Ethan Frome By Edith Wharton: Summary

In the novel, Ethan Frome, there are two women that are apart of Ethan Frome’s pitiable existence, Zeena and Mattie. There are both acutely different from each other but they also share some similarities between themselves. Zeena and Mattie are different in many ways in the matter of appearance, their outlook on life, and their interest in Ethan Frome but eventually it shows towards the end of the novel that Mattie is not so much distinct from these qualities after “the smash up”.

Soon after being deserted on the road, grandfather comes down with a summer grippe and becomes helpless. Mattie then needs to take care of them both by finding food and water. This shows responsibility because she not only had to take care of herself, but of her grandfather too with no help from anyone, and no one to tell her what to do.

Ethan and Mattie fall in love but are prevented from being together because Zeena attempts to remove Mattie from the Frome household. Ethan and Mattie attempt suicide in order to be together forever but they survive the smash-up and are left crippled with only Zeena to care for them. While some people believe that Mattie Silver is responsible for the tragic ending of Ethan

|almost like a childhood crush. Zeena is very suspicious of their relationship. The last straw was when Mattie broke the pickle dish while Zeena was away. This was |

The Novella of Edith Wharton, Ethan Frome, is a tragedy. Ethan Frome suffered tragedy because of his character flaws, errors in his judgment, and forces beyond his control. Ethan Frome married a woman, Zeena, he was lonely and not truly in love with her. When her cousin, Maddie comes to live with them Ethan becomes infatuated with her. When Maddie has to leave, Ethan and Maddie decide to kill themselves so they never would have to leave one another. In the novella of Edith Wharton, Ethan Frome, Ethan is a unique character who suffers a downfall due to character flaws, and errors in judgment, and most important forces beyond human control to in which he gains wisdom.

Mattie Silver's arrival at the Frome household is everything Ethan needs.  His lack of assertiveness has led to his deep hatred of his wife and his life.  He soon falls in love with young Mattie and when Zeena decides it's time for her to go, Ethan hesitates to stand up for himself and Mattie.  When he is forced to take her away, he tells Mattie about a story similar to theirs(Wharton, 56); he offers the chance for them to run away together, but Mattie declines.  If Ethan had only made the decision for them, or stood up to Zeena, his life would be much better off.

Many people oppose society due to the surroundings that they face and the obstacles that they encounter. Set in the bleak winter landscape of New England, Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is the story of a poor, lonely man, his wife Zeena, and her cousin Mattie Silver. Ethan the protagonist in this novel, faces many challenges and fights to be with the one he really loves. Frome was trapped from the beginning ever since Mattie Silver came to live with him and his wife. He soon came to fall in love with her, and out of love with his own wife. He was basically trapped in the instances of his life, society’s affect on the relationship, love, poverty, illness, disability, and life.

A novel is only as great as its author’s efforts. The ability to tie everything together in the end of a novel without leaving any unsolved questions, or relying on the ex machina technique, is the goal in which all inspiring authors reach for. Novelist Edith Wharton once said, “At every stage in the progress of his tale the novelist must rely on what may be called the “illuminating incident” to reveal and emphasize the inner meaning of each situation. Illuminating incidents are the magic casements of fiction, its vistas on infinity.” This idea came from Wharton’s own work, The Writing of Fiction. In a different work of hers, a novel by the name of Ethan Frome, Wharton explores the concept of the illuminating incident very thoroughly. I have

Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome is vividly real to its readers, its issues continually relevant to society, but through its structure and moral lessons, it is intended to be read as a 'fairy tale'.

The novel, Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton tells of Ethan Frome and his struggles to be with the one he loves, Mattie Silver, and escaping the one he’s married to, Zeena. The tragedy that is Frome’s life is founded on the differences between Mattie and Zeena, such as their physical appearance and their communication and relationship with Ethan.

By explaining how they all seemed to live miserable lives, Mrs. Ned Hale concluded that if Mattie hadn’t survived the crash maybe Ethan could’ve had a better life. Edith Wharton develops a full-circle ending with the epilogue, perfectly portraying the miserable life of the Frome

Often times, when people are hurt and taken advantage of themselves, they in turn take advantage of others. This is true of the character Ethan Frome in the novel of the same name by Edith Wharton. Zeena takes advantage of Ethan, so Ethan takes advantage of Mattie. Mattie is the true victim in the novel because she is young and impressionable, which Ethan uses to manipulate her. She has pure intentions, but ultimately ends up living a miserable life mainly to the fault of Ethan.

Tracing back to the year that changed Ethan Frome’s life forever, the reader finds themselves outside of a church where Ethan Frome is mesmerized by the sight of this girl, Mattie Silver, who is actually his wife’s sister. When Mattie

Their walks on the farm always include Mattie's Silver's “light step [flying] to keep time with [Ethan Frome's] long stride” (11). At the beginning of the novella, Mattie's "natural beauty" (12) manages to shine through despite the fact that Ethan Frome's deathly personality is slowly killing her upbeat charisma. Mattie feels alive when she is with Ethan although Ethan makes everything around him dead. Mattie's hopeful personality is "like the lighting of a fire on a cold hearth" (11). Her warm demeanor provokes Ethan to think of Mattie as more than just a caretaker to his wife. Her innocence allows for Ethan to have warmth to be brought back into his

Denis Eady, a rich and young man, offers a ride back to the deteriorating farm to Mattie. Mattie refuses and Ethan offers to walk her back. As they get back, Zeena opens the door and has a cold attitude when talking to Mattie (19-28). Denis shows interest in Mattie, yet Mattie is not willing to flirt back with him which shows her infatuation with the Frome household. Mattie can marry off and live in a lavish household without feeling demand from her environment. However, Mattie stays in the Frome household despite Zeena’s attitude with her and the poor conditions of the shelter. This demonstrates her obsession to stay on the farm. Nearing the end, Mattie says, “I’m not crazy; but I will be if I leave you” (90). This piece of dialogue marks the transition from Mattie’s love for Ethan to her obsession of Ethan. Mattie’s mental stability is fluctuating according to Ethan which shows that she obsesses with Ethan. Soon, Mattie proposes that both of them should commit suicide by crashing into the large elm tree (90). The proposal to commit double suicide happens because of her obsession with Ethan. Mattie wants to stay with him forever and could not bear to part with him because of her obsession with Ethan. She reaches the conclusion that the only way she does not have to leave Ethan is if they die together. However, if Mattie dies,