it and packs to leave her cousin?s home. Ethan decides to take her to the station and on the way, they both tell each other their true feelings. Mattie is also in love with Ethan and has been from a long time. After hearing this, Ethan doesn?t want to let Mattie go.
Therefore, Mattie makes a shocking decision. She tells Ethan that they will commit suicide by letting their sled hit the elm tree. At first Ethan is hesitant, but soon agrees with her. They attempt to kill themselves but it doesn?t work. This was the saddest part of the story!! Both Ethan and Mattie are alive, but are disfigured and useless.
This story, even the flashback, are set during the harsh winters of Massachusetts. The weather has a lot of impact on the ways of the people and why many events happen the way they do. Also, one of the more prominent themes of this book is loneliness. I felt really sorry for Ethan because he was always lonely even after his marriage to Zeena. Then, after the ?accident? he is even more so. This love story has one of the saddest endings :(