Mattie works at the frome farm, where she provides domestic help to zeena, ethans ailing wife, in return for room and board. Goodreads members who liked ethan frome also liked. Throughout her life as a writer, wharton would schedule the time that she wrote around social engagements and she did not readily discuss her writing. Ethan frome is set in a fictional new england town named starkfield, where an. They way characters in the book react when the narrator asks about ethan. He seems to be unable to take really action and to go after the things he want. The course of events in ethan frome is punctuated by a series of obvious. The novel was adapted into a film, ethan frome, in 1993. I hadnt read ethan frome before, but i had read some other wharton works and i was instrumental in leading a recent books blog tour of edith. Ethan frome is a novel published in 1911 by the pulitzer prizewinning american author edith wharton. Money is involved in this novel all the time, pfordrescher said. As the tragic story unfolds, we are gripped with the feeling that it didnt have to happen this way.
Ethan frome, a poor, downtrodden new england farmer is trapped in a loveless marriage to his invalid wife, zeena. The man becomes fascinated with ethan and wants to know his story. When zenobia pierce, his cousin, came to help nurse his mother, ethan was grateful for the company and conversation, and when his mother. What we witness in that book is a human tragedy, not a sacrifice. The text is constructed as a frame story wherein the narrator, an engineer who is temporarily in starkfield for a project, becomes intrigued with ethan frome, a solitary farmer. Ethan frome has much to offer senior high school students. Much of the tragedy of this short novel is caused by. These questions will help guide your class through a discussion about this story. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. The doomed romance set against a stark new england countryside became whartons most widelyread novel. Discussion questions for ethan frome flashcards quizlet. Ethan is a guy with dreams but can not break out of his trot to do what he really wants. Ethan frome, the main character in the book entitled ethan frome, by edith wharton, has many complex problems going on at the same time.
Many images and ideas in ethan frome reflect isolation and disconnection for the main characters. What remains is a dramatic exposition of three characters locked into a nightmarish situation. Why do you think that the book is structured in this particular way, with the main story from the past sandwiched in between the prologue and epilogue showing ethan and company 24 years later. His family has died and he has a wife that is continually sick, and the only form of happiness he has is from his wifes cousin mattie. He listened for zeenas step and, not hearing it, called her name up the stairs. Wharton relies on personal experiences to relate her thematic messages. Find books like ethan frome from the worlds largest community of readers. She gave him a last nod of sympathy while her son chirped to the horse. However, zeena quickly became a querulous invalid herself, leaving ethan feeling more. Ethan frome by edith wharton, narrated by elizabeth klett. Write an essay in which you explain the significance of any one of these motifs to the theme or message of the novel. If you are unsure of how to add these files to your ereader, look here.
Hey everyone, this book is the worst book ive ever read. Look for the list of 128 ethan frome essay topics at 2020. The room was almost dark, but in the obscurity he saw her sitting by the window, bolt upright, and knew. Ethan frome is a novel where the very limits of humanity is forced, tested and tresspassed on. As ethan watches, mattie dances with the arrogant denis eady, son of the towns wealthy grocer.
Because it is short and easy to read, young people should be able to concentrate on its themes. He remembers that his mother had been a talker, until her illness, when she fell silent and began to hear voices. Ethan frome summary from litcharts the creators of. The course of events in ethan frome is punctuated by a series of obvious symbolic devices, each of which serves to illustrate the development of the relationships among ethan, mattie, and zeena. When her young cousin mattie comes to stay on their new england farm, frome falls in love with her. A nameless engineer is in starkfield, massachusetts on business and he first sees ethan frome at the post office. Ethan frome, by edith wharton at only 100 pages penguin edition, ethan frome may be the shortest masterpiece in american literature.
Ethan frome works his unproductive farm and struggles to maintain a bearable existence with his. Though ethans wife, zeena, is essentially the villan of. Consider the motifs of brokenness, sickness, and injury in ethan frome. Ethan looks forward to an evening alone with mattie, and recalls how warm and inviting the kitchen was in the days when his mother was alive. She was growing more selfassured in her art, and during the writing of ethan frome she felt control and confidence than she had never known before. Find a summary of this and each chapter of ethan frome. It was written by edith wharton and published in 1911. It was a long time since any one had spoken to him as kindly as mrs. His ambition and intelligence are oppressed by zeenas cold, conniving character. In theme, ethan fromes vision of frustration, catastrophe, and prolonged pain and despair reflects a maturity and complexity of thought not apparent in the earlier vignette wharton composed in french. Essay ideas, study questions and discussion topics based on important themes running throughout ethan frome by edith wharton.
First, we encounter the connection between mattie and the color redshe wears a red scarf to the dance and a red ribbon in her hair for her dinner alone with ethan. Chapter summary for edith whartons ethan frome, page 3. Ethan frome was published in 1911, when wharton was already an established and successful writer. Ethan frome study guide contains a biography of edith wharton, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Edith whartons ethan frome is a classic of american literature, with compelling characters trapped in circumstances from which they seem unable to escape. From the very beginning of ethan frome we know that starkfield the novellas fictional massachusetts town is the land of broken dreams, lost hopes, and empty plans.
She did not answer, and after a moments hesitation he went up and opened her door. Ethan frome questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on ethan frome. Ethan frome is a popular and highly lauded novel, but it can also present many challenging themes for students. Ethans appearance and disability is foreshadowing as it shows in his story that he is going to go through some intense physical trauma. Ethan frome chapters 35 summary and analysis gradesaver. Frome and zeena marry after she nurses his mother in her last illness. Major themes in ethan frome include silence, isolation, illusion, and the consequences that are the result of living according to the rules of society. In ethan frome how does ethans confrontation with zeena in chapter 7 act as a turning point for his character for most of the novella ethan is content to avoid confrontation with zeena, perhaps because he pities her in her illness, or perhaps because their communication is so broken down he doesnt think open communication would be possible. Ethan frome goodreads read in a single setting the novel world book companion ethan frome is set in the fictional new england town of starkfield, where a visiting engineer tells the story of his encounter with ethan frome, a man with a history of thwarted dreams and desires. When ethans wife hires her young cousin as a housekeeper, ethan falls hopelessly in love with her. What role does zeenas cat play in ethan frome zeenas cat is involved in only one scene from the novella.
Although frome seems ambitious and intelligent, zeena holds him back. How to discuss a book helpful discussion tips generic discussion questionsfiction and nonfiction readthinktalk a guided reading chart also consider these litlovers talking points to help get a discussion started for ethan frome 1. The main characters are ethan frome, his wife zenobia, called zeena, and her young cousin mattie silver. On wednesday, march 17, 2010, we are discussing ethan frome by edith wharton in the large study room at the harnish building. When zeenas young cousin mattie arrives to help care for her, ethan is immediately taken by matties warm, vivacious personality. In ethan frome not really much happens, it is not a story with different angles or strands but what it says makes that all up. Ethan frome chapter 5 study guide flashcards quizlet. Serialized in scribners magazine from august to october in 1911, ethan frome was published in book form the same year. The novel was published in 1911, set in the fictitious town of starkfield, massachusetts, whose naming is a subtle overture to the books mood. Post office, his limp and the red gash on his face. Ethan frome book by edith wharton official publisher.
Ethan frome could have had the life he dreamed of, a life of education, love, and polite company. Discussion questions use our litlovers book club resources. Themes in ethan frome cliffsnotes study guides book. Free downloadable version in kindle or epub format. Mattie and ethans solution, so tragically aborted, provides a topic for discussion to which teenagers can relate. Ethan frome by edith wharton discussion classics reading.
With zeena visiting a doctor in another town, the cat acts as a standin for her spirit, which ethan admits is an alien presence, an evil energy in the house. Ruth tells the narrator that zeena takes care of ethan and mattie. All young people can relate to ethans conflict between doing what he thinks will make him happy and what he. It is set in the fictitious town of starkfield, massachusetts.
Ethan frome wordsworth classics by edith wharton reading. Ethan frome is the framed story of ethan frome and how his life came to be what is was. In ethan frome, wharton has stripped away from her story all extraneous details. See a complete list of the characters in ethan frome and indepth analyses of ethan frome, zenobia zeena frome, and mattie silver. She lived primarily in paris between 1905 and the outbreak of world war ii, and these years were productive. Ethan is a man in his early fifties who is obviously strong, and obviously crippled. How was wharton foreshadowed the smashup throughout the book. Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the. Edith wharton and the modern privileges of age discount until 2. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Discuss the relationship between the physical environment of starkfield and the. Ethan frome by edith wharton reading guidebook club.
Great supplemental information for school essays and homework projects. Mattie, to the frome household is a magical change in ethans life, and he and mattie soon fall in love with each other. In fact, sometimes, it is hard to call it even a tragedy as. Jealous, ethan eavesdrops as mattie refuses deniss offer of a ride home and begins the twomile walk back to the farm alone. Edith whartons tale of forbidden emotions is set on a new england farm in the first decade of the twentieth century. What is startling about ethans physical appearance. Ethan s appearance and disability is foreshadowing as it shows in his story that he is going to go through some intense physical trauma.
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