Codependency in Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome

Codependency in Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome

"Dependent personality disorder."(Morris) To people who suffer from this disorder, making a decision is virtually impossible. It is only by getting assistance from others that they can make even the simplest of choices. When some of these people come together, they rely on each other to help them with decision-making. Unfortunately, the codependency created by this situation frequently makes it impossible for these people to separate. In fact, they often become so interdependent that subconsciously they increasingly act in ways that will maintain the status quo. In Edith Wharton's novel Ethan Frome, the three major characters are so dependent on each other that no matter what they try, they remain stuck together. To underscore this point, Edith Wharton uses both language and diction to illustrate each of the three major characters' basic inability to make their decisions and their resultant codependence on each other.

Ethan Frome, the most predominant character, exhibits his codependence throughout the story and consistently requires other people to either make or help him with decisions that affect his life. At one point, Ethan describes his relationship with his wife saying, "She's always had her way"(61). In addition, Wharton describes Ethan's actions as follows: "Lowered head he went up in his wife's wake"(28). Ethan's own words show his dependence on Zeena and on his reliance on her to make all the decisions in the house. His constant pattern of yielding to her is a telltale sign of his inability to run his life. Another example of Ethan's dependence is how he only fights Zeena over one issue, Mattie. However, in this instance ...

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...ever, illustrate the possible consequences of refusing to take responsibility for one's own decisions. Although most people do not suffer from dependent personality disorder, many people do have trouble making important decisions that will change their lives. Ethan, Zeena and Mattie illustrate how far astray a refusal to think for oneself can lead a person. Had any of them chosen to consider the repercussions of their actions, a lot of heartache and tragedy might have been avoided.

Works Cited and Consulted:

Bell, Millicent. The Cambridge Companion to Edith Wharton. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995.

Morris, Charles G. Psychology Englewood Cliffs Prentice Hall Inc, 1994.

Springer, Marlene. Ethan Frome: A Nightmare of Need. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993.

Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome. New York: Penguin Group, 1993.