To Be or Not to Be?

In Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, numerous topics are conveyed that are associated with the characters. One example exists as the discussion whether or not the characters are victims of fate. Throughout the novel, multitudes of instances confirm that the characters are indeed victims of fate.

As the history of Ethan Frome’s life unfolds, readers see that his life is controlled by fate. Ethan lead a amazing life due to his intelligence, but at the time of “his father’s death….had put a premature end to Ethan’s studies” (Wharton 28). Death can not be controlled only by fate, and it is by that fate that Ethan’s life had been expired. Even as a child, Ethan was born to a lifestyle of poverty. As his father’s death caused Ethan to do without “convivial loiterings within the village…..his mother fell ill” causing full responsibility of the farm on to Ethan (58). He had no choice but to run the farm by himself in order to support his ill mother. After the death of the mother, Ethan was haunted by the fact of living in

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Zeena’s life was a simple one where fate controlled the life. Though he proposed, Ethan chose to ignore Zeena.

Mattie Silver’s life was clearly controlled by fate, not even by herself. For example, Mattie’s parents had not taught her to cook, clean, and do other housework. She came to Starkfield unexpectedly knowing that her work load would increase. So as a result, Zeena lived a miserable life. It became even more uneasy to live with as she had to take care of the broken and battered Mattie and Ethan due to the sled ride. Fate controlled the dispirited life of Ethan Frome. It was not her fault she was born this way; fate knew that the parents would not teach her and that she would grow to be a failure. The death was already sealed in the future and fate brought it upon them.

Though each had few significant choices that would change their life, fate controlled the majority. Ethan could not control Zeena’s action because it was by fate that Zeena would assume the role of a shrew. As a result he flinched causing much damage to the bodies of both but not death.

Approximate Word count = 689
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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