The evening was Ethan's and Mattie's chance to freely enjoy their time together, but instead they let a seemingly trivial matter ruin their pleasure. There could have been a simple way to solve the pickle dish dilemma, but their fear of Zeena fundamentally ruined the night. This demonstrates the idea that they are imprisoned under Zeena's watch. Even though Zeena is not physically present at the time, it is almost as if the cat is a tacit representation of the force that keeps Ethan and Mattie apart. Through this scene, Wharton also establishes the notion that people cannot rely on fate to bring about happiness, since it can be bleak and unfortunate. If Ethan and Mattie had been able to dictate their own joy, they could have enjoyed the evening in each other's company, rather than worry about the anger Zeena would feel about the broken dish.
Another situation in which irony is exceptionally evident is when Ethan and Mattie choose to commit suicide. When Zeena decides that it is time for Mattie to leave, both Ethan and Mattie feel hopeless, heartbroken by the thought of losing each other. At this point in the story, it is expected that they finally figure out a way to be free of their hardships. It is intended to be the climax of the "fairytale " when the couple is able to successfully fight, flee, or at the very least experience a glorious death together. Ironically, in Ethan Frome none of these plausible solutions occur. The characters attempt to free themselves of the pain, but as fate would have it, the intention does not go as planned. When trying to escape the horror of losing each other, Ethan and Mattie finally agree on the bold decision to end their lives together. They mount a sled at the top of a hill, prepared to collide "right into the big elm tree"" (Wharton 130). Surprisingly, they do not die, and instead are both able to survive the impact. However, their survival is not a fortunate occurrence, but rather it sentences them to a lifetime of misery and suffering.
Edith Wharton applies this declaration in her novel, Ethan Frome. ... Edith Wharton does a marvelous job in illuminating for us, the main character, Ethan Frome. ... This quote describes the world of Ethan Frome when with Mattie. ... This symbolizes Ethan's fate on account of all of the Fromes being laid to rest in that cemetery. ... Thorton Wilder's quote can be understood using the story of Ethan Frome. ...