Prologue-
1. What does the name Starkfield suggest about the setting? How does Herman Gow corroborate this later?
- The name of stark field suggest the landscape and also the characteristics of the people living there being barren and well, Stark. Herman Gowcorroboratesthis later when he is talking to the narrator about Ethan; he says that Ethan has seen to many winters in Starkfield, and that all the smart people leave for the cold winter months.
2. What is the stereotype of an Engineer? How is the narrator a typical engineer? Can the reader trusts what he tells us? Why did the Wharton have the Narrator say that he "...began to piece together this vision" of Frome's story?
- In the time of the book, America was fast becoming more industrialized and to do this, the country needed more and more engineers. Being an engineer was, and still is, a respected career of which are a symbol of progressive technology and men of science. They are supposedly straight forward and spend their time looking at facts to solve problems. The narrator is a typical character at the time as he represents progress coming to Starkfield. He seems a very straightforward man and is typical as he is trying to figure out the man that is Ethan Frome. From this, I think we can trust the narrators judgement. The author used the line"...began to piece together this vision", as the Narrator had to gather together little bits of information from different people, and the more he inquired, the more piece of the puzzle he unearthed. She used the "Vision" as it seems that Ethan's story is naught but a dream or a ghost per say. The town people seem to deny the story's existence and when questioned, give ambiguous facts.
3. What is the significance of the missing L structure on the farm?
- The L structure is significant as it reflects Ethan's lost and heartless existence. In New England, the narrator clearly states, that the L structure is the heart of the farm and represents a life connected with the soil and land.
4. What places do Herman Gow and Mrs. Ned Hale occupy in the story?
- Herman Gow and Mrs. Ned Hale are foil characters; they show the town peoples point of view towards Ethan Frome and his story. They are purposely ambiguous and seem to try and forget that Ethan's story ever happened.
Chapter 1-
1. What foreshadowing devices has the author used? How is the setting itself a foreshadowing?
- Ethan's appearance and disability is foreshadowing as it shows in his story that he is going to go through some intense physical trauma. They way characters in the book react when the Narrator asks about Ethan; they use lines such as "Smash-up" and ".....it was awful". They also try to avoid saying too much on the topic and try to let as little away as possible. Also, at the beginning of chapter 1, the author describes the sky; "In a sky of iron the points of the Dipper hung like icicles and Orion flashed his cold fires." Also, the description of the church as "the young man walked toward it the upper windows drew a black arcade along the side wall...". The setting itself is foreshadowing as it is often gray and bleak and only sometimes it has has a beauty that seems to juxtapose the lackluster of the village; Ethan is stuck in a prison of which he sees the beauty and wonder of the world as if its taunting him. That, and also after the "smash-up" the town seems a lot more dark and bleak than the setting before hand when the author gives hints of life.
Chapter 2-
1. How does Ethan reveal that he feels ambivalent?
- Ethan shows his ambivalence when he goes to pick Mattie up from the church. He does this by observing her while hiding behind the door; Ethan feels as though he deserves a life with Mattie, but is conscious of the fact he would be leaving his poor sickly wife.
2. What foreshadowing is use in this chapter?
- When Ethan approaches Mat, she is standing in " the black shade of the Varnum spruces" . Another one is "that is was so dark under the spruces that he could barely see her head against his shoulder." There is also the commentary when Mat and Ethan are talking about going coasting and that Ruth and Ned Hale nearly died by running into a big elm. This chapter is riddle with quotes of darkness towards the landscape and especially towards Mattie Silver.
3. How is Ethan's conflict between his feelings for Mattie and those for Zeena voiced?
- Ethan's feelings for Mattie are voiced through the way he admires her and how he gets jealous of Denis Eady. Also the way he sees the world changes as a result of her closeness. His feelings for Zeena are expressed through his hesitance when approaching Mattie; he feels as though he is unacceptable as suitor and that it is morally wrong
4. Why is the missing door key significant?
- The missing door key is significant as it shows that Ethan cannot live his fantasy with Mattie as it will lock him out of society and his home. It also shows that Zeena has her suspicions over Ethan's thoughts on Mattie. On another level, it can also show that it is Zeena who is locking him out of his life and what dreams he should be able to have.
5. How are Mattie and Zeena contrasted physically?
- In the story, Mattie is described as young, vibrant and full of life. She has lots of energy and is very attractive. Zeena on the other hand is old and disabled. She spends her time brooding over thing and as such has turned her in to an old hag. Her features are shallow and angular, and she is represented as being tall and overshadowing.
Chapter 3-
1. How are the two women contrasted psychologically?
- As shown in the story, Mattie has a curious andinnocent mid; much like a child's. She is full of kindness although she manages to bring out the dominance in men. Inn contrast, Zeena seems not to have a care in the world except for herself. She is portrayed as cruel anddomineering over Ethan. She is the one thing of which is blocking Ethan's dreams and she seems to do it deliberately.
2. How is Ethan's conflict intensified in this chapter?
- Ethan realize's that Mattie is a young attractive girl of which has to make her own way in life and it would be immoral and cruel to force her to stay with Ethan of which she has no future with. On the hand, he feels that his wife is dominating and manipulating himself and Mattie. He feels as though Mattie should rebel against Zeena's tyranny. His conflict is also pushed by the fact that he realizes that he will soon have to make a decision between the two women and that is making him desperate.
Synthesis: Prologue- Chapter 3-
1. "He's looked that way ever since he had his smash-up; and that's twenty-four years ago come next February." (pg 4)
- This quote reveals that Ethan is still under the thrall of some terrible event, and that this event is most probably going to be the climax of the story. It also shows us that this event also haunt the town.
2. " I merely felt in her insurmountable reluctance to speak of him and his affairs..." (pg 8)
- This quote shows us the extent of the horrific accident; that it can silence the towns gossiper. It seems as though this event hangs over the entire of the town.
3. When Mattie says, referring to a group of clouds overhead, "It looks just as if it was painted,' it seemed to Ethan that the art of definition could go no farther, and that words had at last been found to utter his secret soul...." (pg 26)
- Ethan is convinced that Mattie Silver is his soulmate and that he loves her totally and utterly. It also shows how much of a dream Mattie and him are, such a thing only happens in art and the imagination.
4. " I guess you're always late, now you shave every morning." (pg 26)
- This quote is significant as it shows that Zeena knows about Ethan's feelings for Mattie and that Ethan has underestimated his own wife. In a way this comment forebodes what is yet to come, and highlights the conflict between Ethan and Zeena, and also Ethan against himself.
5. " His glance crossed Mattie's and he fancied that a fugitive warning gleamed through her lashes" (pg 41)
- This shows that Mattie is conscious of the effect she is having on Ethan, and it is also an acknowledgement of the immorality of the situation. It shows that she also feels something for Ethan as she is not giving him away to his wife, or it could show that she is thinking about her own situation.
6. "Though she was but seven years her husbands senior, and he was only twenty-eight, she was already an old woman." (pg 48)
- This describes the physicality andpsychology of Zeena in contrast with Ethan. It may also give insight into the author life as her husband was ten years her senior, and it may show her feelings towards him. All of Ethan's life, Ethan has been looking after old, sickly women and hasn't been able to reach his full potential as a young man; he is chained to his wife and has none the means to become free of her.
Chapter 4-
1. What traits in Ethan's character are emphasized?
- Ethan'sinnocenceand ignorance of thetragedy of which is his life. It also emphasizes how hopeful he is without fully being able to comprehend what he's doing; he has his head in the clouds. It also emphasizes how immature Ethan actually is even though.
2. Comment on Wharton's use of descriptive language in this chapter, particularly to adjectives referring to colour. Why are they significant?
- Within the chapter the author describes Starkfield within a lot of juxtaposition between light and darkness. The only time any real colour is mentioned is when Ethan comes home to Mattie. To describe the house, she uses the colour red a lot, especially when referring to Mattie. This describes Ethan's feelings towards Mattie as red represents passion, strength andvitality, something of which Ethan's life is devoid.
Chapter 5-
1. What basic difference between Ethan and Mattie highlighted in this chapter?
- The fact that Ethan is very much married to a sickly woman of which couldn't do without him, and the fact that Mattie is young and free. She is also reliant on her cousin to allow her board and work. This is seen when Zeena's memory keeps intruding the supposedly romantic dinner.
Chapter 6-
1. How has the evening without Zeena altered Ethan's perception of his daily routine?
- His evening with Zeena makes Ethan realize how dire his situation really is. He realizes that he needs Mattie in his life; the last hope he has even if it's based on some unobtainable dream. He realizes that he can't keep her and is in such a state as he realizes how horrible and pointless hisexistenceis; he's a slave to his life.
Synthesis: Chapters 4 to 6-
What do these statements reveal about the characters?
- "...He had secretly gloried in being clapped on the back and hailed as `Old Ethe' or `Old Stiff'..." (p. 51).
- "...He had never known such a thrilling sense of mastery" (p. 64).
- "Now, in the warm lamplit room, with all its ancient implications of conformity and order, she seemed...more approachable" (p. 68).
- "I don't know. She went right up to her room" (p. 77).
At this point in the novel, it shows the the weakness in Ethan as he feels as though he wants to belong, but his plight for Mattie is going to severe his ties with society and he is going to become more of an outsider than he already is. It also shows Ethan's long lostambitions of which he had before he threw himself into the misery of his fate. Hisliaison with Mattie served to show Ethan's dreams, in short, Ethan longs to be loved and feel warmth from anybody, and Mattie is his escape from the harsh cold world of which he lives in.Zeena is a very reclusive character and I think that she envies and is jealous of Mattie's hold over Ethan; Zeena is not in control of 'her' household anymore and that frightens her as she is losing everything she has as Ethan draws closer to Mattie.
Questions: Chapter VII-Epilogue
Chapter VII
1. How does Zeena's news about hiring Mattie's replacement affect Ethan?
- The news affects Ethan drastically. It rips him out of the fantasy world he was living in and thrusts him to the realization that he can't live without Mattie and that there time together is running out.
2. Why can this chapter be considered the climax of the novel?
- This could be considered the climax as it is when tensions between Ethan, Mattie and Zeena are highest. At this point in the novel, it is the first confrontation where Zeena plainly states that she wants to get rid of Mattie and there is a subtle connotation here that indicates that Zeena knows what is going on and is definately going to do something about it, i.e. send Mattie away .
Chapter VIII
1. In this chapter, Ethan weighs his options. How is his decision to maintain the status quo in keeping with his personality?
- Ethan has this enormous urge to rebel against Zeena. He feels that if he stays with his wife he will remain a prisoner to her illnesses and conditions and that he won't have another chance to escape making life not worth living. Ethan longs to be free of his restraints and be able to explore the world. He also has a desperate need to feel loved by someone and to feel excepted.
2. Why does he not consider his obligation to Zeena? What will his decision to remain with Zeena do to Mattie? Is this fair?
- He feels as if Zeena is pure evil as she is pushing away the only option he has for happiness, he has not seen the situation from Zeena's point of view. The problem comes if he decides to stay with Zeena, he is sacrificing his hapiness and also the woman he loves. This is then made even more dire as if he stays with Zeena he is ditching Mattie in the middle of nowhere with no job, no home, no money and no one to turn to. It neither fair to stay with Mattie nor with Zeena as either way somebody loses.
3.How do Wharton's descriptions mirror Ethan's state of mind and foreshadow the end?
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Chapter IX
1. How is Zeena's reaction to Mattie's departure a contrast to Ethan's? What are the implications of her behavior?
- Zeena is happy to see Mattie go as Mattie has become Zeena's archenemy as if Ethan leaves Zeena, Zeena will have no place to go. Ethan is Zeena's soul provider; he earns all the money, he maintains the farm, he looks after Zeena when she's ill, and he is practically the one person who is keeping her alive. Ethan feels that it is Mattie who is keeping him alive and so the predicament becomes even more complicated.
2. Comment on the irony of Ethan's defiance of her command to stay home and let Jotham drive Mattie to the station.
- It is ironic in that Ethan doesn't have control in any aspect of his life and to use the word "rebel" makes him seem like arepugnantteenager. It is also ironic as Mattie seems to be his one reason to live and he is going to take her away.
3. Why does suicide seem logical? Is this decision a solution or a "cop-out?
- To Mattie and Ethan it is logical as they both say that they can't live without each other and that if they leave they're just going to slowly waste away. It seems better to kick the bucket on their own terms and to do it together, it is also Ethan's last act of rebellion against his life and Zeena. I think that it is more of a cop out than a solution as they are jumping the bandwagon before they fully know what their lives might contain.
Epilogue
1. How is the reader surprised?
- The reader is surprised to find that both Ethan and Mattie survive the crash and that they both come out of it severely disfigured.
2. How does the Narrator deal with the story now?
- The story goes from Ethan's point of view back to the narrators. It ends by Mrs. Hale telling the narrator what happened after the "accident" with the sleigh.
3. * What is ironic about Mrs. Hale's interpretation?
- Mrs. Hale becomes surprised at the fact that Ethan allowed the narrator to stay the night in his house as she says he is too proud to allow anybody to enter except his old friends. This is ironic as he has nothing to be proud of in that his life, like his house, is slowly rotting away with no one to care for it. It is also ironic that she said that it was a pity that Mattie lived as she hadexperienced so much pain. The ending of the story itself is ironic as in the end Mattie lives with Ethan, Zeena is no longer sickly and Ethan still lives in misery as Mattie ends upparalyzed.
Synthesis: Chapter VII - Epilogue
What do these quotes from the novel reveal?
1."It was as senseless and savage as a physical fight between two enemies in the darkness" (p. 83).
2. "I'm going to try my luck West" (p. 97).
3. "He turned and walked slowly back to the farm" (p. 119).
4. * "I could go down this hill with my eyes tied!" (p. 119).
- The first quote shows us Ethan's opinion of the fight over Mattie with Zeena. He has no love of fight and that Zeena has turned into his enemy and they both know it. In the argument, bits of disagreements from long before Mattie came began spewing from both their mouths and it symbolizes the loss of their marriage.
- The West seems to be a place where peoples dreams and hopes seem to lie without a specific name of town or city being mentioned. There seems to be big industry in that part of the country and it seems to be an escape from the Starkfield.
- The third quote shows that Ethan has flung himself into his fate, he has given up hope escape and reluctantly abandons all hope he has; he realizes that he cannot win no matter what he does in the situation.
- The final quote reveals a lot about Ethan's mind set in that particular moment during the novel. He knows the way down the hill, but"it was the most confusing hour of the evening, the hour when the last clearness from the upper sky is merged with the rising night in a blur that disguises landmarks and falsifies distances". This quote represents Ethan's life, as he is in the most confusing situation of his life and even though he knows the way he is distracted with differentobstaclesand false distances of eventually cause him toattemptsuicide .
