Ethan Frome Rhetorical Analysis
English II
Directions: Respond to one of the following writing prompts pertaining to Ethan Frome. Your response should be 1½ to 2 pages typed and double-spaced, using Times New Roman 12-point font (in other words, MLA formatting). It should also include a heading, title and pagination (again, MLA formatting).
To support your response, please incorporate direct quotes from the story. After each quote, simply include the page number on which it appears in parenthesis. For example: (22).
As always, your paper should include a clear introduction and thesis statement, body paragraphs and a conclusion.
Do not use the personal pronoun “I” in your paper.
Prompt 1: Toward the end of the story, as Ethan is considering his options, he has
a realization: The inexorable facts closed in on him like prison-warders (officers) handcuffing a convict. There was no way out—none. He was a prisoner for life, and now his one ray of light was to be extinguished (p. 97 in blue book; pp. 116-117 in green book). Identify at least three of the “facts” that are keeping Ethan a prisoner for life.
Prompt 2: Is Ethan Frome a personal or social tragedy? At the end of the story, readers are not sure who or what to blame. Was Ethan ruined by his personal problems—being trapped in a loveless marriage and falling in love with his wife’s cousin—or is he a victim of circumstance bound by family tradition and the stifling environment of which he is a part?
Prompt 3: Write an essay in which you explore Edith Wharton’s use of one of the following literary devices in Ethan Frome—flashback, foreshadowing, imagery or irony. Authors typically use such literary devices to convey meaning and enliven their texts. How does Wharton’s use of this device enhance the text’s meaning and engage the readers’ attention?
Assignment Due Date:
Day 2 Students: Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Day 1 Students: Wednesday, March 5, 2014
You can e-mail me your paper upon completion or on the day it’s due.
Directions: Respond to one of the following writing prompts pertaining to Ethan Frome. Your response should be 1½ to 2 pages typed and double-spaced, using Times New Roman 12-point font (in other words, MLA formatting). It should also include a heading, title and pagination (again, MLA formatting).
To support your response, please incorporate direct quotes from the story. After each quote, simply include the page number on which it appears in parenthesis. For example: (22).
As always, your paper should include a clear introduction and thesis statement, body paragraphs and a conclusion.
Do not use the personal pronoun “I” in your paper.
Prompt 1: Toward the end of the story, as Ethan is considering his options, he has
a realization: The inexorable facts closed in on him like prison-warders (officers) handcuffing a convict. There was no way out—none. He was a prisoner for life, and now his one ray of light was to be extinguished (p. 97 in blue book; pp. 116-117 in green book). Identify at least three of the “facts” that are keeping Ethan a prisoner for life.
Prompt 2: Is Ethan Frome a personal or social tragedy? At the end of the story, readers are not sure who or what to blame. Was Ethan ruined by his personal problems—being trapped in a loveless marriage and falling in love with his wife’s cousin—or is he a victim of circumstance bound by family tradition and the stifling environment of which he is a part?
Prompt 3: Write an essay in which you explore Edith Wharton’s use of one of the following literary devices in Ethan Frome—flashback, foreshadowing, imagery or irony. Authors typically use such literary devices to convey meaning and enliven their texts. How does Wharton’s use of this device enhance the text’s meaning and engage the readers’ attention?
Assignment Due Date:
Day 2 Students: Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Day 1 Students: Wednesday, March 5, 2014
You can e-mail me your paper upon completion or on the day it’s due.