... unsociable man he has become, due to an untimely "smash up", convinces readers that he may have not always been like this. Up until Ethan meets a young vibrant girl name Mattie Silver, Ethan is the old man he is destined to become. Even as a young man he had a hard time with people. In college they called him "Old Stiff," and he kept ... studied science in college for a year. He is still one of the "smart ones," according to the fellow townsmen, Harman Gow. His intellect draws him even closer to the character Mattie. Mattie Silver brings a summer passion in the midst of winter. Ethan's ...

• Word Count: 1743
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... instead of winter. So, basically the setting of this novel led to the marriage and general disheartenment of Ethan's whole life. That was a pretty powerful setting. Mattie Silver was a younger cousin of Zeena's that was orphaned and had no place to go. Therefore, Mattie went to live with Zeena and Ethan to be their servant and take care of Zeena. On the outside ... can pick up on the important insecurities and complexities that played a factor in the novel. Mattie Silver was seen in this novel largely through the loving and forgiving eyes of Ethan Frome. Therefore, the reader was shown ...

• Word Count: 1615
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... Ethan Frome's plot is concerned with Ethan's desire for a women who is not his wife. By denying Zeena a single positive attribute while presenting Mattie as the epitome of glowing, youthful attractiveness, Wharton renders Ethan's desire to cheat on his wife perfectly understandable. The conflict does not stem from within ... is distinguished by little other than the red decoration she wears, which symbolises both passion and transgression. Mattie's surname is Silver, which is also a symbol used by the author to suggest how precious she is to Ethan but also used to suggest betrayal ... ...

• Word Count: 1560
• Approx Pages: 6

... they decide to kill themselves by coasting head-on into the elm tree. This decision forces Ethan to remain prisoner in Starkfield while caring for both Zeena and Mattie. Ethan's dream of seeing the world must be sacrificed because of this one choice. "Ethan! Ethan! I want you to take me down again!" " ... As Mattie enters his life, Ethan realizes his inability to do much about the feelings he holds towards Mattie. As Ethan thinks of his marriage with Zeena, he often believes "that it would not have happened if his mother had died in spring instead of winter- Eventually, his love for Matt...

• Word Count: 1483
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... This is especially true of Edith Wharton's novel Ethan Frome, as its prevelant death imagery leads many readers to predict the death of Mattie Silver. However, the correlation between the imagery and the plot is not quite so direct. In actuality, Edith Wharton surrounds Ethan with death ... is starving for love, hope, and some sense of pride and accomplishment. Since he cannot obtain these things, especially after the accident and Mattie's subsequent change for the worse, Ethan is resigned to a living death. This pining away of Ethan's hopes and dreams is further illustrated ... death-l...

• Word Count: 2068
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... his own inhibitions and backward country environment. There were many conflicts concerning his possibilities and limitations that corroded him and caused inner turmoil. When Mattie Silver came to stay at his house, he realized a spirit that radiated from her. It reminded him of himself. He sub-consciously perceived her ... He was constantly being bossed around by his wife. His only defense was to drown her out with other thoughts. Another thing Ethan loved was Mattie's talk. It gripped him. Ethan liked her words and the way they flowed out in a headlong way. "By nature grave and inarticul...

• Word Count: 1271
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... man who lives in a world of silence. He lives in the New England town of Starkfield, Massachusetts, with his bitter wife and his wife's cousin Mattie. Over time Ethan is a man who has become trapped in Starkfield due to the number of winters he has endured. The mood throughout the novel is ... for himself, and is continually looking for a way to get away from Starkfield. The three main characters in the novel Ethan Frome, Zeena Frome, and Mattie Silver all seem at one point in time to take on the properties of the season most prominent within the novel, winter. Winter is a season that ca...

• Word Count: 1520
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School