April / Wharton Reading: 'Ethan Frome'

[Janine]

Scher, I agree with that. Ethan must have felt a longing for the past and his lost potential, and an affinity with the narrator. Thus he felt he could trust him with his story - he would understand, as no one in the town had.

[bouquin]

I think it was Mattie's idea that they should drive the sled into the tree; it was not Ethan's decision. He, yet once again, went along with the idea but at the last moment, he did not have the guts to see it through (surprise, surprise). He tries to avoid the tree, with horrible consequeces.

I don't think Ethan tries to avoid the tree. He aims the sled right into the elm; there is a brief moment though when he loses his concentration (and perhaps his nerve, too) because all of a sudden he thinks he sees his wife's face blocking his path so he makes "an instinctive movement" to avoid her, making the sled swerve. But Ethan rights it again, keeps it straight, and then crashes into the tree.

[Virgil]

I don't think Ethan tries to avoid the tree. He aims the sled right into the elm; there is a brief moment though when he loses his concentration (and perhaps his nerve, too) because all of a sudden he thinks he sees his wife's face blocking his path so he makes "an instinctive movement" to avoid her, making the sled swerve. But Ethan rights it again, keeps it straight, and then crashes into the tree.

Yeah, that's what I thought too. I didn't think he missed. Obviously he didn't miss, but did he hit it straight on square?

But as I think of it, what a stupid thing to do?

[Janine]

Yeah, that's what I thought too. I didn't think he missed. Obviously he didn't miss, but did he hit it straight on square?

But as I think of it, what a stupid thing to do?

Yeah, it would seem he would pick an nicer form of suicide. But what would be nicer or available? Also if he was going to plan suicide then it would take on a whole new idea and scope. The suicide attempt was a 'dumb' move, but it was spontaneous. We don't always make our best decisions spontaneously, do we? Perhaps the thin air on the hill (mountain slope) affected their judgement? Brain freeze of something

[bouquin]

Yeah, that's what I thought too. I didn't think he missed. Obviously he didn't miss, but did he hit it straight on square?

But as I think of it, what a stupid thing to do?

I could not help feeling sympathy for Ethan ... except for when he attempted that suicide. I agree, it seemed like a really stupid thing to do. But in a way, it also seemed logical that the course of events would turn in that direction. Ethan was in a desperate situation with no satisfactory solution in sight. It was like he was at the bottom of an abyss. And then out of the blue, this terrible way out presented itself to him and so he grabbed it; it was indeed a spur-of-the-moment decision.
There's a passage that particularly caught my attention - when Ethan insists that he sit in front of the sled. Mattie protests, saying that he would not be able to steer if he sat in front. Ethan's replies that he wants to sit in front because he wants to feel Mattie holding him. But the impression I got from his stammering reply is that he is hesitant, that that is not his real reason. I'm thinking perhaps that, despite this drastic thing that they are about to embark on, Ethan still wants to protect Mattie - he wants to make sure that it is he who careens into the tree first, he who takes the brunt of the shock. Perhaps also, by sitting up front, he thinks that he foremost would be sure to die, a decision that he seems bent on achieving.
It is possible that Mattie was right, with Ethan in front he was not able to steer correctly and that was what prevented them from crashing into the tree with full force. Another demonstration of a no-win situation for Ethan - he wants to crash into that tree and die but he just has to sit in front ... the 2 just don't make a good combination so he doesn't get what he wants but instead ends up in an even more deplorable situation.

[Virgil]

I think you analyzed that very well bouquin. Thanks for that. Good observation.

[Janine]

I totally agree - so well put, bouquin. Thanks - it clarifies the end well, even the details and switching of the seating.

[bouquin]

Do you think the climax (deciding to crash into the tree) suggests fate? Was it the culmination of a fatalistic series of events? I would like your opinion, and others too. I'm curious.

The crashing into the tree does not suggest an act of fate to me. It was a decision that Ethan (and Mattie) made, and "decision" correlates with free will rather than fate, in my opinion. It could be that it was fate that brought Zeena and then Mattie into Ethan's life - but it was by his own free choice that he asked Zeena to be his wife and decided to commit suicide with Mattie.

[grace86]

I got that impression as well that Ethan was trying to protect Mattie from the full force of the tree. I don't think he really wanted to commit suicide, but given that he had already thought of alternatives, the spontaniety (sp?) of the suicide was probably more appealing than going back home without Mattie.

But then throughout the whole book he was really obsessed with things like wanting to just touch the end of her sewing...or feel her arm pressed against his. He might have really just wanted to feel her holding him before they "died."

I thought the end was pretty crummy. I did not want Mattie to die, but I definitely think it would have been a better thing than for all three of them to stay in that house for the rest of their lives.

I am really left wondering what Zeena thought after the accident. Mrs. Hale alludes to the fact that no one ever knows Zeena's thoughts.

If it weren't for the ending, I would probably have given it my higher vote. The end kind of ruined it for me, it was too cruel and unusual. Give me a Romeo and Juliet any day. I guess I missed the message.

[caspian]

"Wharton's characters leap out from the pages and become very real. you know their hearts, souls and yearnings, and the price they pay for those yearnings"
that's what I loved most in Wharton's writing. I've read Ethan Frome right after "the age of innocence".I'm not fond of "love triangle" stories. so didn't like the subject in general. But I was amazed by Wharton's harsh literary realizm so much. I just loved it.

[valtheman]

I just wanted to know how the landscape reflected Ethan's Character, and how the landspace was in part responsible for Ethan's choice of life. I am really confused with these questions can anybody help me out with this one ?

[Janine]

I just wanted to know how the landscape reflected Ethan's Character, and how the landspace was in part responsible for Ethan's choice of life. I am really confused with these questions can anybody help me out with this one ?

Hi valtheman, Welcome to this forum. "Ethan Frome" was our last month's reading group discussion, so now it is pretty much dead. We are working on a new book. I am sure if you go back over the posts you will find some that deal with both your questions and find the answers there. There was much discussion on both ideas. One thing is the enertia characteristic of Ethan's life that is reflected in his surroundings and his run down neglected farm and farmhouse and the austerity of the landscape. There is a lot more to this, so I would go back and read all the posts or skim to ones that deal with these exact issues. Hope this helps to direct you to your answers.