Ethan Frome: An Overview

1
Ethan Frome An Overview

• Written by Edith Wharton in 1910 while she was
  living in Paris.
• Setting takes place in the ficitional town of
  Starkfield, Massachusetts.
• Story line has a nice Romeo Juliet
  parallelwith a twist or two.
• A fine example of Tragic Romance
• Major conflict focus on Ethans ongoing
  struggle with his consciencehow societal norms
  (and physical surroundings) can often be
  oppressive.

2
Symbolism, Themes, and such

• Symbolism
• Matties red scarf/ribbon
• What is the symbolism of the color RED?
• How does this compare/contrast with Red Badge?
• Well later contrast this with the green light in
  Gatsby
• Zeenas pickle dishand cat
• How do the two of these compare and contrast?
• The sled run
• Are there multiple forms that escape can take?

3

• Themes
• Society and its morality
• How/why does society impose limitations?
• Winter
• What effect does winter have on humans?
• Unrequited love desire
• The authors use of Foreshadowing
• What clues does foreshadowing give the reader?
• Why do you think the author uses this literary
  vehicle?

4
Painting the stark, foreboding picture

• (p. 5) That Frome farm was always bout as
  bares a milk pan when the cats been round.
• (p.5) Sickness and trouble thats what
  Ethans had his plate full up with, ever since
  the very first helping.
• (p.21) Then he had a distinct sight of his wife
  lying in their bedroom asleep, her mouth slightly
  open, her false teeth in a tumbler by the bed.
• (p.46) Im a great deal sicker than you think.
• (p.50) Ethan look at her with loathing. She
  was no longer the listless creature who had lived
  at his side in a state of sullen self-absorption,
  but a mysterious alien presence, an evil energy
  secreted from the long years of silent brooding

5
The sun breaks through the clouds

• (p.3) I began to see why Starkfield emerged
  from its six months siege like a starved
  garrison capitulating without quarter.
• (p.14) She had an eye to see and an ear to
  hear he could show her things and tell her
  things, and taste the bliss of feeling that all
  he imparted left long reverberations and echoes
  he could wake at will. It was during their night
  walks back to the farm that he felt most
  intensely the sweetness of this communion.
• (p.20) The cry was a balm to his raw wound.
  The iron heavens seemed to melt and rain down
  sweetness.

6

• (p.40) The sudden heat of his tone made her
  colour mount again, not with a rush, but
  gradually, delicately like the reflection of a
  thought stealing slowly across her heart.
• (p.63) and he laid his lips on her hair, which
  was soft yet springy, like certain mosses on warm
  slopes, and had the faint woody fragrance of
  fresh sawdust in the sun.

7
Ethans Conflict

• (p.13) but not long afterward he had reached
  the point of wishing that Starkfield might give
  all its nights to revelry.
• (p.16) Of late, however, there had been no room
  in his thoughts for such vague apprehensions.
  Zeena herself, from an oppressive reality, had
  faded into an insubstantial shade. All his life
  was lived in the sight and sound of Mattie
  Silver, and he could no longer conceive of it
  being otherwise.
• (p.35) The catbacked into the pickle-dish,
  which fell to the floor with a crash.

8

• (p. 48) It was the first scene of open anger in
  their sad seven years together.
• (p.50) You mean to tell her shes got to go
  at once? Ethan looked at her with loathing.
• (p.56) Zeena, Ive done all I could for you,
  and I dont see its been any useIm going to
  try my luck West, and you can sell the farm and
  mill, and keep the money
• (p.57) There was no way out - none. He was a
  prisoner for life, and now his one ray of light
  was to be extinguished.

9
And a resolution

• (p. 59) The passion of rebellion had broken out
  in him againHe had made up his mind to do
  something, but he did not know what it would be.
• (p.61) He was a poor man, the husband of a
  sickly woman, whom his desertion would leave
  alone and destitutehe turned and walked slowly
  back to the farm.
• (p.71) Right into the big elm. You said you
  could. So t wed never have to leave each other
  any more.

10
The Irony

• (p.76) but shes had the strength given her to
  care for those two over twenty years, and before
  the accident came she thought she couldnt even
  care for herself.