Free Essays on Wharton's Ethan Frome: Isolation
analytical Essay
991 words
Isolation in Ethan Frome
Ethan Frome is a story of ill-fated love, set during the winter in the rural New England town of Starkfield. Ethan is a farmer who is married to a sickly woman named Zeena. The two live in trapped, unspoken resentment on Ethan's isolated and failing farm. Ethan has been caring for his wife for six years now. Due to Zeena's numerous complications they employ her cousin to help in the house, the animated Mattie Silver. With Mattie's youthful presence in the house, Ethan is awoken of the bitterness of his youth's lost opportunities, and a dissatisfaction with his life and empty marriage. Ethan and Mattie in turn, fall in love. However, they never follow their love due to Ethan's morals and the respect he has for his marriage to Zeena. Ethan eagerly awaits the nights when he is able to walk Mattie home from the town dances. He cherishes the ground she walks on.
After a visit to the doctor, Zeena is told that she needs more sufficient hired help. Thus, she decides to send her incompetent cousin away and hire a new one. Ethan and Mattie are desperate to stay together. However, Ethan's lack of financial means and Zeena's health are factors that will never allow him to leave Starkfield. Unable to find any solutions to this problem, Ethan and Mattie decide to commit suicide by sledding into a tree. They figure it is the only way they can be together. The attempt fails, and the two are left paralyzed. Now Ethan's wife must care for the two for the rest of their lives.
There were many themes found in Ethan Frome, but the greatest of them all is loneliness and isolation. In college Ethan acquired the nickname "Old Stiff" because he rarely went out with the boys. Once he returned to the farm to care for his parents, he couldn't go out with them even if he wanted to. Whatever he's done has kept him apart from others: tending to the farm and mill, nursing his sick mother and caring for Zeena. Ethan's isolation is intensified, because he is often tongue-tied. He would like to make contact with others but can't. For example, when he wants to impress Mattie with beautiful words of love, he mutters, "Come along."
In their own ways, Zeena and Mattie are solitary figures, too.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how ethan frome is a story of ill-fated love, set during the winter in the rural new england town of starkfield.
- Narrates how zeena decides to send her incompetent cousin away and hire a new one. ethan and mattie are desperate to stay together.
- Analyzes ethan frome's themes of loneliness and isolation. he was nicknamed "old stiff" because he rarely went out with the boys.
- Analyzes how zeena and mattie are solitary figures in their own ways.
- Analyzes how edith wharton uses characters like mattie to express the theme of loneliness and isolation.
- Concludes that ethan frome should be included in a list of works of high literary merit.
- Analyzes how ethan frome's magnificence attracts many readers. although it was not a commercial success, many critics praised the novel.
Related
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- The Theme Of Isolation In Ethan Frome By Edith Whartonanalytical essayIn the book “Ethan Frome” by Edith Wharton, Ethan, the main character in the book, experiences many episodes of isolation persuading him to escape from and cope with them with outlets of hope, only leading to a life of permanent isolation. The story depicts a classic ironic switch of roles and a triangle of unusual “love.” With many people coming and going, Ethan looks to rely on someone to relieve his isolation and communicate with, only setting him up for trouble.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how edith wharton's "ethan frome" depicts an ironic switch of roles and a triangle of unusual "love."
- Analyzes how ethan's isolation manifests itself throughout the book with characters speaking about him or through depictions of , edith wharton.
- Analyzes how wharton sees the comparison between the setting and ethan in regards to their depth, and how their internal beings cannot be accessed due to different reasons.
- Analyzes how the elm tree symbolizes isolation, and how ethan's emotions, dreams and initiative suffer when snow buries starkfield.
- Analyzes ethan's situation, labeling mattie as his outlet of hope, which he can turn to in order to cope with his isolation.
- Analyzes how ethan ends up where he doesn't want to be due to his isolation with mattie as his outlet. he finds himself finding only one way out, suicide.
- Analyzes how zeena's recovery in every way fits into the category of a miracle, while mattie suffers from many harsh injuries including paralysis.
- Analyzes how mrs. hale, the character in the book that knows the fromes better than anyone else in starkfield, sums up life on the frome farm very simplistically.
2266 wordsRead More - Free Essays on Wharton's Ethan Frome: Responsibilitiesanalytical essayEthan Frome - Responsibilities Ethan Frome is the main character of Edith Wharton’s tragic novel. Ethan lives the bitterness of his youth’s lost opportunities, and dissatisfaction with his joyless life and empty marriage. Throughout the story Ethan is trapped by social limits and obligations to his wife. He lives an unhappy life with many responsibilities and little freedom. Ethan Frome studied science in college for a year and probably would have succeeded as an engineer or physicist had he not been summoned home to run the family farm and mill.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how ethan frome is the main character of edith wharton's tragic novel. he is trapped by social limits and obligations to his wife.
- Analyzes how ethan falls in love with cousin mattie silver because she is the opposite of zeena.
- Analyzes how ethan's body and brain ached with indescribable weariness after taking and anaesthetic. he desperately wanted to run away with mattie but could not leave partly because of his responsibility to take care of zeena.
- Analyzes how ethan's aborted suicide attempt leads to their tragic fate, living a life of physical suffering, so badly that zeena is forced to take care of them.
- Analyzes how ethan frome's practical sense of putting his responsibilities before his self-interests had a negative effect on his life. his first decision of marrying zeena had an impact on everything he did.
705 wordsRead More - Trapped in Ethan Frome by Edith Whartonanalytical essayMany people oppose society due to the surroundings that they face and the obstacles that they encounter. Set in the bleak winter landscape of New England, Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is the story of a poor, lonely man, his wife Zeena, and her cousin Mattie Silver. Ethan the protagonist in this novel, faces many challenges and fights to be with the one he really loves. Frome was trapped from the beginning ever since Mattie Silver came to live with him and his wife. He soon came to fall in love with her, and out of love with his own wife. He was basically trapped in the instances of his life, society’s affect on the relationship, love, poverty, illness, disability, and life.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how ethan frome by edith wharton is the story of a poor, lonely man, his wife zeena, and her cousin mattie silver.
- Analyzes how society opposed ethan frome, who was a prisoner with his wife, zeena, but fell in love with her when her cousin mattie came to live with them.
- Analyzes how ethan had moral values and respect for his marriage to zeena. frome's feelings for mattie never oscillate and he wants to be with this woman who is not his wife.
- Analyzes how edith wharton uses mattie to express isolation and being lonely. she wanted to free ethan from the terrible society he lived in.
- Analyzes how ethan convinces zeena that he will drive mattie to the station no matter what happens. they both decide to commit suicide and sled into a tree for that was the only way they could be together.
- Analyzes how ethan's morals prevent him from leaving starkfield to pursue and achieve his dreams. he cannot bear to leave zeena alone with her sickness.
911 wordsRead More - Intersectionality In Ethan Fromeanalytical essayIntersectionality Analysis: The denotative definition as per Definition of Intersectionality: On the Intersecting Nature of Privileges and Oppression is “ Intersectionality refers to the simultaneous experience of categorical and hierarchical classifications including but not limited to race, class, gender, sexuality, and nationality. It also refers to the fact that what are often perceived as disparate forms of oppression, like racism, classism, sexism, and xenophobia, are actually mutually dependent and intersecting in nature, and together they compose a unified system of oppression.” The term was coined by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw in a 1989 paper titled “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination
In this essay, the author
- Defines intersectionality as the simultaneous experience of categorical and hierarchical classifications including but not limited to race, class, gender, sexuality, and nationality.
- Opines that blacks are disproportionately arrested for drug offenses and the sentences they serve a larger sentence.
- Analyzes how the unequal application of drug law exemplifies the idea of white privilege and black oppression. the drug war is being used as a facade to continually silence unheard voices.
- Analyzes how ethan frome, a poor man, is setback by his upbringing and ideal of toxic masculinity.
859 wordsRead More - Ethan Frome Character Analysis Essayanalytical essayEthan Frome published by Eddie Wharton was set in Starkfield, Massachusetts in 1904. The story happenss against cold hard weather at the New England state. The main character was established as outreach farmer who tends to his very cold, aggressive and disturbed wife named Zeena. He had little hope with his wife until Zeena's cousin, Matte arrives to help him. During the period, he slowly fall in love with Matte causing his marriage to collapsing the relationship between him and Zeena. Ethan From was one all-time classic American books showing characters development through hard facts or conditions that reflects and teaches us the relation in today's social standards.
In this essay, the author
- Narrates how nathan was protective and important to mattie, but not realizing the conflicts would build up against to cause anger. the hold down and stop feelings of sexual desire, romanticism, and emotional led to nathan.
- Analyzes how ethan frome, published by eddie wharton, shows characters development through hard facts or conditions that reflects and teaches us the relation in today's social standards.
- Analyzes how nathan and zeena's resolve and sense of self are sapped by the terrible power of the six-month-long cold season.
- Analyzes how the cat breaks zeena's pickle dish in the rocking chair, a favorite of her marriage, symbolizes the breaking up of the harmful and socially broken frome marriage.
1021 wordsRead More - Pursuit of Happiness in Edith Wharton's Novel, Ethan Fromeanalytical essayWhile everyone is legally intitled to the pursuit of happiness, the truth of the matter is that very few ever achieve it. Ones morals, standards, conscious, or perhaps even fate, keep them from accepting a pure form of satisfaction. While a person can search and struggle their entire life for happiness, the truth of the matter is, that they will never be happy with what they have infront of them. The character Ethan, portrayed in Edith Whartons novel, Ethan Frome, is emotionally weak, he battles constantly with what he wants, how to get it, and what is ethically right. Ethan was obligated to care for his wife Zeena until death, but his misguided decisions lead him to be concerned only with his immediate happiness. Much like Ethan in Ethan Frome, people who concentrate on personal happiness, without factoring in personal responsibility, set themselves up for a painful reality check.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that while everyone is legally entitled to the pursuit of happiness, the truth of the matter is that very few ever achieve it. ethan, portrayed in edith whartons novel, is emotionally weak.
- Analyzes how ethan struggles to find a way to reverse his fate so that he can head west with mattie and be happy with his true love.
- Analyzes how ethan and mattie re-awakened their boyish desires for an exciting future, but are too old and obligated to zeena's health to fulfill them.
- Analyzes how ethan lives in shame and mediocrity, facing every day with zeena and mattie, consumed by guilt instead of misery. he failed at succeeding because he put his selfishness in front of his obligations.
743 wordsRead More - Fantasy is an Escape from Fear in Edith Wharton's Ethan Fromeanalytical essayFantasy is an Escape from Fear in Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome Everyone, at some time in life, will experience fear. But, often fantasies are created in one's mind to escape that fear. Ethan Frome uses his fantasy as an escape to the entrapment of his marriage and the fear of public condemnation. Ethan Frome lives in the winter town of Starkfield, Massachusetts where "the storms of February…pitched their white tents about the devoted village and the wild cavalry of March winds…charged down to their support; and …Starkfield emerged from its six months' siege like a starved garrison capitulating without quarter"
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how edith wharton's ethan frome uses his fantasy as an escape to the entrapment of his marriage and the fear of public condemnation.
- Analyzes how the narrator, upon meeting ethan frome for the first time, thought that his loneliness was not just the result of his personal plight, but had in it the profound accumulated cold of many starkfield winters.
- Analyzes how frome is unable to escape the dreariness of the town of starkfield. each day while passing the headstones on his property he feels as if they are mocking him.
- Analyzes how ethan frome marries zenobia after the death of his mother in an unsuccessful attempt to escape the silence, isolation, and loneliness of life. their lack of communication makes the marriage more miserable.
- Analyzes how ethan frome finds silence between him and zeena and the dreariness she carries. the pale light reflected from the banks of snow made her face look more than unusually drawn and bloodless.
- Analyzes how ethan frome falls in love with mattie in an attempt to escape the entrapment of the failing marriage.
- Narrates how mattie, being young and single, often went to gatherings in town, and ethan took it upon himself to meet her afterward and escort her home.
- Analyzes how mattie, while escorting her home, wants to tell her his feelings and thoughts, but the fact that he had no right to show them made him attach a fantastic importance to every change in her look and tone.
- Analyzes how zeena decides to visit a doctor in the neighboring town. ethan dreamed of them being alone together, spending the evening sitting by the fire, as if they were married.
- Analyzes how ethan's entrapment with zeena is disrupted by the eerie sense of her presence, and the broken red dish.
- Analyzes how ethan and mattie realize their mutual feelings, but zeena's return forced them back to dreadful reality.
- Analyzes how zeena is able to manipulate her husband by using her health to justify her actions and personality.
- Analyzes how ethan tries desperately to find a way for them to escape together, but discovers the true reality of his entrapment of their marriage to zeena.
- Analyzes how edith wharton wrote ethan frome because it vividly reflected her dreary life. abandoned of any love as a child from her mother, she found herself relying on illicit love.
978 wordsRead More - The Development of the Novel and Characters In the novel Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton, the character of Ethan Frome plays an important role in the development of the rest of the book. He has several character traits which distinguish him from the other main characters. Also, there are many factors which play against him throughout the novel.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the character of ethan frome plays an important role in the development of the novel.
- Analyzes how speech renders some importance in the novel. abbreviated words like "wurst kind" and "more'n enough" were used throughout. this misuse shows that frome and the other characters were not well educated.
- Analyzes how ethan frome was motivated by mattie silver. he dreamed of being with her and not with his wife zeena.
- Analyzes how frome changed throughout the novel. he was unhappy, ruled by his wife again after the accident, and anxious to see what was going to happen between mattie and him.
- Analyzes how zeena's decision to make mattie silver, her cousin, live in another town, shattered ethan’s world and he was distressed into almost running off to the west with his true love.
- Narrates how frome and mattie silver's moments before the sledding accident gave them a sense of ease that neither of them had ever felt before. they decided to commit suicide mutually and failed.
- Analyzes how edith wharton's novel "ethan frome" created a vivid character image for the actual character of ethan. these themes help develop the novel and other characters.
930 wordsRead More - Ethan Frome Symbolism Analysisanalytical essayThroughout the book, Ethan himself appears to be lifeless which reflected on how he lived his life due to not pursuing his dreams and remaining in the same old town his ancestors inhabited. Ethan is not the only one dreaming within the book. Mattie also pictures herself with Ethan in the future and it does come true. However, she is not Ethan’s wife like she planned to be. She is stuck with both Ethan and her cousin as her cousin cares for her and the man of her dreams. The reality they are facing becomes more of a hell than a happy ending as they imagined it would
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the symbolism of death and silence in edith wharton's ethan frome. the color red is often brought up as the story develops.
- Analyzes how the red of the scar ethan has can contribute to symbolism within the story. it can be compared to a symbol used in another book which involved commitment to adultery.
- Analyzes how ethan imagined a life without lopez 2 and mattie. he could not get away from zeena, nor run away with the girl he felt drawn to.
- Analyzes how ethan appears lifeless in the book, reflected on how he lived his life due to not pursuing his dreams. mattie also dreams of being a future wife.
- Analyzes how a quote in the book is trying to say that if mattie hadn't lived through the accident, he might have gotten the chance to pursue his true desires.
604 wordsRead More - Failure In Ethan Fromeanalytical essayThe main theme of the book Ethan Frome is failure. It is shown in three ways throughout the story: Ethan's marriage, him not being able to stand up to Zeena, and his involvement in the "smash up".
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the main theme of ethan frome's book is failure. it is shown in three ways throughout the story: his marriage, not being able to stand up to zeena, and his involvement in the "smash up."
- Explains that ethan married zeena so he won't be alone after his mother dies. she became a nagging, sick wife and they had to hire someone to help around the house.
- Explains that ethan's second failure was not standing up to zeena. she claimed the doctor said that she was extremely sick and needed more help around the house.
- Analyzes how ethan modified his and mattie's lives regarding the smash-up. he wanted to run away, but could not because his practical sense told him it was not feasible.
452 wordsRead More