Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is a novel by Edith Wharton published in 1911. This novel is about an isolated farmer who has to deal with his ungrateful and demanding wife Zeena. This takes place in Starkfield,
Massachusetts. Ethan is tall, has strong shoulders that are bent out of shape, blue eyes. and brown hair. Zeena is described as wrinkled and shallowed face, with false teeth, and crimping pins in her hair. There becomes conflict when Mattie, Zeena's cousin, moves in as a house keeper. She is an understanding , sensitive, and cheerful person who falls in love with Ethan. This causes jealousy to happen. Mattie seems to understand Ethan and he soon begins to fall in love. Ethan ends up in a love triangle between
his wife and
Mattie. He must choose weather to stay in a relationship with Zeena that is quiet or be adventurous with Mattie. In this novel there is a symbol. The red pickle dish. The pickle dish is Zeena's favorite wedding present.
It is a symbol of Ethan and Zeena's marriage. She kept it on a high shelf. The red color is a symbol of passion that they both no longer share. It was also a symbol of Mattie and Ethan's romance. Mattie brought the dish down for Ethan for a special dinner. But as it was not her place to do so, it became broken.
Ethan and Mattie both make a suicide attempt because they can't bear to be apart. They go sledding and crash into the Elm tree. They are both still alive. Ethan is in unbearable pain. He is now disfigured and takes care of his lovers paralyzed body.
Massachusetts. Ethan is tall, has strong shoulders that are bent out of shape, blue eyes. and brown hair. Zeena is described as wrinkled and shallowed face, with false teeth, and crimping pins in her hair. There becomes conflict when Mattie, Zeena's cousin, moves in as a house keeper. She is an understanding , sensitive, and cheerful person who falls in love with Ethan. This causes jealousy to happen. Mattie seems to understand Ethan and he soon begins to fall in love. Ethan ends up in a love triangle between
his wife and
Mattie. He must choose weather to stay in a relationship with Zeena that is quiet or be adventurous with Mattie. In this novel there is a symbol. The red pickle dish. The pickle dish is Zeena's favorite wedding present.
It is a symbol of Ethan and Zeena's marriage. She kept it on a high shelf. The red color is a symbol of passion that they both no longer share. It was also a symbol of Mattie and Ethan's romance. Mattie brought the dish down for Ethan for a special dinner. But as it was not her place to do so, it became broken.
Ethan and Mattie both make a suicide attempt because they can't bear to be apart. They go sledding and crash into the Elm tree. They are both still alive. Ethan is in unbearable pain. He is now disfigured and takes care of his lovers paralyzed body.