Ethan Frome Write Up
Title: Ethan Frome
Author: Edith Wharton
Genre: Novel
Date: 1911
Point of View: Prologue and epilogue are first person. Chapters one through nine are limited omniscient.
Setting: Ethan Frome takes place in Starkfield, Massachusetts, a small, rural, relatively uneventful town that is depressed and barren because of the harsh winter weather. Key places include the Frome house, the Frome barn, Starkfield’s town (the bank, post office, the church), Mr. Andrew Hale’s office, and the coasting hill with the large elm at the bottom. The prologue and epilogue are twenty-four years after chapters one through nine, which span over the course of a few days.
Characters:
1. Ethan Frome: protagonist; extremely passive; in love with his wife’s cousin, Mattie; smart-used to study physics; often forced to give up things that are dear to him; enjoys nature; may get jealous; gives up aspirations for others; 24 years old in chapters one through nine but 52 in prologue and epilogue
2. Mattie Silver: Zeena’s cousin; has feelings for Ethan; around 20 years old; lively; happy; upset by small things-breaking pickle dish; is often red or wearing red; bad at domestic chores
3. Zenobia (Zeena) Frome: Ethan’s wife; supposedly very ill; depressed and wicked; pays close attention to Mattie and Ethan; suspicious and jealous; takes pride in being one of the smartest in town; bossy towards Ethan
4. Narrator: takes interest in Ethan; gets sleigh ride from Ethan; stays in Frome house and learns about smash-up
5. Jotham Powell: hired driver; does not talk much; rejects Ethan’s offer for dinner
6. Ruth Varnum Hale: wife of Ned Hale; gossip of the town; does not like to discuss Ethan’s accident; grew up wealthy but money is decreasing
7. Ned Hale: wife of Ruth Hale; is seen kissing Ruth under a tree by Ethan
8. Andrew Hale: Ned Hale’s father; gives Ethan business; short on money-cannot pay Ethan immediately
9. Denis Eady: young man; tries to start a relationship with Mattie; uses
Author: Edith Wharton
Genre: Novel
Date: 1911
Point of View: Prologue and epilogue are first person. Chapters one through nine are limited omniscient.
Setting: Ethan Frome takes place in Starkfield, Massachusetts, a small, rural, relatively uneventful town that is depressed and barren because of the harsh winter weather. Key places include the Frome house, the Frome barn, Starkfield’s town (the bank, post office, the church), Mr. Andrew Hale’s office, and the coasting hill with the large elm at the bottom. The prologue and epilogue are twenty-four years after chapters one through nine, which span over the course of a few days.
Characters:
1. Ethan Frome: protagonist; extremely passive; in love with his wife’s cousin, Mattie; smart-used to study physics; often forced to give up things that are dear to him; enjoys nature; may get jealous; gives up aspirations for others; 24 years old in chapters one through nine but 52 in prologue and epilogue
2. Mattie Silver: Zeena’s cousin; has feelings for Ethan; around 20 years old; lively; happy; upset by small things-breaking pickle dish; is often red or wearing red; bad at domestic chores
3. Zenobia (Zeena) Frome: Ethan’s wife; supposedly very ill; depressed and wicked; pays close attention to Mattie and Ethan; suspicious and jealous; takes pride in being one of the smartest in town; bossy towards Ethan
4. Narrator: takes interest in Ethan; gets sleigh ride from Ethan; stays in Frome house and learns about smash-up
5. Jotham Powell: hired driver; does not talk much; rejects Ethan’s offer for dinner
6. Ruth Varnum Hale: wife of Ned Hale; gossip of the town; does not like to discuss Ethan’s accident; grew up wealthy but money is decreasing
7. Ned Hale: wife of Ruth Hale; is seen kissing Ruth under a tree by Ethan
8. Andrew Hale: Ned Hale’s father; gives Ethan business; short on money-cannot pay Ethan immediately
9. Denis Eady: young man; tries to start a relationship with Mattie; uses