Pages 63-70:

Ethan spends a long restless night in his study, trying to formulate a plan to leave Zeena and run off with Mattie. Ethan thinks that if he leaves Zeena the farm, she could simply sell it and then move in with her close relatives, and Mattie and he could head west together. But when the reality of his situation settles in Ethan realizes that it would be highly unlikey for someone (especially a woman of Zeena's health) to sell the farm. Zeena would most likely end up bankrupt or dead. And even if he was willing to take that chance, he was a poor man and couldn't afford to take both him and Mattie west, and support her. The next day Ethan hopes that Zeena may have reconsidered her hasty decision to send Mattie away, however no such luck. So, desperate, Ethan goes into Starkfield in an attempt to find his friend and client, Mr. Hale, and ask if he could pay his fifty dollars early, beacuse Zeena needs a new hired hand. But when Ethan run's into Mrs. Hale, she sympathizes with his situation, and tells him he has had a hard life, and she doesn't know how Zeena would survive without him. Her kind words stop Ethan in his tracks, and he determines that he can't go to his friend and ask for money under false pretenses, especially now knowing that they pity him.

Pages 52-63:

Zeena returns home from her visit to the new doctor in Bettsbridge. She goes right up to her bedroom without a word to anybody. When Ethan goes up to check on her, she tells him "I'm a great deal sicker than you think" (Ethan Frome 53). At this moment Ethan is torn between hoping that his wife really is more sick than he thought, so he could be rid of her, and between sympathising with her. He choses to show her compassion, and tells her to take it easy. Zeena then tells Ethan that she hired a girl to help out around the house, because Mattie just wasn't doing a good enough job. Ethan then becomes furious, and the two have a shouting match in their bedroom. When Ethan leaves Zeena and goes downstairs for dinner, he kisses Mattie an dtells her that he will never let her go. But when Zeena comes down for dinner she stumbles across her prized broken pickle bowl. Mattie fesses up that she got the bowl out to make the dinner table pretty last night, and Zeena is furious. After this Mattie stay is quite out of the question.

Pages 43-52:

Ethan tells Mattie he will go buy glue the next day to fix Zeena's treasured broken china dish. The rest of their evening together progresses from awkward and tense to calm and relaxing. Ethan finds himself wishing desperately that his life was always like this. Mattie confesses to Ethan her worries that Zeena doesn't like her. Ethan say's he believe's Zeena likes her just fine. When the two of them are sitting at the table together, Ethan makes a sudden move as if to grab for Mattie's hand; she quickly moves her hand off the table. I think this gesture shows the reader that even though they love each other they don't want to betray Zeena (especially Mattie). The next day Zeena returns from staying at her aunt's house, she goes straight upstairs, because she is feeling even worse.

Pages 28-43:

Ethan goes out to work on the farm early the following day, he thinks only of Mattie while he works. Then when Ethan returns to the house for a bit, he is shocked to see Zeena dressed in her best out-fit and with her bags all packed. Zeena explains that her pains have been getting worse, and she is going to stay with an aunt of her's out of town so that she can go and visit a new and respected doctor in the area. Ethan is overjoyed by the news of Zeena leaving town for the night, and basically holds the door open for her to walk out (however he does not even bother to drive her to the train station). All day while going about his daily business Ethan imagines the ideal night him and Mattie will share later that evening. After Ethan delivers his last load of lumber for the day he returns home, where Mattie has dinner ready, they enjoy a nice quiet meal until the cat knocks down one of Zeena's favorite china dishes and it breaks. Mattie is hysterical because the dish was a wedding preasent for Ethan and Zeena, and she knows she shouldn't have used it.

Pages 20-28:

Ethan waits for Mattie outside of the church building, but when he sees her talking with Denis Eady, he hides and grows more and more jelous as their conversations prgresses, and Denis offers Mattie a ride home. Mattie politely declines Denis's offer, and starts walking home by herslef, this is when Ethan comes out of hiding and he and Mattie walk home together. Ethan is glad that Mattie did not accept Denis Eady's offer of a ride home, but he is bothered by what his wife Zeena had told him, about Mattie possibly leaving them. So Ethan awkwardly asks Mattie if she was going to leave them, she says "Where would I go if I did?" and he is put at ease by this answer. When they return home they realize that the key that is usually left for them under the mat, by Zeena, was not there. They find this suspicious (because Zeena is not one to forget). Finally Zeena comes to the door and lets in. Zeena goes to head upstairs and calls Ethan. Ethan makes up an excuse to stay downstairs because he does not want Mattie to see him follow Zeena into their bedroom. During this part of the book Zeena begins to grow suspicious of Mattie and Ethan's relationship.

Pages 10-20:

The story goes back in time to when Ethan is a young man. The author describes the Starkfield of Ethan's youth, which is relatively the same as when the story began. It is winter, and Ethan trudges through the snow towards the church. He is going to pick up his wife's cousin Mattie, who is at a party. Mattie Silver came to live with the Frome's a year ago, because Zeena (Ethan's wife) is sickly, and requested that Mattie come live with them to help out around the house. It didn't take long for Ethan to fall in love with Mattie. She was young, beautiful, and lively. As Ethan waits to walk Mattie home, he reflects on how much they have in common, and all the reasons that he fell for her. He also grows jelous because Mattie is dancing at the party with a man named Denis Eady; and he begins to question whether his wife is becoming suspicious of Ethan Mattie.

Pages 1-10:

Starkfield is a small, dull, unanimated New England town. When the narrarator of the story recalls his first look at Ethan Frome, a lifelong native of Starkfield, the story begins. Upon first seeing Ethan the narrarator describes him as having a "careless powerful look" (Ethan Frome 3), he says "there was something bleak and unapproachable in his face, and he was so stiffened and grizzled that I took him for an old man" (Ethan Frome 3). These quotes help to give the reader a clear image to picture Ethan. The narrarator is curious about Ethan, and asks casually asks around town if anyone knows his history. As daily life proceeds the narrarator is soon in need of transportation to a local train station, and one of the locals says that Ethan would be happy to help for a low price. So Ethan chaufers the narrarator back and fourth from the train station. The two share very little conversation throughout the weeks as Ethan continues to drive the narrarator to and fro. One day there is a big snow storm, and the narrarator fears he will not be able to get to the train station, however Ethan hitches up his horse and, determined to fulfil his duty as chafeur, he rides ten miles on horseback to the narrator to the train station.