Ethan Frome Rhetorical Analysis

Caught in the middle between a passionate life or a vague excuse for one, Ethan Frome struggles to deal with his emotions. He ponders at the risk of losing his wife Zeena over his new love for Mattie and the desire for something greater in life. As he goes about each day the two sides are evidently affecting Ethan’s everyday life. Whether it be something as slight as light glimmering through a dark lonely room or a moment of weakness that plays with emotion, Ethan realizes what awaits him. As his time with Mattie carries out there seems to be a spark within Ethan that changes him for the better. Zeena notices he is shaving again, cleaning up after Mattie’s inefficient work, and making time to tend to her every need. After Ethan picks up on Mattie’s passionate personality, and an amorous moment is shared between the two, the desire for happiness flourishes inside of Ethan; As he lay there he could hear Mattie moving about in her room, and her candle, sending its small …show more content…
Mattie was the person in his life that represented happiness and a thaw to the winter inside of him. The light running underneath the door is like a beacon showing Ethan who he really wants to be with. Edith Wharton adds in a rhetorical question to spark the reader's thoughts about Ethan's hesitations. She asks, “Why had he not kissed her when had held her there?”, implying that Ethan feels regret of not taking the chance that had dangled in front of him standing outback with Mattie late at night. As an audience, the inference that he hesitated and didn’t kiss Mattie was due to a part of him that tried to avoid betraying Zeena. However, Ethan might not be aware of his unwillingness to betray Zeena with being flooded with feelings for Mattie. Ethan was easily bothered by Zeena’s habits and “asthmatic breathing”. His aggression towards Zeena’s everyday complaining causes him to move closer and closer to