Characterization-Ethan Frome

A detailed Summary of Characterization-Ethan Frome

Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome is a novel based on a man named Ethan Frome who lives a life of unhappiness because of his marriage with his wife. This novel takes place in Starkfield, Massachusetts during the winter. Ethan Frome is a man of many virtuous qualities and numerous defects. Ethan pursues a life of euphoria and a future of an well-educated man. His intentions for himself are good, but because of Ethan not living to his potential or to what he desires, his life is one big catastrophe. He marries the woman who nurses his mother before her death, but she keeps him from realizing his potential. Because of him not pursuing certain things, Ethan lives a life that is miserable and not what he expects. Ethan Frome shows through the characterization of Ethan Frome that one's character defects can cause numerous consequences.

As his mother is close to death, his cousin Zeena takes care of his mother. To Ethan at first, Zeena's presence makes things seem more optimistic and easier for him to deal with. "After the mortal silence of his long imprisonment Zeena's volubility was music in his ears. He felt that he might have 'gone like his mother' if the sound of a new voice had not come to steady h

Just before Mattie has to leave for her train, Ethan and Mattie decide to go sledding to spend some time together happily. Ethan doesn't want Mattie to leave because he loves her, and love has

Ethan many times hopes of a new, more exciting life that will fulfill his need for euphoria. His feelings for Mattie are tremendously overwhelming for him. To Ethan, Mattie is radiant and energetic. He sees possibilities in her beyond his trite life in Starkfield, something truly worth standing up for. Her energy and warmth excite him and allow him to escape from his lonely, monotonous life. The night that Zeena is away in another town seeing a doctor, Ethan and Mattie spend the night together as if they are a married couple. Although he constantly thinks about being with Mattie "the return to reality was as painful as the return to consciousness after taking an anaesthetic" (95). She awakens hope in Frome of a different life, yet he knows that the chance of him actually living this different life is slim to none.

im" (69, 70). Not realizing that Zeena has control over him, after his mother's death he marries Zeena. He marries her not for true happiness but only because he does not like the thought of himself being left alone. "After the funeral, when he saw her preparing to go away, he was seized with an unreasoning dread of being left alone on the farm; and before he knew what he was doing he had asked her to stay there with him" (70). Zeena controls Ethan from the get go. She tells him where she wants to live, but it seems that no town is good enough for her. "She chose to look down on Starkfield, but she could not have lived in a place which looked down on her" (71). Although Ethan wants to live in a city, he lives in Starkfield because Zeena won't have it any other way.

Many times Ethan wants to be able to be free of Zeena's control, but he is too passive to break loose. Not only does he not live where he wishes, but when true happiness comes into his life Ethan doesn't take the chance

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Approximate Word count = 1359
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English