ethan frome

Symbols

snow

reflect emotional atmosphere

porch creeper

death, gloom, decay

Elm tree

fate, death

Geraniums

life-giving, warmth, cheerfulness Cat - reminder of Zeena's presence

Birds

Mattie's laugh, delicacy, love

Pickle dish

deprivation, loss, shattered dreams Coasting (sledding) - freedom, liveliness, and then death

ethan frome literary notes pt 1

frame story

a story within a story

outer story

The narrator who visits Starkfield

1st person point of view

inner story

- The story leading up to the "accident"
- Revolves around Ethan, Mattie, and Zeena
- 3rd person limited
- begins in Ch. 1

flashback

interruption of chronological order of events that happened earlier

literary notes pt 2

type of work

novel

genre

tragic romance

time and place written

1910, in paris, date of publication 1911

narrator

An anonymous visitor to Starkfield, Massachusetts narrates the Introduction and Conclusion. The story flashed back approximately 20 years to Ethan Frome's youth and the first-person narration gives way to limited third person narration (focusing Ethan Frome's point of view)

point of view

the frame story is in 1st person; the rest of the story is limited third person

tone

foreboding, bleak, ironic, tragic

setting(time)

late 19th century and early 20th century in starkfield massachusetts

Protagonist

ethan frome

major conflict

Ethan's main fight is with his own consience (person v. self) because he decided whether or not to reveal his true feelings to Mattie. His struggle is exacerbated by his surroundings (including Zeena, bleak Starkfield landscape, his home) which seem oppressive

literary notes pt 3

foreshadowing

the use of clues to hint at events that will occur later in a plot

ex of foreshadowing (ch 3, pg 25-26)

"There was really, even now, no tangible evidence to the contrary; but since the previous night a vague dread had hung on his sky-line. It was formed of Zeena's obstinate silence, of Maddie's sudden look of warning, of the memory of just such fleeting imperceptible signs as those which told him , on certain stainless mornings, that before night there would be rain."... His dread was so strong that, man-like, he sought to postpone certainty."

theme

Central idea of a work of literature... In this chapter, we are further introduced to an essential theme in the novel: - Conflict exists between personal desires and social obligations.

characterization

The means by which a character's personality is revealed (indirect and direct).

who is Ethan Frome

a long time resident of starkfield. he is a thoughtful, sensitive and extremely unhappy man. Ethan barley supports himself, his wife(Zenna), and his wife's cousin(Mattie) working his farm and operating a sawmill.

Who is Mattie Silver?

zeena fromes cousin. attractive, young and energetic, mattie becomes the object of ethans affection, and reciprocates his infatuation. because the reader see matte only through ethans own lovestick eyes, mattie never truly emerges as a well-rounded character

who is zeena frome

she has fake teeth and her hair is kept in place with crimping pins. she is asthmatic and sickly. she speaks in a plaintive, whinny drawl. zeena is 7 years older than ethan. she married ethan at the age of 28 after the death of his mother

who is mrs.hale

neds mother and andrews wife. ethan runs into her on his way to borrow money from andrew. she's so sweet to him that he abandons his plan to borrow money from her husband and skip town with mattie

who is mr.andrew hale

ned's father. he liked ethan and has business dealings with him. ethan almost borrows money from him to use to run away with mattie. however ethan decided that he couldn't live with himself is he were to take money from this nice elderly couple.

who is Mrs.ned hale (ruth varnum)

a middle aged widow. she lived with her mother in the family mansion. mrs.hale had been close friends to mattie before the sledding accident. she visits mattie and zeena twice a year. she talks to the narrator about ethan, mattie and zeena

who is harmon gow

He was in charge of public transportation and knows all the town gossip. he provides the narrator with information about ethan's fromes life

how much older is zeena than ethan

7 years

how old is zeena

35

how old is ethan

28 then 52 in the beggining

how old is mattie

21

why did Ethan not graduate college

his dad died

what was ethan studying before he dropped out?

mechanical engineering

who breaks the pickle dish

the cat

who brought out the pickle dish

matie- to make the dinner table pretty

how long has is been since the smash-up?

24 years

who was the first person there when Mattie woke up from the accident?

Mrs. Hale

the inner story is told from what pov?

third person limited

the outer story is told from what pov?

first person

who is Daniel Byrne?

The Fromes' neighbor. He takes Mattie's trunk to the train station.

who is Denis Eady?

A wealthy Irishman who inherited his father's grocery store. He is also the proprietor of a livery stable in Starkfield. He courts Mattie.

who is dr.buck

The doctor Zeena sees in Bettsbridge. He tells her that she has "complications" and advises her not to do any housework.

who is Aunt Philura Maple?

zeena's aunt. The red glass pickle dish was her wedding present to Ethan and Zeena

who is Widow Homan?

Storeowner. She sells glue to Ethan.

who is Jotham Powell?

A hired hand at the Frome farm.

who is Ned Hale?

Andrew Hale's oldest son. He marries Ruth Varnum, but is dead by the time The Narrator comes to town.

who is the narrator?

An engineer working on a job at the power-house at Corbury Junction. He rents a room in Starkfield from Mrs. Ned Hale, and hires Ethan Frome to transport him to and from the train station. The Narrator relates the "frame story" (the prologue and epilogue).

what is plot

Sequence of events in a story

what is setting

The time and place of a story the physical backround

What is characterization?

methods used by a writer to introduce or describe characters to readers

what is conflict

a struggle the main character must overcome

what literary term is used for this quote: "Starkfield emerged from its six months' siege like a starved garrison capitulating without quarter."?

setting

what literary term is used for this quote: "He seemed a part of the mute, melancholy landscape, an incarnation of its frozen woe."?

characterization

what literary term is used for this quote: "It was as senseless and savage as a physical fight between two two enemies in the darkness."?

conflict

what literary term is used for this quote: "Mrs. Hale paused for a moment, and I remained silent, plunged in the vision of what her words evoked."?

point of view

what literary term is used for this quote: "...An orchard of starved apple trees writhing...among outcroppings of state that nuzzled up through the snow like animals pushing their noses out to breathe."?

setting

what literary term is used for this quote: "He's looked that way ever since he had his smash-up; and that's twenty four years ago come next February."?

characterization

What is the setting (city, state) of the novel?

Starkfield, Massachusetts

What is a synonym for the work stark?

Sharp

Where does the narrator first see Ethan Frome?

The post office

What checks each of Frome's steps "like the jerk of a chain"?

A "native"

How old is Ethan Frome in the prologue?

Not more then 52

Who first tells the narrator about Ethan Frome?

Harmon Gow

How long ago did the "smash-up" take place?

24 years ago

What is Frome's wife's name?

mrs.zenobia/ mrs.zeena frome

What type of mail does she receive?

medication

Why didn't Ethan get away from Starkfield?

He had to take care of his family. Then the accident happened.

What is the one phrase stuck in the narrator's memory?

"Guess he's been in starkfeild to many winters"

Who sent the narrator to Corbury Junction?

Their employers on their job

Why is he "anchored" in Stark-field?

It was the nearest habitable spot for the best part of winter

From whom does the narrator hope to get the missing facts of Ethan Frome's story?

Mrs. Ned Hale

Where does Harmon Gow tell the narrator the accident occurred?

In Front of her childhood home 16.

When the narrator is unable to get to Corbury flats, who does Harmon Gow suggest should take him?

Ethan Frome

Define the word intercourse as it is used in this clause... "and our intercourse seemed fated to remain negative and one-sided as if there had been no break in his reverie."

In relations too/with

What does the "L" in a New England farmhouse connect?

that long deep-roofed adjunct usually built at right angles to the main house, and connecting it, by way of storerooms and tool-house, with the wood-shed and cow-barn.

What prevents Frome and the narrator from going any farther?

The cold and heavy going.

What does the narrator hear when he enters Frome's house?

Come in he said, in his drowning voice grew still

How is Ethan described in the second paragraph?

young

Where had Ethan taken a year's course?

Worcester

What type of courses were they?

Technological, and dabbled in the laboratory with a friendly professor of physics and science

What put a premature end to Ethan's studies?

His father's death and his mother got ill

The pitch of the Corbury road is the favorite _________ of Starkfield.

coasting-ground

With whom is the "dark haired, dark eyed girl" dancing?

Denis Eady

What is the girl's name?

Mattie Silver

Why does she come to live with the Frome's?

To be the housekeeper

How long has she lived there?

a year

Name one of the sensations which drew Ethan and Mattie together "with a shock of silent joy."

The cold red of sunset behind winter hills

Zeena is what Starkfield described as _________.

sickly

Mattie is "quick to learn" but _____________.

Forgetful and dreamy

What reason does Zeena give to Ethan that Mattie might leave their farm?

To get married

Why does Zeena say Ethan is late every morning?

he shaves every morning

Ethan now lives all his life in the "sight and sound of" __________.

Mattie Silver