Journal+13

=__**Journal #13: Write a Character Analysis of Mattie Silver**__= In //Ethan Frome// by Edith Wharton, Mattie Silver begins as a sweet and innocent girl in the eyes of the reader and Ethan Frome. As the novella continues, the reader remains in a state of disillusionment regarding Mattie's character. Mattie succeeds in never revealing her true feelings about Ethan leaving the reader in a fog in the beginning. After the "smash-up", Mattie's character takes a devastating turn and reveals her true colors to the reader as well as to Ethan. Mattie Silver's character begins as a sweet and innocent girl, but Wharton drastically changes Mattie's character into a nagging witch by the end of her story.

When the reader and Ethan first meet Mattie Silver, she is a vibrant, youthful, and engaging girl. In the beginning of her story, Wharton uses a dance to show her spirited personality and her fiery disposition. Ethan describes her in an amorous way; furthermore, Ethan describes her with princess-like features. After the dance, the reader is given a glimpse of Mattie's personality. Ethan characterizes her by her petite and innocent posture. She is happy and outgoing in the eyes of Ethan so the reader is forced to see her in that way. The reader can see that Mattie's presence is extremely attractive and peaceful to Ethan; thus, Ethan and Mattie start to have a "romance" with each other.

At the end of the novella, Mattie Silver changes in a dramatic way. The "smash-up" transforms her entire life and personality. Instead of describing her as a beautiful young woman, Ethan describes her as a "bloodless and shriveled" witch (//Ethan Frome// 151). She begins to act like Zeena Frome when she constantly nags Ethan. Mattie loses everything after the "smash-up" including Ethan's love and attention; moreover, she loses her kind personality and her princess-like features. Now instead of a vivacious woman, Mattie would rather die than live out her crippled life.

By the end of the novella, Mattie Silver's character makes a complete flip. Her sweet personality transforms into a nagging witch. Throughout the novella, the reader is confused on how Mattie actually feels about Ethan, but it becomes extremely transparent after the "smash-up". Mattie's personality takes on many forms throughout Wharton's story, but her true character comes forth in the end.