Ethan Frome is the story of a man who, following the death of his father, gives up his education and other opportunities to return to the family farm in Starkfield, Massachusetts, to support his ailing mother. When his mother dies, Ethan, overcome by loneliness, impulsively marries Zeena Pierce, an older cousin who helped nurse his dying mother. Within a year of their marriage, Zeena becomes ill and Ethan must again assume the role of caregiver and give up his dreams of moving to a large town and becoming an engineer. Ethan's outlook changes, however, when Zeena's cousin, Mattie Silver, comes to live with them as Zeena's aid. She shares Ethan's sense of wonder and sensitivity to the appeal of natural beauty. Mattie is every thing that Zeena is not. She restores Ethan's ability to imagine happiness.....
This is a free excerpt of 135 words. This section contains 1,260 words. This
study guide contains 20,880 words (approx. 70 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Literature Guide with our Ethan Frome Access Pass.
