Ethan for the first time totally defied his wife and took Mattie's defense by saying, "You can't go Matt! I won't let you! She's always had her way, but I mean to have mine now." Another type of love was the love of possessions, which was clearly evident in the novel The Great Gatsby. Jay Gatsby tried to capture his dream by trying to get his past love to fall in love with him again. Gatsby attempted to get Daisy to fall in love with him again by amassing a great wealth. He purchased a mansion "bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the Bay," He also threw extravagant parties hoping that Daisy might attend one. .

             Communication was important in any relationship, and Huck, Jay, and Ethan all communicated within their relationships. The way these characters communicated had its similarities and differences. They lied sometimes to get what they wanted, and this was clearly evident with Huck Finn. Usually, Huck got himself up "stumps" and had to lie to get down from them. On one occasion while at dinner, Huck saw that he "was up a stump. (He) had to let on to get choked on a chicken bone, so as to get time to think how to get down again." Huck also often relied on "Providence" and "went right along, not fixing any plan, but just trusting Providence to put the right words in my mouth when the time come." Huck did not lie to Jim, whom he had a deep relationship with, and trusted Jim not to lie to him. Ethan Frome did not lie as much as Huck, but when he did lie, it made significance. He had never lied outright to Zeena and "as soon as the words were spoken he regretted them, not only because they were untrue, but also because he knew from experience the imprudence of letting Zeena think he was in funds on the eve of one of her therapeutic excursions." He took the risk of lying to Zeena just to have one night alone with Mattie. Ethan and Zeena's relationship was one of silence, while his relationship with Mattie was joyous, as they shared their thoughts and feelings towards each other.