Ethan Frome

“In a day when women were to look at and nothing more, they weren’t intelligent, they

were fashionable, Edith stood alone” (Ovard, 1). Edith Wharton was born on January 24, 1862

into a tightly controlled, New York society that positively discouraged women from achieving

anything beyond a proper marriage. Her role as a daughter of an aristocratic New York family

was to learn the mannerisms and rituals expected of well-bred young women in those days. Edith

would eventually rebel against this role. As a child she was schooled at home, and she had the

privilege of using her father’s extensive library. Therefore, she began to read at an early age and

made up stories which she acted out for her nanny. Later, she would publish her first nonfiction

book, The Decoration of Houses. Edith marries in 1885 and later discovers her husband taking

money from her. She divorces Teddy in 1912 and never marries again. Instead, she devotes her

time to traveling, helping refugees from World War I, and writing. Edith Wharton became one of

America’s most prolific and celebrated writers, producing more than forty books, including

. . .

The light, on a level with her chin, drew out of the

darkness her puckered throat and the projecting wrist

of the hand that clutched the quilt . The detail and figurative language used by the author illustrate the differences between

Zeena and Mattie. The narrator describes Zeena as lonely, “His wife looked so hard and

lonely, sitting there in the darkness with such thoughts” (78). and gathering up the bits of broken glass she went out of the room as

if she carried a dead body” (92). Zeena is set in her own ways and she does not speak unless she wants

something or wishes to criticize others. Although it is cold outside Ethan still finds

everything alive and beautiful since Mattie is with him.

The author uses detail to describe the characterization of Ethan’s wrinkled wife, Zeena. Wharton’s description of Zeena carefully

emphasizes the hard and cold nature of the woman. The narrator conveys Mattie’s appearance, “Mattie came

forward, unwinding her wraps, the colour of the cherry scarf in her fresh lips and cheeks” (39). Whenever Ethan and Mattie are together, Ethan is in command, while Mattie

obeys him.

Common topics in this essay:
Edith Wharton, Ethan Mattie, Zeena Mattie, Zeena Zeena, Mattie Mattie, Mattie Ethan, Whenever Mattie, Ethans Mattie, Ethan Matties, Ethan Frome, figurative language, zeena mattie, narrator describes, , differences zeena, ethan mattie, illustrate differences, differences zeena mattie, edith wharton, detail figurative language, ethan matties, women involved ethans, ethan walking, narrator describes zeena, illustrate differences zeena,

Approximate Word count = 1344
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Already a member? Click here