Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • Free Essays • My Term Papers • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - English Ethan Frome1 Ethan Frome1 Ethan Frome Ethan Frome, a novel by Edith Wharton, is set in the bleak Massachusetts town of Starkfield. Ethan Frome struggles to make a living as a farmer while his wife, Zeena, complains about her imaginary ailments. When Zeena’s cousin, Mattie, comes to live with the couple, Ethan and Mattie develop a growing friendship. This “friendship” arouses Zeena’s jealousy and so she evicts Mattie from the house. Ethan becomes furious as he realizes he has fallen in love with Mattie. As they are about to part , in despair, they attempt to end heir lives. Instead they are both left crippled and their original roles have changed for life. Caring for both, Ethan & Mattie and presiding over their wrecked lives, is Zeena. Edith Wharton emphasis her work with her individual style and technique. Wharton is very precise in her choice of words and uses situation irony to wrap the reader. Wharton structures the novel in a very easy to follow manner: by using chapters, cause & effect, relationships, and a great turning point. he setting & geography stay basic throughout the novel as it is winter is Starkfield. Individual happiness is a key element in the novel, while Ethan traps himself in the love he has achieved towards Mattie. Edith Wharton takes her novel beyond. Her extensive choice of words and variety of vocabulary make the novel more interesting. “...her Pierce relations to foist on him the cost of a servant; and for the moment wrath predominated.” (Wharton III). Wharton’s extensive vocabulary gives the reader a sense of intelligence from the narrator as well as a sense of a close to accurate imagination of Ethan Frome’s life. Wharton develops detailed emotions and detailed descriptions of Ethan which gives a strong impact to the reader. “He was the most striking figure in Starkfield, it was not so much his great height that marked him, it was the careless powerful look he had, in spite of a lameness checking each step like the jerk of a chain, there was something bleak and unapproachable in his face, and he was so stiffened and grizzled...” (Wharton IIII) Wharton is very precise and to the point. Technique is a key element in the novel, as Wharton started off in first person describing her interests in Ethan Frome. While in first person Wharton shows curiosity along with interest. This soon led to third person when someone begins to tell her the story of Ethan. Now all of Whartons’s bits of the story are coming into place. The story ends up in first person, where situation irony takes place. The novel was developed with Ethan & Mattie as the ones who take care of Zeena. This changes when Mattie & Ethan decide to end their lives by crashing a sled. Instead, they are both left crippled for life. By the end of the story, the original roles have changed. Ethan is deformed and Mattie is now the helpless invalid. Caring for them both and presiding over their wrecked lives, is Zeena. Wharton develops pathos in her work by making the reader feel sympathy for Ethan, because of his “smash-up” and for Zeena because Ethan puts his responsibility towards her aside for a while to concentrate on more on Mattie. Ultimately, the reader also fells pity on Matte, because like Ethan, she too was involved in the “smash-up” and ends up wretched and sour. Overall, Wharton sends a great impact through her work to the reader, by her use of incredible technique. Wharton gives the reader a chance to experience the life of Ethan Frome by basically painting the picture of his life. Before the story of Ethan Frome is actually told, the narrator elaborates in first person about her involvement with Ethan and the stories behind him. This helps to give a brief overview on what is coming up. When the story actually begins, the narrator gives an informative background on the characters, their role, and involvement in Ethan Frome’s life. As the novel unfolds, the reader experiences delight, sympathy, and hate at certain points. But in the end, the big impact is thrown at you( by using situation irony) and thus ending with the narrator in first person. The setting as well as the geography exposed in the novel remain basically the same throughout the story. The majority of events occur in the setting of Ethan Frome’s farmhouse. As the story progressed Wharton developed two cause and effect relationships. One begins with Ethan and Zeena. Ethan became obligated to marry Zeena after she “cured” Ethan’s mother. He saw how helpful and generous Zeena was and therefore married her. Through the years, Zeena complained about her imaginary ailments while Ethan struggled to make a living as a farmer. Thus leading them both into a bad marriage. From the start, Ethan seldom shows loving affection towards Zeena. Therefore Ethan ended up loving someone else, Zeena’s cousin, Mattie. The next cause & effect relationship involved Ethan and Mattie. They both began to feel strong affection towards one another, and through out the novel the reader realizes that they have fallen in love. When realizing they have to part, in despair, they both decide to end their lives. Instead they both become crippled and helpless for the rest of their lives. This “smash-up” brought on situation irony and marked the turning point in Ethan’s, Mattie’s, and Zeena’s lives. Ethan Frome by: Edith Wharton Enrique Solis Monday, September 13, 1999 AP English III Period 4. Bibliography: Word Count: 915
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