This novel is filled with different types and examples of
irony. The most obvious examples are found within the ending of the novel. It is great
situational irony that Ethan intends to commit suicide with Mattie, but ends up merely
crippling both of them. This seems worse than death, especially considering the ironic
change in Mattie's behavior. Where she once was a light and caring person, she has aged
into a bitter and cantakerous older woman who is miserable her in wrecked body and
wrecked life.
It is ironic that the once very feeble and
sickly Zeena is now the strong and capable woman at the end of the novel. It would seem
that she is very able-bodied when she needs to be. Once Ethan and Mattie need her to
care for them, she rises to the occasion. It is a revisiting of the plot element that
brought her to the Fromes in the first place. She is caring for an invalid
again.
It is ironic that Ethan was unwilling to leave Zeena
and run away with Mattie, but his choice is now a double punishment because he is still
with Zeena, but he also has to daily face the invalid Mattie and a) remember what she
used to be to him, and b) put up with her negatively changed
behavior.
Other ironic
occurances:
1.Mattie only reveals that she loves Ethan
when he driving her out of town to catch a train. It seems to suggest a manipulative
nature in Mattie, but it ends up destroying them both.
2.
Ethan only asks Zeena to marry him because he can't bear to face a winter alone. If his
mother had died in spring or summer, he would likely have returned to school and left
Starkfield for good.
The list could obviously go on, but
these are a few big and small ideas to get you started!
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