Ethan Frome Study Guide for Test
wahy did mattie come to live with ethan and zeena after the death of her father?
no o eelse in the family would take mattie in because of the money they had lost investing in her fathers business. Zeena, however, had been told she needed help with the housework and mattie could be had for free.
ultimately why does ethan decide that is it impossible for mattie and him to escape stark field and go west?
not only does ethan not have the money to establish himself and mattie in the west, he does noe even have the money to buy tain tickets to get them there. when he thinks of getting there money from Mr. Hale, he realizes that he would be accepting the money under false preteses, playing on the sympathies of the only people in town who are more than indifferent to him.
what is ironic about ethans love of nature and natural beauty>
on the one hand, his love of beauty brings him great joy even in his most sorrowful moments. but not he other and, his lack of someone with whom to share his joy causes him a deep unhappiness. thus his love of beauty causes him both intense joy and intense sorrow
why does the narrator make it a pint to tell us that zeena had to pay extra postage on the book she is reading?
once again, sea re reminded that, impoverished as the fromes are, zeena is so thoroughly self involved and preoccupied with her health that she washes money they can ill afford to spend.
how has zeena changed in Ethan;s eyes during this scene? How have his feelings for her changed?
prior to this conversation, zeena was a presence he ould more or less ignore,, but now she seems to be a vital, evil force. before he merely resented her, but now he abhors her.
how does the final run down the hill emphasize the theme of human events being controlled by destiny?
rather then steer the sled- and ethan has boated how well he can steer- he simply lets the sled follow the track.
how does wharton establish suspense and tension in the after-breakfast kitchen scene?
suspense and drama are created by emphasizing what the characters are not doing and saying- ethans not saying, "we shall never e alone again like this" the closest thing to direct communication they have is mattie singing over her dish-pan. suspense is also built by wharton's telling us at the beginning of the misadventure, "everything went wrong from the start"
what is strange about the cats behavior?
the cat seems to get between mattie and ethan frequently ove rthe course of the evening nd keeps a watchful eye on them. Continuing the "witch" comparison, it can be inferred that the cat is Zeena's "familiar", spying on mattie and ethan
what is the significance of the cherry-colored scarf?
the color red symbolizes passion in the story
what does Ethan mention of the curve and the elm tree at the bottom of the coasting hill foreshadow?
the curve and tree have already been identified as the place where Ruth Varnum and Ned Hale nearly crashed their sled, and we already know that ethan was disfigured and crippled in a "smash up". this further mention of this dangerous spot, therefore, suggests that Ethan, and possibly Mattie, will be severely injured at this spot while coasting
what trait of zeena's is reinforced by the discussion of where she and ethan would live after their arraign?
the fact that ethan wanted to live in a large town or city, but zeena would not be consent to live anywhere where she was not "notable", the center of attention indicated that she is thoroughly self-centered
how does wharton establish the tortuously slow pace of the morning of matte's departure? compare it to the earlier scene in which ethan was trying to buy the glue to repair zeenas pickle dish.
the frantic pace of the earlier scene was achieved by total narration uninterrupted by dialogue. the painstaking pace of this scene is established by quick descriptions of routine activities punctuated with short lines of almost trivial dialogue.
how does the beginning of the epilogue return us to the place where the flashback began?
the introduction ended with the narrators entering ethans house and hearing a woman speak in a "querulous drone" the epilogue begins with that same drone. we probably assume, at forest that it is being made by zeena.
How does Zeena unexpectedly early return alter her mood of the house?
the kitchen, which the night before had been warm and home, now looks "cold and squalid in the rainy winter twilight"
what ironic difference does zeena's absence make in the formes kitchen?
the kitchen, while not grand and sparkling as it was when ethan's mother was alive, seems homier and warmer when zeena is not there
how does the imagery at the beginning of this chapter point to the theme that setting reflects character?
the morning sun is a passionate red,like the red of Mattie's scarf the night before. the trees cast "darkly blue" shadows on the snow, cold and dark like ethans home.
why does the narrator conclude that mrs hale has chosen him as the person who she will break her silence?
the narrator concludes that mrs hale did not want to gossip about people she career for, so she was waiting to share her burden with someone who had been in the house and had seen the fromes circumstances for him or herself.
how does the imagery describing Ethan's property echo his own appearance?
the narrator describes the house and orchard as a "starving", "writhing", "wraith" which seems to shiver. Finally, the narrator concludes that he saw "in the diminished dwelling the image of his own shrunken body"
on what suspenseful note does the prologue end?
the narrator enters etjans home and hears "a woman's voice droning querulously". This leads the reader to wonder who the woman is, but to also suspect that the woman's querulousness might be a factor in Ethan's apparent misery.
what is suggested by the narrators observing "Hitherto Ethan Frome had been content to think him a mean fellow: but now he is positively invited a horse-whipping. it was strange that the girl did not seem aware of it; that she could life her rapt face ago her dancer's and drop her hands into his, without appearing to feel the offense of his look and touch"?
the narrator is suggesting that Ethan has feelings for the girl in the cherry-colored scarf and is jealous of denis easy for being able to dance with her
what does the narrator mean when he mentions the "contrast between the vitality of the climate and the deadness of the community"?
the narrator refers to the beauty of a landscape full of color and life, while the people of the town seem listless and desolate.
what does the beginning of the novel suggest about the reliability of the information presented in the story?
the narrator tells us that he got the story in bits and pieces from different sources, and each account was different. Therefore, we are led to expect that the account will be subjective at best
what is suggests by the narrators saying, "it was the night that i found the clue to Ethan frome, and began to put together this vision of his story"
the narrators calling the account that is to follow, "this vision of his story" suggests that what he is going to tell is not necessarily the factual truth but is a supposition pieced together from facts and impressions
what does the moon emerging from the mist make ethan remember>
the night of Zeena's return and the news of Matties imminent departure was the night that Ethan was supposed to take matte coasting
what theme does the sleet storm emphasize?
the sleet storm emphasizes the theme of the imposition of outside factors on human destiny
how does wharton intensify the suspense and drama during Ethan's search for the glue?
the suspense and drama are intensified by using the rapid-paced narration, rather than a slower-paced scene with action and dialogue. The clutter in Widow Homan's store is established in a single sentence describing where the glue was ultimately found. The episode ends with the only line of dialogue: the widow's foreboding wish, "I hope Zeena ain't broken anything she sets store by".
what is suggested by MRs. Hale's last name?
the word hale means hearty or healthy. the name suggests that somehow mrs. hale and her late husband will serve as foils to contrast ethan ad his wife.
what does the phrase "ironic compliment " suggest about Ethan's treatment at the Eady's store?
the youth in the store greet ethan kindly- possibly even warmly- but they are secretly mocking him
on the ride to the junction, what does the narrator find that he and ethan have in common?
they both spent time in florida. ethan had spent a year there studying to be an engineer, which is also the narrator's occupation
who does this scene raise the stakes and propel the plot toward its climax?
this conversation marks the beginning of ethane personal strength. it is the "first scene of open anger between the couple in their sad seven years together" surely, as we have seen, zeena has no trouble speaking her min. but we have also seen that ethan does not speak his. this newfound strength will likely lead ethan to some form of rebellion against the situation in which he finds himself.
what metaphoric motif does the narrator strengthen when he says, "He seemed a part of the mute melancholy landscape, an incarnation of its frozen woe, with all that was warm and sentient in him fast bound below the surface?"
this description of ethan continues the motif of equating the climate with the people-suggesting that the people are, in many ways, the products of their environment
what does ethan's response to seeing Denis Eady riding toward the Frome farm and his startling Ruth Varnum and Ned Hale under the spruces reveal about his character?
this indicates Ethan's jealous streak
what is significant about the after-lunch conversation between zeena and ethan?
this is the first time in their marriage that ethan has stood up to zeena and spoken back to her
How would you describe the tone of the discussion of zeena's illness and "complications"?
this passage can be described only as ironic or sarcastic
what words best describe the author's tone during this passage of exposition?
this passage can best be described as bitter and sarcastic
what is "traveller's joy" to which the author compares the ringlets in matties hair?
traveller's joy is a flowering, climbing vine, similar to the clematis
what is the first clue to the cause of ethan frome's misery?
very early in the chapter, we learn that, four or five years earlier, Ethan was studying physics, but had to leave his studies because his father died.
what do we learn about Zeena's character in this scene?
we learn that zeena is truly selfish and manipulative. Ethans inability to pay a "...servant changes into his begrudging Zeena this money", Now Zeena's story is that she lost her health while nursing his mother; and that Ethan was therefore indebted to her.
what oxymoron does wharton employ to describe ethane combined joy and sorrow?
wharton calls the emotion Ethan's "Mournful privilege"
what jumble of emotions does Ethan's anticipated evening alone with Mattie create for him?
when he first arrives home, and finds out that the door is locked, he shakes the doorknob violently. Afterward, when eh calls out her name, his voice shakes with joy.
how is zeenas presence felt in the quiet evening after dinner?
when mattie sits on zeena's chair by the fire, Ethan believes he sees ZEena's gaunt face superimposed over matte's. Mattie also feels dwarfed in the chair by the thought of ZEena.
how do ethane reflections about mattie develop one of the key motifs wharton has established for her>
while reflecting on his life, he considers Mattie to be his "one ray of light"
what theme is introduced by Ethan's pandering his ancestors' gravestone?
Ethan ponders the gravestone and concludes that-like his ancestors, named ethan and endurance- he was doomed from birth to a life of mere endurance. this introduces the theme of human destiny as the determining agent of peoples lives.
what clues do the contents of Ethan's typical mail delivery suggest?
Ethan receives mail addressed to a woman- presumably his wife- and bears the return address of various "patent medicine" producers, indicating that the woman might be chronically ill.
when Ethan and Mattie return home, and the key is not where they expect,w e are told "another wild thought tore through him. What if tramps had been there- what if..." What do you think Ethan is thinking?
Again he seems to be considering the possibility of Zeena's death
what is being symbolized by Ethan's standing, alone, in the dark and watching the girl in the cherry-colored scarf?
Ethan is alone, isolated, apart form society and social functions. there is also, likewise, something that separates him from the girl
what is our first clue to the key event of the story?
When Harmon Gow mentions Ethan frome's "Smash-up" that happened twenty four years ago, we know that that event holds to the situation the narrator finds in stark field.
to what does Harmon attribute Ethan's problem? What does the comment suggest about the relationship between setting and character?
Harmon's comment that Ethan has been in stark field for too many winters, alludes to the harshness or the village's New England winters and suggests the isolation the impose on the residents of the village. Setting, to a large extent, determines what the characters area and what they can do.
what does the image of the dad cucumber vine bring to mind for Ethan?
It reminds him of the "crape streamer" tied to a door when someone dies, and -almost makes him wish for his wife's death
what is suggested by the fact that ethan finds matte's presence to be "like the lighting of a fire on a cold hearth"
ethan's home is a cold home, and his marriage is probably a loveless one
As a couple, how do Ned and Ruth compare to Ethan and his wife?
Mattie comments about how happy Ned and Ruth are, while ethan seems miserable in his marriage
what is suggested b Mrs. hale's reticence about Ethan and his wife?
Mrs. Hale admits that she know "them both". the narrator observes that mrs hale is not above gossiping about her neighbors, so her unwillingness to talk about the fromes must suggest either that she is genuinely carried for them or that their story is particularly tragic
Given what we have been told about Ethan's smash-up what is significant about the account of ned Hale and Ruth Varnum's sledding near accident?
Ned and Ruth's near accident might foreshadow what happens to Ethan and Mattie
what is the significance of the ancestors' names on the gravestone?
The husband's name is Ethan and the wife's name is endurance. Ethan reads the headstone and thinks it predicts that he and zeena will "endure" for at least fifty years- that it is his destiny
what is unusual about Ethan's joy the next morning?
ethan's joy is inexplicable because there is no real reason for it. He and Mattie did not touch. They did not even make full eye contact. nothing has changed in either of their lives.
What does the name of the town Starkfield suggest?
The name stark field suggest the towns a bleak, isolated and depressing place. "Field also implies a rural community, somewhat dependent on farming and manual labor"
what is suggested by ethane noting that Mattie, while awaiting for Denis EadY to bring his cutter around, "no loner turned her head from side to side, as though peering through the night for another figure"
The suggestion is that, now that Eady has offered to drive her home, she is no longer looking for Ethan
what is significant about the spot where ethan and mattie have their first kiss? why is this significant?
They kiss in the spot under the tree where Ned and Ruth kissed. this act of physical intimacy makes it even harder for them to part. it also foreshadows the events to come and flashes back to ned and ruth's near-accident
what is zeena's agenda in her conversation with Ethan?
Zeena actually has two goals in this conversation. First, she will no longer have to do a single bit of housework. Second, she will be able to evict Mattie from her home
on his return home, Matties presence at the door echoes Zeena's earlier presence at the same spot. What contrast is made between the two?
Zeena looked ghostlike and forbidding the night before. mattie looks glowing, "lustrous"
what is significant about Whattons word choice when she writes, "such familiarities had increased the chill of his return to stark field."?
again stark field is cold while the outside world is warm and companionable
what is the significance of the red pick;e dish?
again the dish is red- the color of passion- and it is zeena's favorite possession, a wedding present that came all the way from Philadelphia. Zeena has never used it and never intended that it be used. instead she set it high on the top of the china cabinet
how do we know that the woman who finds Ethan in his study is mattie and not Zeena?
alto high she is described as "small and pinched" , wearing a "poor dress", standing in "cold light" that makes her look pale and "sallow" and her eyes are described as "lusterless", she is wearing a red scarf. red clothing has always been associated with mattie
how are the two women similar? how are they different>
both women are old, frail and nearly colorless. one of the women is able to stand and move(zeena) the other is paralyzed(mattie)
what do we learn about ethan's character during his reflections while hauling wood?
ethan is himself a shy and serious man, but he admires those who are able to have fun. while he was in school, he was starved for friendship and gloried int he occasional slap on the back and affectionate greeting. It was the loss of these bits of comradeship that made Ethan's return to stark field even more difficult
What is the distinction between "sympathy" and "consolation" in Ethan's realization that Zeena "wanted sympathy, not consolation?"
consolation is comfort; it implies some practical attempt to help the sufferer overcome the difficulty, as Ethan offered when he asks whether Zeena should trust a doctor she knows nothing about. "sympathy" is mere pity. Zeena does not want to be made to feel better; she wants to be felt sorry for.
what is ironic about Zeena's refusal to come to supper.
ehtan knows full well that, after her initial insistence that she could not ear, she will be down for supper/ Wharton describes this behavior as a "consecrated formula"
what does the narrators imagery establish the readers first impression of ethan?
ethan is described as dragging himself across the pavement into the post office. His horse, described as "hollow-backed" adds to our impression of a deformed and decrepit Ethan.
why does ethan's teasing mattie about her probable marriage bother mattie?
first, mattie suspects that zeena is displeased with her and would like her to leave. this would be accomplished by mattes marring. second, mattie clearly feels affection for ethan, and the thought of having to marry someone else is painful to her.
why does Ethan's mentioning that he saw Ruth Varnum and Ned Hale kissing put a damper on the mood?
first, ruth and Ned's open love and happiness contrast sharply with mattie and ethan's secret longings. Second, the open mention of the happier couple's expression of affection makes mattie uncomfortable in the close aloneness with Ethan.
what clues throughout the novel have foreshadowed ethan and mattes suicide attempt?
from our first sight of crippled Ethan, we have been told of his smash-up. Ruth Varnum and Ned Hale's near accident, when they nearly collided with the elm tree and died, has also been mentioned several times. Several of Ethan and Matties conversations have involved her insisting that she is not afraid when she is with him, and his insisting that he can steer a sled so precisely that he could collide head-on with the elm tree and neither of them could get up.
what key words establish the image of the broken and crippled Ethan?
he has a "red gash" across his forehead. His right side is described as "shortened and warped" and the narrator says it looks as if "it cost him a visible effort to take (a) few steps." His shoulders are described as "bent out of shape"
hat does the narrator mean when he says, "{n}o one gave me an explanation of the look in his face which, as i persisted in thinking, neither poverty nor physical suffering could have put there?"
he is suggesting that the look on Ethan's face is so intensely mournful that the cause of his suffering transcends the physical and is elevated to the plane of the psychological, emotional, or spiritual
what is the first image associate with mattie that ethan sees?
he sees a "line of light" around the door frame, like the ray of light that shone from her room the night before.
who powerful is zeena's presence in the room?
her presence is so powerful that just the mention of her name paralyzes ethan and cases a pall over the mood of the room
explain what the narrator means when he says that zeena " was already an old woman" at the age of thirty
in addition to her questionable health, zeena lacks the energy and vitality of a typical woman her age. she seems content to distance herself from anything enjoyable, and being around her is saddening
trace the development of mattes association with light and warmth
in ch. 1 whil ethan stood in the cold and dark, mattie was dancing in the light and heat inside the church. in the beginning of this chapter, ethan is watching a shaft of light from Mattie's room across the landing. He cannot fall asleep until the light goes out, but even then, he thinks about " the warmth of Mattie's shoulders against his" in the morning, he sees her face as "part of the sun's red"
what does ethan realize when he speculates that he would not have married zeena if his mother had died in the spring?
it was not love, but the absolute dread of being alone and isolated o his farm i the harsh winter that drove ethan to ask zeena to stay with him and marry him.
what does jotham powers declining ethan's invitation to stay for supper forbade?
jothan is not one to pass up the chance for free food, so Ethan concludes Zeena must be in an angry state.
who turns out to be the paralyzed complaining person/
mattie
what other visual image that has come to be associated with mattie is used in this passage? what does it suggest?
mattie is wearing a crimson ribbon in her hair, just as the night before she wore a "cherry-colored scarf". red is the color of passion
is wharton trying to now to make zeena a sympathetic character by showing her reaaction to the discovery of the broken pickle dish? How sympathetic is zeena in the scene?
while the reader may feel pity for the woman holding her broken treasure, zeena does not achieve reader sympathy nor does wharton want her to. throughout the novel, zeena has been shown to be cold, self centered, and manipulative. now she has been hurt, but the one thing she treasures is this dish. after trampling on Mattie's and Ethan;s feelings and creating a cold and loveless home, the loss of a broken dish is not sufficient to achieve true sympathy
what is ironic about zeena ability to care for the injured mattie and ethan?
zeena had in sited on being too ill to do any housework and now she does all of it, caring for the paralyzed mattie as well
how do the description of zeena, standing in the kitchen doorway, holding the lamp, and the kitchen fit?
zeena is described as almost corpselike, with her "puckered throat" and "the hollows and prominences of her high-boned face." the kitchen is describes as having the "deadly chill of a [burial] vault" Zeena, then, is dead while alive, and she has turned her home into a living tomb.
what is suggested by the narrator's saying, "Zenobia, though doubtiful of the girls efficiency, was tempted by the freedom to find fault without much risk of losing her"?
zeenas temperament was such that she knew she would never be satisfied with a hired girl. Since mttie was as dependent on Zeena's "kindness" as Zeena was on her "help", zeena would be able to criticize mattie to her hearts content with no repercussions
