Ethan frome comparison of matt
Ethan frome-comparison of mattEthan Frome Essay
Compare and Contrast the characters of Mattie and Zeena
In the novel Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton, the characters of Mattie
Silver and Zeena Frome are dissimilar in many ways. Mattie is a compassionate,
lively, outgoing woman who tries hard and has a positive outlook on life. Zeena, on the other hand, is a pessimistic, cold-hearted, and dull woman who is too self-absorbed to have fun in her life.
Perhaps the biggest difference between the two is Mattie’s adventurous
spirit compared to Zeena’s dull, monotonous lifestyle. Mattie enjoys activities such as going sledding down dangerous hills, dancing, and socializing with many of the people of Starkfield. Zeena stays at home all day unless she has one of her frequent “sicknesses,” in which case she might make a visit to the doctor. Otherwise she “goes to bed immediately after supper” every night, which is hardly an exciting life. This is a glaringly obvious variance from Mattie’s personality.
Also, Mattie is much more compassionate than Zeena. An example of
Zeena’s cold-heartedness is seen when she fires Mattie, her own relative, giving Mattie nowhere to go and no job skills on which to survive. Most people would not do this to their own kin. Mattie, on the other hand, is a very...
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