Ethan Frome Outline Essay
IB Outline – Ethan Frome
I. Bibliography
Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome and Selected Stories. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2004. Print.
II. Character List
1. Ethan Frome – Ethan, the head of the Frome household, is first seen by the narrator to be a stiff/stern man who looks as if he is quite saddened. Ethan carries a limp and bears a scar on his face. As the narrator learns about Ethan’s past through various stories, he sees that young Ethan is quite the antithesis of the old Ethan. This young Ethan is portrayed as a man full of intelligence, strength, and optimism. Though he has an engineering degree and a healthy physique – which is widely sought for at the time of the novel – Ethan is stuck in Starkfield because of his sick …show more content…
Topic – Determinism
b. Theme – The lives of individuals are controlled by outside sources out of their control
i. Quote 1: “The inexorable facts closed in on him like prison-warders handcuffing a convict. There was no way out –none. He was a prisoner for life, and now his one ray of light was to be extinguished (Wharton 74) – This quote shows determinism as Ethan has no control over any escape routes. If he left Zeena and fled, there would be no one to support Zeena, or even himself (as he does not have money). Ethan is controlled by his environment and his poverty and is unable to escape the situation. ii. Quote 2: “Most of the smart ones get away … Somebody had to stay and care for the folks. There warn’t ever anybody but Ethan.” (Wharton 9) – This quote shows the reason as to why he is in Starkfield and not out studying. Due to an outside force, being his sick father, he had to come back to care for his family. And as soon as his father and mother died, Zeena came and became the controlling force. iii. Quote 3: “Harmon chuckled sardonically. ‘That’s so. He had to stay then.” [Talking about the smash-up] – After his failed suicide attempt, which was his only way out of his problems, Ethan had to stay in Starkfield as his injuries prevented him from leaving. The outside force in this situation would be the injuries, preventing him from leaving and living with
I. Bibliography
Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome and Selected Stories. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2004. Print.
II. Character List
1. Ethan Frome – Ethan, the head of the Frome household, is first seen by the narrator to be a stiff/stern man who looks as if he is quite saddened. Ethan carries a limp and bears a scar on his face. As the narrator learns about Ethan’s past through various stories, he sees that young Ethan is quite the antithesis of the old Ethan. This young Ethan is portrayed as a man full of intelligence, strength, and optimism. Though he has an engineering degree and a healthy physique – which is widely sought for at the time of the novel – Ethan is stuck in Starkfield because of his sick …show more content…
Topic – Determinism
b. Theme – The lives of individuals are controlled by outside sources out of their control
i. Quote 1: “The inexorable facts closed in on him like prison-warders handcuffing a convict. There was no way out –none. He was a prisoner for life, and now his one ray of light was to be extinguished (Wharton 74) – This quote shows determinism as Ethan has no control over any escape routes. If he left Zeena and fled, there would be no one to support Zeena, or even himself (as he does not have money). Ethan is controlled by his environment and his poverty and is unable to escape the situation. ii. Quote 2: “Most of the smart ones get away … Somebody had to stay and care for the folks. There warn’t ever anybody but Ethan.” (Wharton 9) – This quote shows the reason as to why he is in Starkfield and not out studying. Due to an outside force, being his sick father, he had to come back to care for his family. And as soon as his father and mother died, Zeena came and became the controlling force. iii. Quote 3: “Harmon chuckled sardonically. ‘That’s so. He had to stay then.” [Talking about the smash-up] – After his failed suicide attempt, which was his only way out of his problems, Ethan had to stay in Starkfield as his injuries prevented him from leaving. The outside force in this situation would be the injuries, preventing him from leaving and living with