Ethan Frome Outline and Quote Analysis
Thesis: Ethan Frome’s introverted personality and distant demeanor is not a result of his personal choices but the harsh and gloomy environment around him. TS : Because Zeena became ill; Ethan was forced to care for all of her needs. Zeena relied on Ethan for everything and was nothing but discourteous to him. This caused Ethan to keep his feelings bottled up because he could not share them with Zeena. TS #2: From a geographical standpoint, Ethan is lives in the town of Starkfield.
This town is isolated from the bigger, surroding cities and the climate is very harsh.
This akes Ethan feel distanced from all other humans and have a gloomy outlook on life due to that it is always cold and cloudy. TS #3: Throughout Ethan’s childhood he lived with his sick mother who would rarely speak to him. He was raised as a very quiet, voiceless child and this carried over into his adult hood. This is showed throughout the novel because although he only has few interactions with outsiders, he is very shy and keeps the conversation to a minimal. Describing Ethan’s personal life, Mrs.
Hale indicates that because of Mattie and Zeena’s brittle relationship, Ethan has become introverted.
The constant bickering has worn him down. “And Zeena, she was always cranky. Not but what she bears with Mattie wonderful- I’ve seen that myself. But sometimes the two of them get going at each other, and then Ethan’s face’d break your heart.
.. When I see that, I think it’s him that suffers most… anyhow’ (Wharton 140) Ethan’s introverted personality, as Mrs.
Hale says is a result of Mattie and Zeena’s relationship that consists of uneasy feelings amongst the both of them. She says that one can see how it truly affects Ethan by his facial expressions, they show how he is eeling and it is upsetting.
Because they have disagreements so frequently, Ethan does not feel that he can share his feelings with either of them. This makes him bottle up his emotions inside that he cannot express with anyone else. Ethan feels isolated from the world because of his surroundings.
Starkfleld is a very small and scattered town and because Ethan’s only interactions are with those two, he feels distanced. Mattie and Zeena’s relationship causes Ethan to feel certain ways and these feelings cause him to become an introvert. Ethan Frome Outline and Quote Analysis By sydneyrausa
