Isolation In Ethan Frome

One can not escape life and it’s hardships. Every day, people experience isolation and bitter circumstances just as the main character in the novel Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton had. Ethan, like most people, had dreams. But upon an unfortunate series of events he saw those dreams shatter and break like fine china on a cold, stone floor. It prevented him from leaving his life of misery, hardship, and vain efforts. This only fueled his burning desire for freedom and an escape from fate. His conflict from escaping his life in Starkfield is almost impossible to break free from. Ethan started out in the world with an ambition for a college degree and to become an engineer. His father died and his mother had fallen ill. He was forced to go home to Starkfield, Massachusetts and abandon his place at college. This incident started the chain reaction of the life of Ethan Frome. As time continues, we see a pattern of sickness and misery. His wife got sick after taking care of his mother, then Mattie became disabled after coming in to take care of Ethan’s wife, Zeena. Ethan recognizes his misfortune and dreads his life’s problems.
When Ethan was faced with the issue of having to let go of Mattie he said, “the inexorable facts closed in on him like prison-warders handcuffing a convict. There was no way out-none. He was a prisoner for life, and now his one ray of light was to be extinguished” (74). He came to the conclusion that the only escape is death. Unfortunately, the suicide attempt that the forbidden lovers attempted failed. They ended up living a life worse then death. In a way, they resemble that of empty shells walking around, catering to only their needs, going along until their bittersweet escape of death would break them from their