Why is zeena sick

Ethan feels he has a moral duty to remain with his wife, Zeena, even though he truly desires to run. There are both acutely different from each other but they also share some similarities between themselves. The two main. Zeena changes Ethan through their marriage, and her illness. It is questionable whether Zeena is sick or not. She often appears to be a hypochondriac. If Zeena had the greatest hand at doctoring, she would be able to help take care of herself and at the same time help others.

In the beginning of the novel we learn how Ethan found Zeena. It is unclear whether Zeena possessed a love for Ethan as Ethan claimed to of have for her. In the end of the novel Mattie is looked at as the annoying one, and he starts to care for Zeena because she is not the one inept to do household chores.

Zeena appears to use her illness as a way to manipulate others to do things. Zeena continues to find fault and complain; however she is finally drawn out of her hypochondriac self-indulgence by the need to care for others. Previous Ethan Frome. Next Mattie Silver. Removing book from your Reading List will also remove any bookmarked pages associated with this title.

Are you sure you want to remove bookConfirmation and any corresponding bookmarks? My Preferences My Reading List. Ethan Frome Edith Wharton. Parents Home Homeschool College Resources. Study Guide. By Edith Wharton. Previous Next. Zeena Frome Zeena and the Narrator's Bias We know that the narrator is entirely biased and that he portrays everything the way he imagines Ethan must have seen it see " Narrator Point of View " for more specifics.

Nurse or Patient? What's Up With the Ending? Tired of ads? Join today and never see them again. Get started. He is supposed to be transporting her to the train station, but he takes a side route so they can spend more time together. They ride a sled, just as he promised they would, and he kisses her. The Cat. The cat owned by the Fromes symbolizes Zeena's presence. It is constantly around Ethan and Mattie while they are alone together, and it serves as a reminder to Ethan that he is doing this behind his wife's back.

The broken pickle dish that Zeena discovers at the top of the china closet symbolizes the shattered Frome marriage. Mattie is partially responsible for the breaking of both the pickle dish and the marriage, having handled them carelessly, and Ethan cowardly hides the broken state of each. The pickle - dish , Zeena's favorite wedding present, is a symbol of Ethan and Zeena's marriage.

For this reason, its destruction is particularly devastating to Zeena. The red color of the dish can be interpreted as symbolizing the passion that the couple no longer share. Winter greatly affects the actions and behaviors of the characters. Ethan and Zeena's relationship is related to the coldness of the Starkfield winters. Book Summary. Edith Wharton wrote Ethan Frome as a frame story — meaning that the prologue and epilogue constitute a " frame " around the main story.

They provide The Narrator with bits and pieces of information about Ethan , which make him even more intrigued with the story of Ethan's life. The moon also foreshadows the sledding accident as Ethan remembers that this is the night when he had promised to take Mattie sledding. After Mattie finds him and they begin the morning chores, things don't seem so bleak to Ethan.

What is Zeena illness in Ethan Frome?