Ethan's Ambition

Ethan’s desire to become an engineer ceases when he abandons his studies at Worcester in order to take care of his family. In Ethan’s younger years he takes a year’s course at a technological college at Worcester. While there, he experiments in the laboratory with friendly professors of physics. After his father’s death, Ethan has to “put a premature end to [his] studies,” to care for his sickly mother and manage the farm and saw-mill (24). Ethan’s mother falls ill of isolation of the house which grows to be more of a burden than that of the fields. Following his mother’s death Ethan marries Zenobia Pierce, a distant cousin of his. Ethan and Zenobia agree to move to a large town to pursue his yearning to become an engineer, once they fix troubles …show more content…
Ethan’s true vision of happiness lies with his wife’s younger cousin, Mattie Silver. Ethan describes his love for Mattie as “all his life was lived in the sight and sound of Mattie” (35). Mattie and Ethan’s passionate love for one another control their every thought. Ethan loves to spend time with her, he longs for those late night winter walks back to the farm after Mattie has gone out for a night in the village. Nevertheless, Ethan accepts that he has wedded Zenobia, therefore making him responsible for her. As Ethan plans to run away with Mattie, he does the responsible thing and writes her a letter saying ‘“I’ve done all I could for you… [you can] keep the money”’ (115). Ethan choses an option that allows him to stay with Mattie while ensuring Zenobia’s wellbeing. Ethan contemplates to do the accountable, to tell Zenobia that he will leave to the west and she can keep the property and money. Ethan has second thoughts because he does not have money to take Mattie to the west, he also thinks of what would be of Zenobia’s fate, “[she] could never carry such a burden alone” (116). His passion and responsibility clash with one another resulting in is later decision to commit suicide with Mattie, “but for the moment [his] compassion [for Zenobia] prevailed” …show more content…
As Ethan and Mattie’s longing for each other grow they face the threat of being separated from each other. One the night of Mattie’s departure Ethan takes her coasting, since he has promised her to do so. They coast down the hill, flying through the nightfall, gathering smoothness and haste, as the dead night opens out below them. Ethan and Mattie fly safely past the big elm and start walking up the hill again. As they walk up Ethan says to himself, ‘“It’s the last time we’ll ever walk together”’ thus foreshadowing the “smash-up” leading to happen (142). Once Ethan and Mattie reach the top of the hill, they kiss and begin to sob in desperation of the thought of having to leave each other. As they think of what their lives will be apart, their yearning for each other increases. Seeing no other solution Mattie seeks suicide by having Ethan and her coast down into the big elm, “so’t [they] never have to leave each other anymore” (143). Ethan is hesitant at first but gives into Mattie’s idea. Ethan tells Mattie to sit behind him because he wants to feel her holding him. They get on the sled and coast down the hill, as they get closer to tree Mattie holds on tighter and tighter. The tree seems to be getting bigger and closer, Ethan thinks it is waiting for them. Suddenly, his wife’s twisted atrocious face plunge itself between him and his objective, and he made an innate move to brush it aside,