Monday, April 23 class discussion of Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

ETHAN FROME by Edith Wharton review

In class: everyone was to have finished this short novel over the break. This was shared both orally and on the blog for each of the four days before the break.

Tomorrow you will use your texts to create an outline on the following thematic topic, which you will use to write a three-paragraph essay on Wednesday.  I am passing out the outline in class today, so anyone who is on the field trip tomorrow will have it completed to use on Wednesday. The essay will be due at the end of the school day on Wednesday, with the exception of those who receive extended time. Please note that the outline is a separate grade. I must emphasize that you will NOT have access to your text on Wednesday, but only your outline. It is therefore very important to have finished the novel and assembled a thorough outline.

1. In Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.




Theme 1:  CONFLICTS EXISTING BETWEEN PERSONAL INCLINATIONS AND GROUP OBLIGATIONS.

a. What dilemma does the protagonist face?

 b. Who is asking him or her to make the choice? 

c. Does this person have that right?

d. What, ultimately, influences the protagonist’s decision? 

e. Was the decision the “right” one for him/her as well as the other person involved? 

f. passion vs duty

THEME 2: HOW MUCH CONTROL DO WE HAVE OVER THE CHOICES WE MAKE? 

Crystal Ball Exercise: Lines from the novel.

Based upon the following lines, answer the following:

(1) Whose said this?

 (2) What is this person probably like? 

(3)  How will this attitude affect the way he/she deals with difficulties in life? 

a. “The doctor don’t want I should be left without anybody to do for me.”

b. “I know I ain’t anything like as smart as I ought to be…but if she’d only let me I’d try.”

 c. “She needn’t know anything about it if you keep quiet. I’ll get another just like it tomorrow.” 

 d. “Oh, no—don’t let’s think about it…”

 e. “I’m the one to blame for its getting broken.” 

 f. “Yes, and my folks told me at the time you couldn’t do less than marry me after…”

THEME #3 IS SUICIDE A SOLUTION OR A “COP OUT”? 


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Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton essay  outline and response

In an essay of three well-written paragraphs of approximately a total of 300 words, write a response to the following thematic question about the novel.



1. In Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a character. Write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.

Outline:

Hook: Write a general statement to engage your audience and lead into your topic sentence / thesis statement.
            This may concern naturalism, nature versus nurture, a cultural observation in relation to the circumstances of the setting or morality. It is important to remember to context of the novel.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thesis statement: Look to the prompt above. Rephrase and write a statement you will prove. Chose only one character as your centerpiece, although you may make connections with others.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Middle paragraph: If your thesis is clear, you know who you are focusing on and exactly what points you want to bring in here. Select specific parts of the novel to support your thesis. Remember you are connecting the surroundings within the story (this does not have to be simply the season, but think about community and home life.

Three circumstances or events in _____________________________ life that shaped her or his moral or psychological character.  Put them in chronological order. How are going to link them within the paragraph? Use transition words: in addition, moreover, finally, meanwhile, for this reason, accordingly, no doubt, above all, next, from here, likewise, equally important, on the other hand, also, again, similarly

Do not write whole sentences here. Take notes for yourself.

1. First scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

2. Second scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

3. Third scene: what happens, how and why does it impact the character?

Conclusion: Do not say “in conclusion”…..Refer back to your thesis. How and why do the circumstances you have just referred to illuminate an understanding between one’s environment and one’s actions in life. Think about the restrictions or benefits of these.  Again, take notes here to actually write the essay.