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Ethan Frome
Ethan Frome
The story of a tragic love triangle.
Book Excerpt
his sagging
pocket. At intervals, however, the post-master would hand him an
envelope addressed to Mrs. Zenobia-or Mrs. Zeena-Frome, and usually
bearing conspicuously in the upper left-hand corner the address of
some manufacturer of patent medicine and the name of his specific.
These documents my neighbour would also pocket without a glance, as
if too much used to them to wonder at their number and variety, and
would then turn away with a silent nod to the post-master.
Every one in Starkfield knew him and gave him a greeting tempered to his own grave mien; but his taciturnity was respected and it was only on rare occasions that one of the older men of the place detained him for a word. When this happened he would listen quietly, his blue eyes on the speaker's face, and answer in so low a tone that his words never reached me; then he would climb stiffly into his buggy, gather up the reins in his left hand and drive slowly away in the direction of his farm.
"It was a pretty bad smash-up?" I questioned Har
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What a jerk Ethan is! He thinks of no one but himself. He makes a scapegoat of his wife and loves to wallow in his self pity. Be a man Ethan and take responsibility for your choices like Wharton said you would but your actions spoke so much louder than her words.
He wants to be an engineer but one can tell he is not too bright in the head. I mean that coasting accident....wouldn't that be basic physics? Being an engineer shouldn't he know that an impact at that speed cannot kill?
How can anyone sympathise with Mattie when she was the only one with other options...instead she chose to ruin Zeena's life, the person who gave her shelter. She (Mattie) was so pretty on the outside and completely empty on the inside. Such a two faced little tart!
Zeena....she was the only one who acted rationally. Yes she is jealous and bitter and she has every right to be. And she silently puts up with her cheating husband and his imbecilic mistress for the rest of their lives. She's got CHARACTER!
He wants to be an engineer but one can tell he is not too bright in the head. I mean that coasting accident....wouldn't that be basic physics? Being an engineer shouldn't he know that an impact at that speed cannot kill?
How can anyone sympathise with Mattie when she was the only one with other options...instead she chose to ruin Zeena's life, the person who gave her shelter. She (Mattie) was so pretty on the outside and completely empty on the inside. Such a two faced little tart!
Zeena....she was the only one who acted rationally. Yes she is jealous and bitter and she has every right to be. And she silently puts up with her cheating husband and his imbecilic mistress for the rest of their lives. She's got CHARACTER!
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Loved this book!!!!!!!!Once i started reading it couldnt put it down. Wonderful read!!!!
01/16/2012
Beautifully written short novel, however it was a written too depressing for me.
09/24/2011
This novel is lyrical in its beauty. Wharton's word choice and descriptions are vivid and real, and the reader is moved to pity the characters in their circumstances. If this book doesn't move and stir you, your heart is made of stone. One would be hard pressed to find a more beautifully written tragedy.
03/14/2010
A good book, but you have to read into the symbols to get it. For example, the cucumber vine shows the death of Zeena, cucumbers make pickles, the cat (which symbolized Zeena) broke the pickle dish, and cats usually chase mice, which symbolize Mattie.
11/13/2008
The book is very horrible, it is a waste of time to read it.
10/06/2007
A well-written novella about a man torn between duty to his sickly wife and love for a young woman.
12/04/2006
i liked the book
03/27/2006