Ethan Frome

Fiction | Novella | Adult | Published in 1911

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue

Chapters 1-2

Chapters 3-5

Chapters 6-8

Chapter 9-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Quiz

Tools

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

What role does the narrator play in Ethan Frome? Does he seem reliable, and to what extent does his reliability matter?

Discuss the significance of Ruth Varnum/Mrs. Hale to the novel. Why might Wharton have chosen to include her in both the frame story and the main narrative?

How does Wharton foreshadow the story’s ending? How do these instances of foreshadowing impact your understanding of the debate surrounding free will in the novel?