It is always amazing when a classic novel can be compared with a recent work of fiction. One of these comparisons can be made between the Edith Wharton novel, Ethan Frome, and the new movie, written by Allen Ball, American Beauty. The key difference between these two masterful pieces of fiction is that the lead characters take different stances on the control of their fate. Ethan Frome, the titular character of the novel, is a dreamer who lets others control his fate instead of chancing his dreams. Lester Burnham, the lead in American Beauty, dares to chance the rapids of life and in turn accomplishes his goal, and the goal of most people in life, which is to be truly happy.

Ethan Frome is a story about a man, Ethan, with a nagging, sickly wife, Zeena, that tries to make his life as miserable as possible. The wife's cousin, Mattie Silver, comes to live with the Fromes to help take care of the house. In turn, Ethan falls silently in love with Mattie as does Mattie with him. Zeena seems to catch on to this lovefest, and to put an end to it, orders a hired girl to replace Mattie. When Ethan is forced to take Mattie to the train station to send her away, the two

There are two situations presented here: one man, who took no control over his fate, is in a state of living hell, another man died when he took control of his and found happiness. The cynic may look at this situation and say, "Life's a b*tch and then you die", but that would be a sad and sorry way to view life. Instead the true meaning of the story lies within the two fates of these great characters. True, Ethan Frome lived, and one may see that as he being the wiser of the two, but one would be wrong in making this statement. Lester Burnham did die, but he died happy. It doesn't matter that he experienced only a slight second of happiness before his death, because he at least experienced true happiness. Ethan Frome never felt a moment of happiness again because he suffered the woes of never taking a chance to fulfill his dreams; he never took a chance to be happy. The country singer, Garth Brooks, puts it best when he sings "Life is not tried it is merely survived If you're standing outside the fire." Ethan Frome stood outside the fire and died a bitter old man. Lester Burnham died a happy man, something all of us strive to be.

Ethan Frome dreams of a life without Zeena. He dreams of moving west with Mattie and building a new life. He dreams of Zeena dead. He dreams of a life where he is happy. He even goes so far as to convince himself, even if for only a split second, that he and Mattie "had always spent their evenings thus and would go on doing so," alluding to a fantasy that he and Mattie had always been married. Ethan dreamed many dreams of this sort but nev

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Approximate Word count = 1073
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)