Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Ethan Frome: Prologue - Chapter II

Respond to the questions below in complete sentences in order to receive credit.  You can also receive credit by responding or adding to your classmates' responses.  Include quotes from and/or specific references to the text in your responses.

1. Identify the following characters:  Ethan Frome, Zeena, Mattie Silver, Denis Eady, The Narrator.
2. What is the general setting of the novel?  How would you describe Starkfield, Massachusetts as you visualize it to someone who has not been there.
3. What does the narrator learn about Ethan Frome from other characters?  What effect does the knowledge have on the narrator?
4.  What is Ethan’s house like? What part is missing, and why does this strike the narrator as important?  What does this symbolize?
5.  Who is Mattie Silver and why is her presence so important to Ethan Frome?
6.  What color is associated with Mattie?  What does it symbolize?
7.  What does Zeena fail to do when Ethan brings Mattie home from the dance? What might have been her motive for doing it?
8.  Why is Zeena dissatisfied with Mattie? How does this dissatisfaction affect Zeena’s behavior toward her?

38 comments:

  1. 1.
    Ethan is the protagonist of the story. In the prologue he is described as “bleak and unapproachable”(Wharton 1). The prologue further suggests that he has been the victim of something tragic. Ethan was educated at a technical college but had to come home due to his father’s death. Ethan is described as very tall and married to Zeena.
    Zeena is Ethan wife. She is “sickly “( Wharton 15) Zeena is physically and emotionally a sickly person.
    Mattie Siver is Zeena’s cousin how has come to Starkfield to be an aide to Zeena. Mattie is described as happy and full of life.
    Denis Eady is the son of an Irish grocer whodances with Mattie and whose presence seems to make Ethan jealous. Zeena suggests that maybe Mattie will marry the handsome, successful bachelor.
    The Narrator in the prologue is first person and it changes in chapter one to third person omniscient.
    2.
    The novel is set in New England in a town called Starkfield. It is inferred that the town is small because the narrator suggests that “if you know Starkfield, Mass., you know the post office. If you know post office you know Ethan Frome” (Wharton 1) This implies that Starkfield is a place where everyone knows everyone else.
    3.
    The narrator learns that the aged Ethan Frome, who appears to be crippled ,was injured in a “smash up; and that’s twenty four years ago come next February” (Wharton 1) . He also learns that Ethan Frome is poor and that his farm was “as bare as a milk pan when the cats been around”(Wharton 5) This suggests that Ethan’s life has been difficult.
    4.
    In the prologue the narrator describes Ethan’s house as ‘stunted and forlorn.” (Wharton 8). As the narrator gets a closer look at the house he can tell that the house is missing what they call the “L” which is described as "the long deep-roofed adjunct usually built at right angles to the main house, and connecting it, by way of storerooms and tool-house, we wood-shed and cow-barn" (Wharton 8) This suggests that Ethan’s house is dilapidated and falling apart. The house symbolizes Ethan and how over time he has become worn by his exsistence in this isolated and cold place.

    5.
    Mattie is Zeena’s young cousin who has come from Stamford to care for Zeena who is sick. From the moment she arrived in Starkfield Ethan had “taken to the girl ….when he had driven over to the flats to meet her, and she smiled and waved to him from the train.” (Wharton 13) Her presence makes Ethan feel alive and she makes his heart pound. He especially likes his private time with her when they are walking back from town to the farmhouse.
    6. What color is associated with Mattie? What does it symbolize?
    Mattie is associated with “golden stubble” and “sunlight snow” (Wharton 14) as the narrator suggests the night sky is lit up in these colors when Ethan is walking Mattie home.
    7. Each time Ethan and Zeena would go into town Zeena would leave the key under the mat by the kitchen door. This time Zeena failed to leave the key under the mat and she is waiting for them instead.It seems like Zeena is noticing the changes in Ethan since Mattie has arrived at their home. Zeena may have done this because she wanted to be present when they home , she wanted to take a stand. It seems like Zeena is jealous.
    8.
    Zeena is dissatisfied with Mattie because she is not a good housekeeper and because she is not doing what she came to the Frome house to do. Zeena resents all the time Mattie spends away from the house.Zeena keeps referring to the time when Mattie will leave their home and how they will need to hire another girl. Zeena is cold and unfriendly Mattie.

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  2. 2.) The main setting in this novel is Starkfield, Massachusetts. It is a very cold and quiet town, with very little social life and pizzazz. Residents of Starkfield know much about the lives and business of their neighbors and news is quickly spread. “Every one in Starkfield knew him[Ethan Frome] and gave him a greeting tempered to his own grave mien…” “ The town is extremely small and secluded, and it takes a decent ride to reach nearby towns.

    3.) 3.) “I had the story,bit by bit from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time was a different story.” Harmon Gow informed the narrator that Ethan had looked the same ever since the “smash up” or red gash across Ethan’s forehead, which took place 24 years earlier. In addition, Gow told the narrator that the Frome men are tough and that Ethan should “touch one hundred”. He also learned that Ethan’s father and mother had died, and that he was currently taking care of his sick wife, Zeena.

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  3. The setting in the story is Starkfield, Massachusettes. Throughout the book Starkfield is portrayed as a small town that has very cold winters and a very bleak community. Although the community is bleak it is a small and very close town. In the quote "if you know Starkield you know the post office." which tells the reader that Starkfield is a small town. Another quote that shows characteristics of the town is "When I had been there a little longer, and had seen the phase of crystal clearness followed by long steches of sunless cold; when the storm had pitched their white tents about the devoted village". This quote shows Starkfield as a cold town with a large amount of snowfall, its boring, and is very close together.

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  4. 4. Ethan's house is described as worn down and isolated like sean stated. It is missing the "L" which New England homes were known for in that time period. The "L" connected the house to the tool-house, wood shed, and cow barn. In the book it is stated, "Whether because of its symbolic sense, the image it presents of a life linked with the soil, and enclosing itself the chief source of warmth and nourishment..."(Wharton 8) The "L" piece of the of the house symbolizes the heart of the farm which enables the farmer to work efficiently. The same way the house is missing its very important asset, there may be something missing from Ethan Frome's life which can be related to "the image of his own shrunken body" (Wharton 8).
    5. Mattie Silver the cousin of Zeena, Ethan's wife. She is from Stanford and is moving into the Frome home to help take care of her cousin Zeena. Ethan enjoys the time he spends with Mattie and it is said, "...he had inwardly demurred at having to do the extra two miles to the village and back after his hard day on the farm; but not long afterward he had reached the point of wishing that Starkfield might give all its nights to revelry" (Wharton 12). Ethan also enhoys when the two are alone together and the walks they take on the farm. Ethan has intense feelings for Mattie because of her ability to make him feel a way that nobody else can make him feel.

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  5. In compliance with what Matt and Sean,I also see the town of Starkfield, Massachusettes as a small town with a small population. Outside of the town there is basically nothing, showing how isolated the town and possibly foreshadowing Ethan's isolation. While visualizing Starkfield, I can see a small town where all of the people know each other. It is also very isolated with no neigboring towns.

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  6. The general setting for the novel is a small bleak town called Starkfield. In complete agreement with Matt,Sean, and Eric this town is very isolated. the symbolic isolation of Starkfield has a very powerful effect on the reader. The reader can almost feel the coldness of the town and see the small clustered buildings. However, similar to what Eric said, the isolation of the town can have a foreshadowing effect as well. This may lead the reader to make predictions about what will happen to Ethan in chapters to come.

    November 30, 2010 12:49 PM

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  7. 6.) Mattie is associated with very bright colors. Mattie is a young cousin of Zeena who is still in her youth, because Mattie is in her youth she is very energetic and find joy in many activities. This is shown in a quote on page 14, "But it was not only that the coming to his house of a bit of hopeful young life was like the lighting of a fire on a cold hearth." Mattie is young, joyous, and very happy. With these characteristics she is portraying a bright or light color.

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  8. I would like to agree with Sean Merryman and Nicole DeSantis on their answer to number four about the missing “L”. I would also like to add on the answer they gave; one can also see the harsh weather as the symbol of the consequences of a choice made by Ethan. As already mentioned the "L" would enable “...dwellers in their harsh climate to get to their morning’s work without facing the weather…” (8) In order to do work he most go from his house, where he sleeps, to the building where he works or get the tools he needs to work. The “L” would normally protect people from the weather, but Ethan would have to face it everyday and struggle through the winter. Since weather is unpredictable and changes daily whatever happened still affects him everyday. Therefore, this is a symbol of a choice and the effects of a decision made by Ethan Frome, a decision with repercussions that still follow him as he ages.---Jonathan Garofalo

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  9. 7. I agree with Sean in that the fact that Zeena is waiting for Ethan and Mattie reveals that she has been noticing feelings between the two. Another event that reveals this is when Zeena comments on how Ethan has started to shave every day since Mattie has come to help. Zeena most likely did not put the key under the mats so that she could catch them if anything happened between them when they thought she was asleep.

    8. Zeena is dissatisfied with Mattie because she does not believe that she is not a good enough housekeeper. Her arms are not strong enough to lift all things and sometimes Ethan has to help her with tasks. In addition, Zeena resents Mattie for all the time she spends out of the house and with Ethan. Because of these feelings, Zeeba is not as friendly to Mattie. She talks of getting hired help to replace her and "[grumbles] increasingly over the house-work and [finds] oblique ways of attracting attention to the girl's inefficiency."

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  10. I disagree with the reason Mathew gave for why Wharton associated Mattie with the bright colors. I think that the bright colors are used to resemble the way Ethan feels around Mattie, youthful, warm and happy, rather than characteristics of Mattie herself. Phrases such as “golden stubble” and “sunlight snow” using colors such as these personify the feeling he has for her.

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  11. 6.) As Sean said, Mattie could be associated with gold and sunlight colors. I agree with this somewhat, however, I think that the cherry color of her scarf would be a more suitable symbolic color for Mattie. Mattie is vibrant, pretty and lively, as is her scarf.

    8.) Zeena is dissatisfied with Mattie because she does not care for her the way that she is expected to. “His wife had never shown any jealousy of Mattie, but of late she had grumbled increasingly over the house-work and found oblique ways of attracting attention to the girl’s inefficiency” (page 15). In fact, Ethan has woken up early in the morning to do some of the chores and jobs that Mattie was supposed to perform, to “supplement her unskilled efforts” (page 15). Because of Mattie’s lack of efforts, Zeena seems eager for Mattie to marry and move out, and tries to talk to Ethan about someone else who they could possibly hire. She also talks to Mattie coldly and unfriendly: when Mattie asked apologetically and urgently if she could do anything for Zeena, Zeena simply said “No; there’s nothing” and turned away from her (page 22).

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  12. 7) I do agree with Sean and Georgia of the fact that Zeena is waiting up for Ethan and Mattie. She notices that feelings between the two are developing. In addition, Zeena could want to make things difficult for Mattie and Ethan because she is obviously very jealous of what is going on between them. She would do anything to try to bring their secret romance to the surface. Furthermore, by her not leaving the key, (which made things more difficult for the two) she is trying to get revenge in the most incidental way.

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  13. 2) i Agree with my classmates that Starkfield is a bland colorless un-interesting town. If i were to describe the town i would say it was cold, issolated, and a close community.

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  14. - Ethan Frome is the title charecter to the book and also is the protaginist of the story. He is a farmer. Ethan's family has lived in the dark, dank and dreary town of Starkfield,Massachusetts as well as all of his family has.He is unsatisfied with the way his life has turned out. It is fortold that he has suffered through a horrendous accident. He is also the narrator's driver.
    - Zenobia Frome a.k.a "Zena" is Ethan's wife who is very sickly ill. She is shown as ill tempered, easily angered, unnatractive and aged before her time. She is extremely sick and only concerned with recovering from her sickness. Even though extremely weak she is the dominant person of the family.
    - Mattie Silver is Zena's cousin. She has come to Starkfield to help around the household and to also help nurse Zena. She becomes intrested with Ethan. Mattie is the true opposite of Zena being young, energetic and attractive.
    - Denis Eady is the son of, Micheal Eady a rich Irish grocer. He is a sometimes suitor to Mattie.
    - The Narrator is an engineer and plays little part in the story. He gives a nonbiased look at Ethan's tragic life due to him not being born or raised in Starkfield. He remains nameless through out the novel so far. - Sarah Hutchinson

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  15. 6) I agree with what Stefanie said about how the color of Mattie's scarf represents her vibrant, lively personality unlike Zeena who is boring and "sickly". This is why Ethan is beginning to have feelings for Mattie because she is very different from his wife and he doesn't feel lonely when he's with her.

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  16. 2) Starkfield is a very small and isolated town. It has almost no contact with the outside world. Ethan owns a small farm and a saw mill. This shows that the people in Starkfield must fend for themselves and there are almost no imported goods. Also, when the narrator says “Everyone in Starkfield knew him” he hints towards the fact that Starkfield is so small that everyone knows each other. Both these examples suggest that Starkfield is relatively small in size. Starkfield is almost exclusively cold and snowy. This may be setting a sad mood which foreshadows that a series of bad events occurred there.
    3) The narrator is told many different things about Ethan Frome. “I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.” He is told by Harmon Gow that Ethan has to stay in Starkfield to take care of his family and about Ethan’s “Smash up” but goes into no detail. This suggests that Harmon has compassion for Ethan and sees him as a good person despite his appearance. It is not until Ethan willingly offers to drive the Narrator to and from the station for a very low pay and allows the narrator to stay at his house during a wicked snow storm, that he discovers for himself, Ethan’s kindness and generosity.

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  17. 2) Starkfeild is just what it says it is- stark. Its lack of contact with the outside world as much as with each other makes it a perfect landscape to metaphorically show the lack of emotion in the Frome household, except perhaps a bleak outlook on the future. The parties, however, show that there is hope, but it is a dangerous game to play. If Ethan is not responsible in his attration for them, and Mattie to, it will be his downfall.

    I have to disagree with Stefanie about why Zeena is dissatisfied with Mattie. I believe it is because of the obvious affection between Ethan and Mattie. Zeena is jealous of it, as it is something she can never hace with Ethan even though she is his wife. This affection could also be seen as an insult to Zeena, because it implies that she is not good enough for him.

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  18. 5) Mattie Silver is Zeena's cousin who has come to "act as her cousin Zeena's aid" (pg 13). She is a very lively youthful girl who seems very animated.Mattie is eager to learn and to try to please Zeena. However, Zeena doesn't tell her what to do, or how to help her. At first, Mattie is awkward and unskilled. Ethan helps her though, by getting up earlier than usual to light the kitchen fire, carry in the wood overnight,scrub the kithen floor or neglect the mill to help the girl out during the day. Mattie knows that she may not be as helpful as a hired girl; she says "There's lots of things a hired girl could do that come awkward to me still-and I haven't got much strength in my arms. But if she'd only tell me I'd try."(pg 20) Mattie doesnt understand why Zeena won't tell her what to do and why "she ain't suited." (pg 20)Mattie's prescence in Ethan
    Frome's life is very important. With her openess she brings out Ethan's inner, happier, self. When she's around, Ethan can express himself where he couldn't with his wife."...living under his roof and eating his bread, was a creature [Mattie] to whom he could say: "That's Orion down yonder; the big fellow to the right is Aldebaran, and..." He feels comfortable with Mattie and her prescence it vital to learning about Ethan's character.

    7) When Ethan brings Mattie home from the dance, as part of a routine, he arrives home and encouters a problem. Zeena fails to place the key for the kitchen door under the mat as she usually does. After worrying over the key, thinking Zeena forgot it, his wife appears out of the shadows.She opens the door and lets Ethan and Mattie in. When Ethan attempts to joke with her about forgetting about them Zeena says "No. I just felt so mean I couldn't sleep." (pg 22)Zeena could have had quite a few motives for doing this. I believe that she suspects the relationship between Mattie and Ethan growing. Zeena is obviously jealous of Mattie and knows she cannot control it.

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  19. I agree with Sean's inferences of Ethan's house. I also feel as though the missing "L" can be symbolized as an attempt of Frome to hide his feelings. The statement "The house was bigger in my father's time: I had to take down the 'L,' a while back, Frome continued..." (8) leads me to believe that Frome was trying to hide his feelings. With the loss of his father came the loss of the "L" which can symbolize Frome not wanting to acknowledge the pain he was feeling due to the loss of his father. -Anneliese Marcojohn

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  20. 5. Mattie Silver is Zeena's relative who came to live with Ethan and Zeena to be Zeena's caretaker. Mattie is a younger woman, and she brings a cheerful and joyful presence to Ethan and his isolated life in Starkfield. Ethan lived alone with his "sickly" older wife Zeena before Mattie came to live with them. Ethan now feels that he could not live without Mattie in his life because of her joyful presence in his dull and dreary life.

    6. The color that is mostly associated with Mattie is red. Her scarf at the dance is cherry-red, and she is always described as having rosy red cheeks and lips. The color red symbolizes the contrast to the dull grays and whites of Starkfield, as well as Ethan's dreary lifestyle. Her happiness and joy brings color and interest to the bland Starkfield.

    -Erin Infelice

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  21. 2) The general setting is in Starkfield, Massachusetts. Starkfield is a small town located in the more country scene of Massachusetts. As it was said, “If you know Starkfield, Massachusetts, you know the post-office.” It is not very populated; everyone knows everyone and their history. However, this small, peaceful town offers more than appears to the eye. With its old fashioned, country, warm appearance you’d never believe what has occurred there in the past. Also, the setting takes place during the winter season. During Starkfield’s winter season it gets very cold, making the outside world very bare and dormant.

    3) The narrator is very curious about the character Ethan Frome. He has so many questions about him that puzzle his mind such as how did the red-gash on his forehead get there? The narrator sees him everyday go to the post office to pick up a paper and with each day his curiosity grows about this little old man. The narrator learns that Ethan himself was placed in an unfair situation, never receiving the opportunity to leave Starkfield. He needed to stay behind in order to take care of first his father and mother and eventually his wife, Zeena. Once he got the red-gash on his forehead he had to stay in Starkfield.

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  22. In addition, I agree with Erin in her response to question number six. I had not answered this question, but if I had, I would have written relatively the same idea. Mattie is the life and color in Ethan's life, therefore she has to be a vibrant color such as red. I admire how the author repeatedly used the color red to describe Mattie too, it's as if he was leaving clues in his writing. When I had originally read chapter one, I hadn't even caught that.

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  23. 2. What is the general setting of the novel? How would you describe Starkfield, Massachusetts as you visualize it to someone who has not been there.
    Ethan Frome takes place in the 17th century in a very small, isolated town in Massachusetts known as Starkfield. Not much occurs in the town, except for an occasional dance in the local church, and the bleak winter climate adds to the dreary setting. The following quote reveals the true essence of Starkfield: “During the early part of my stay I hd been struck by the contrast between the vitality of the climate and the deadness of the community. Day by day, after the December snows were over, a blazing blue sky poured down torrents of light and air on the white landscape, which gave tem back in an intenser glitter. One would have supposed that such an atmosphere must quicken the emotions as well as the blood; but it seemed to produce no change except that of retarding still more the sluggish pulse of Starkfield” (3).
    5. Who is Mattie Silver and why is her presence so important to Ethan Frome?
    Mattie Silver is the young and cheerful cousin of Ethan Frome’s wife. Mattie comes to live in the Frome household in order to fulfill the various domestic responsibilities that Frome’s wife cannot perform herself because of her ill state of health. Ethan quickly develops an inappropriate fondness for Mattie despite the fact that he is married. Mattie serves as a bright light in Frome’s lonely, dull life. Through her, he is able to let out some of the steam from his unfulfilled dream of earning a higher level of education in the field of science and ultimately leaving the quaint town that he was born in. Unfortunately for Ethan, he was never able to live out these dreams because he was forced to return home after his father’s death to take care of his dying mother. Mattie offers a kind, listening ear to all of the scientific information that Ethan never felt comfortable sharing with anyone before. It becomes quite evident to the reader within the first few pages that Frome has lead quite a misfortunate life. Through this, Mattie is able to bring some cheerfulness and vitality back into Frome’s lonely life. Unfortunately, Frome is not very discreet in portraying his feelings towards Mattie, for his wife becomes curious of the situation. The following quite reveals the issue: “It was a fact that since Mattie Silver’s coming he had taken to shaving every day; but his wife always seemed to be asleep when he left her side in the winter darkness, and he had stupidly assumed that she would not notice any change in his appearance. Once or twice in the past he had been faintly disquieted by Zenobia’s way of letting things happen without seeming to remark them, and then, weeks afterward, in a casual phrase, revealing that she had all along taken her notes and drawn her inferences” (16).

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  24. What specifically is missing in Ethan's life?

    What specific color is associated with Mattie? *Look into the symbolism in the color red.

    Remeber to include page numbers in parentheses for quotes.

    What are your first impressions of Zeena?

    You guys are doing great! Keep it up and make sure we have responses to ALL of the questions.

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  26. 05. Mattie Silver is the cousin of Ethan's wife, Zeena. Like Alicia said, she is the light shining in the darkness of Ethan's misery. She has an obvious impact on Ethan's emotions. On page 14, Mattie is described as "more than the bright serviceable creature he had thought her. She had an eye to see and an ear to hear; he could show her things and tell her things, and taste the bliss of feeling that all he imparted left long reverberations and echoes he could wake at will." Unlike Zeena, Mattie possesses the same mindset on life that Ethan does; together, their personalities are one and the same. Furthermore, it is said that all of Ethan's life "was lived in the sight and sound of Mattie Silver, and he could no longer conceive of it being otherwise (16)". This shows that Mattie's presence is essential to Ethan's enjoyment in life. The thought of living without Maddie's emotional influence is one that Ethan cannot imagine.

    06. My thoughts were the same as Erin's as to what color is associated with Mattie. I noticed subtle inferences to the "cherry-coloured 'fascinator' (12)" wound around Mattie's dark hair and "the colour of the cherry scarf in her fresh lips and cheeks (22)". The contrast of the bright red color in her appearance to the dark colors and gloomy tone of Starkfield is similar to the contrast between Ethan's miserable life and the brightness Mattie is able to bring into it.

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  27. 3. The narrator learns of Ethan From by the other characters. For example, a villager named Harmon Gow had told him of some of Ethan's past. He has said that he had been involved in "smash-up." The narrator also learns that he is strong and Harmon Gow gives him an explanation of why he thinks he looks so solemn and depressed. He says,"Guess he's been in Starkfield too many winters. Most of the smart ones get away." (2). Harmon also tells the narrator how Ethan has always been the caregiver for his family. All of these gaps of Ethan's life makes the narrator that much more curious to meet Ethan Frome, like Danielle had said. Another villager who is essential is sparking the narrator's curiosity is Ruth Varnum. She is hesitant to say anything about Ethan Frome but a mere, "Yes, I knew them both... it was awful..." (4). The narrator learned that there had been an event in Ethan's life that had turned him so cold (foreshadowing). From what he learned from the villagers, he had a predisposition when he met Ethan Frome by chance. He expected for all his questions to be answered and his curiosity to be quenched.

    8. I agree with both Stefanie and Jessica about why Zeena is dissatisfied with Mattie. First, Zeena resented the fact that "Mattie had no natural turn for housekeeping, and her training had done nothing to remedy the defect." (15). She found that Mattie was inefficient and complained about her shortcomings. In addition, Zeena also grew jealous over the budding relationship between Mattie and Ethan. Although she showed her displeasure in discreet ways Ethan could tell that Zeena wasn't very happy. One morning, Zeena brought up the matter of hiring someone new to take care of her. She says to Ethan, "If you say you can't afford a hired girl when Mattie goes." and "Well, when she gets married, I mean." (15). She makes it seem like she genuinely cares for Mattie and wants to make sure that nothing stays in the way of her happiness, when really she just wants her out of the house so Ethan won't have her as a distraction. She is jealous, but she won't have it.

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  28. 7) Zeena fails to leave the key under the doormat when Ethan and Mattie return. She could have many motives for doing this. One of the reasons is that she is jealous of the attention Ethan gives Mattie. Ethan has also changed a lot as a result of Mattie moving in with them. "I guess you're always late, now you shave every morning" (16) is what Zeena says to Ethan one morning, revealing that she knows how much attention he is paying to his personal appearance since Mattie moved in. In an effort to take out some of her anger on Ethan, she does not leave the key outside, which is not like her. Therefore, Zeena did not leave the key outside out of jealousy.

    1) = Ethan Frome is the main character in the story and is described as looking as if he "was dead and in hell now" (2). This shows that Ethan is not an attractive person, and also might tell how he acts. It also might be as a result of the "smash-up". He is also described as "an incarnation of its frozen woe" (5). This shows that he is a cold and isolated person.
    = Zeena is Ethan's wife and she is many years older than him. She is described as a sickly person who is always spending money trying new medical remedies. She spends most of her time in bed.
    = Mattie Silver is Zeena's cousin. She recently moved to Starkfield to help Zeena with the house work. She is pretty and Ethan is very attracted to her. She is also described as cheerful and happy.
    = Denis Eady is the son of the grocery store owner. He, like Ethan, is very attracted to Mattie and even offers her a ride home after one of the dances. He is described as having a "sprightly foot" (12) which means he is a very happy person. Since he offers to give Mattie a ride home, he must be a nice person.
    = The narrator is an engineer who is staying in Starkfield because he is working on a job in the next town over and needed a place to stay. He sees Ethan every day and is curious about his life. Finally, one extremely snowy day, Ethan takes him to his house instead of the train station and tells him his life story.

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  29. (Addition to question 7 comment and answer to first impression of Zeena) When we are first introduced to Zeena, she seemed like an innocent woman. She seemed just forgetful at heart (for forgetting to leave the key). You would assume the sickness was just playing with her mind, but really she is a ruthless and jealous person. As soon as the door opened, you knew she planned to not put the key under the mat. She was waiting up for Mattie and Ethan to see what they were up too. She was very suspicious of their relationship. Zeena has trust issues with her husband (which is understandable). She made him come to bed with her instead of working on his accounts for work. With this, Zeena is also a power figure over Ethan as shown to us of their relationship in these few pages. The scene is described; “Without answering he moved away toward the kitchen. As he did so his glance crossed Mattie's and he fancied that a fugitive warning gleamed through her lashes. The next moment they sank to her flushed cheeks and she began to mount the stairs ahead of Zeena”. (23) The mood of this was that it was like Mattie and Ethan were little kids and they got “in trouble” by Zenna. She is a manipulative, insecure, ruthless character. She has obvious reasons for acting like this though. She feels that her husband has betrayed her (which he has).

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  30. In addition to the responses of my fellow classmates, Mattie Silver is a young, lively and bright young woman that came to live with the Frome's in Starkfeild. She has come to stay with the Frome's to aid her feeble and weak cousin, Zeena Frome with the daily chores of the house. Although, Mattie had came to help Zeena with the house, Zeena later found her slightly inadequate. On the other hand, Frome more optomistcally stated "Mattie had no natural turn for housekeeping, and her training had done nothing to remedy the defect. She was quick to learn, but forgetful and dreamy, not disposed to take the matter seriously."(15) From the beginning, Ethan Frome had taken special interest in Mattie. He described Mattie's arrival as "it was not only that the coming to his house of a bit of hopeful young life was like the lighting of a fire on a cold hearth." (14) From then on, Frome had taken to Mattie and developed a soft spot in his heart for the young girl who had just appeared into his life. He saw her as a new companion, as she was both younger and fuller of life as his wife had been in a while. Mattie had awakened Ethan Frome from his constant state of working and then housework and repeat all over again. In a sense, Mattie had began to awaken him and was he has awaken he developed strong feelings for Mattie. He began to alter his daily routine in order to just see her and get to speak to her. His heart ached at the thought of Mattie being with anyone other than himself, especially with someone as unworthy as Denis Eady. In future chapters, I predict we will see Ethan and Mattie's relationship grow into something more. I can also predict that Zeena Frome will not be too happy with this.
    -Casey Heed

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  31. TWO: The novel Ethan Frome takes place in Starkfield, Massachusetts. Starkfield is described as gloomy and boring. The town is small and is similar to Marlboro- small town where everyone know's each other. The quote "If you know Starkfield, Massachusetts, you know the post-office. If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade: and you must have asked who he was." (Wharton 1) makes me think of Marlboro.

    FIVE: Mattie Silver is Zeena's cousin that is taking care of Zeena, who is sick. When Ethan is with Mattie he feels different than when he's with Zeena. Mattie's beauty and youthfulness makes him feel alive, but when he's home with Zeena he feels rather bored. I think Mattie's red scarf represented the passion and, what some would call, "chemistry" between her and Ethan.

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  32. I agree with Tressa that Starkfield, Massachusettes can be compared to Marlboro, New York. One reason that the two towns are similar is that they are both small towns. Therefore, everyone knows one another. In addition, Starkfield is a quiet and boring town. This can be compard to the fact that unlike most of its surrounding towns, very few businesses in the town of Marlboro run past 9 o'clock at night. Conclusively, Matt's quote "If you know Starkfield you know the post office" basically sums up the comparison because it could very well be said that "If you know Marlboro you know the post office."

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  33. Mattie Silver is a young cousin of Zeena. She is at Ethan and Zeena's house to take care of the sick Zeena. I think that the cherry color of Mattie's scarf is the color that can be associated with her. This red symbolizes the warm feeling that Ethan has around the delightful Mattie as opposed to the cold feeling when only the miserable Zeena is around. Red symbolizes fire, passion, and love. Therefore, it symbolizes Ethan and Mattie's hidden feelings for eachother. I also agree with Tressa that the red color of the scarf symbolizes the "chemistry" that they have around eachother.

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  34. 1. Ethan Frome is the main character in the novel. Frome is described as "bleak and unapproachable" and "stiffened and grizzled" (1). He is harsh and strikingly tall, and the description "the ruin of a man" (1) foreshadows a life-altering event.
    Ethan lives with his "sickly" (15) wife Zeena Frome. Judging by her actions in chapter two, Zeena has a jealous and malicious side to her personality.
    Mattie Silver is Zeena's young, beautiful cousin who moves to Starkfield to become Zeena's personal caretaker. Ethan enjoys her presence in his cold, depressing home and prefers to spend time with her rather than Zeena. She is self-conscious of her actions, yet she brings warmth to everywhere she goes.
    Denis Eady is a young, handsome man that Ethan sees dancing with Mattie. Mattie does not seem to be too fond of him because of his personality, yet Ethan is still envious. Zeena predicts that Denis will marry Mattie, and Ethan hastily leaves to avoid showing Zeena his distress.
    The narrator is first person in the prologue and changes to third person omniscient as the story flashes back to Ethan's past.

    2. The general setting of the novel is Starkfield, Massachusetts. Starkfield is a devastating, cold, close-knit town that seems to be in the middle of no where. Harmon Gow says (referring to Ethan) "Guess he's been in Starkfield too many winters. Most of the smart ones get away" (2) Starkfield sounds lonely and harsh with the winter cold.

    3. The narrator learns in the prologue of Ethan Frome as a lonesome man whose past was rough. Howard Gow says "He had to stay then" (2) because of his father's, his mother's, and his wife's deaths. Ethan is lonely and lives by himself, yet the narrator is curious to learn Ethan's story and what exactly happened in his past.

    4. Ethan Frome's house is described as falling apart and unkempt. Ethan says "I had to take down the 'L,' a while back" (8) about the section of his house and describing it's size. The narrator thought that the house looked odd, and saw the comparison to the crumbling house to Ethan's own "shrunken body" (8).

    7. Zeena fails to leave the key to the back door outside under the mat the night after the dance. At first, Mattie and Ethan feel that Zeena just made a mistake, yet when they enter the harsh chill of the kitchen, Zeena says "I just felt so mean I couldn't sleep" (22). Zeena might have had jealous motives to "forget" to leave the key for Ethan and Zeena, and this foreshadows a conflict between the three characters and their relationships.

    8. Zeena is dissatisfied with Mattie because Mattie is young and is not trained to care take for a sickly woman. Zeena finds flaws in every one of Mattie's actions, and makes Mattie feel self-concious. Zeena is cold and heartless towards Mattie, as well as jealous because of the lack of attention from Ethan. Zeena causes conflict because she has no physical strength or power to separate Ethan and Mattie.

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  35. 6) In the novel, Mattie is associated with gold and bright colors. For example, Edith Wharton describes Mattie as a “bright serviceable creature” and states that her presence was like the lighting of a fire on a cold hearth.” This symbolizes the joy and gaiety Mattie brings to Ethan’s dull life. It is stated that Ethan “was never gay, but in her presence…” The bright colors and gold describing Mattie contrast with the bleak and colorless grays and whites used to describe the town.

    2) The novel takes place in Starkfield, Massachusetts. Edith Wharton implies that Starkfield isn’t a very large town when he says “If you know the post office you must have seen Ethan Frome.” Because the Starkfield is so small and isolated, the residents who live there are all well acquainted with each other, especially Ethan Frome. When Wharton says “…I began to find a grim satisfaction in the life…I had been struck by the contrast between the vitality of the climate and the deadness of the community” it paints a picture in the reader’s mind that Starkfield is an uneventful, gray, and dead town. This idea is supported when the author describes the town as “like a starved garrison capitulating without quarter.” Like the starved garrison, Starkfield gives off the feeling of bleak hopelessness and weary, exhausted monotony.

    Sara DeLessio

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  36. 6. The color associated with Mattie is a cherry like color of her scarf. This symbolized her personality because although it is a bright color, it is a very subtle color at the same time. Meaning it is not as obnoxious as neon or unnatural colors. The cherry red and red tones reflect on the passion of her youth and her fluttery demeanor. She can also be associated with the sunrise and the colors that they bring symbolizing the effect her personality has on the dark stagnant town. She is the beautiful sunrise cast over Ethan's life awakening his wold from the cold winter he has endured.

    7. After escorting Mattie home from the dance they arrive home to find that the key that Zenna usually places outside for reasons such as this is not there and did not place it there on purpose. She could have had a few motives but it is obvious from her comment that she felt "too mean to sleep" she was angered by Ethan's distancing so she decided to keep the key inside however she felt remorse for leaving him out. This shows that Zeena love Ethan however, with Mattie around she can tell Ethan does not feel the same about her. She, it seems, decides that if they cut her out of their lives in secret and quietly, then she will quietly do the same by locking them out. However she lets them in showing she cannot let go despite Ethan's growing coldness.

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