For Mike and Anna:
Ethan Frome had an important place in Edith’s career. Ethan Frome was one of her most popular works, along with Age of Innocence. Ethan Frome is special because it is different than most of her books. Unlike many of her books, Ethan Frome wasn’t about upper class people, but three unhappy rural New Englanders. One would think her status as an upper class woman would inhibit her abilities to write about an average family, but despite being wealthy she maintained a good perspective on life. She observed the disintegration of family values from generation to generation. The relationship between Mattie and Ethan is an excellent example. Ethan wasn’t satisfied with Zeena, and he truly loved Mattie. In Edith’s life, there were personal issues that may have inspired this. Edith had an unhappy marriage to Edward Wharton, and eventually she divorced him. She had an affair with an American journalist.
As for her personal life, the book didn’t have much connection. In her own words she said, “So much for the origin of the story; there is nothing else of interest to say of it, except as concerns its construction.” For her, the story was a writing struggle, not necessarily something she plucked out of her life. As an author she was more concerned about having it well written. She did know about New England, and lived in a town that was similar to Starkfield. Her connection was vague and based on botany and the land as she saw it.
http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/ewharton/bl-ewhar-ethan-author.htm
http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/wharton/whar3.htm
http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/36044.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/edith-wharton
1)Don't forget works cited page!
2)I couldn't find a lot about why Ethan Frome is important in her career, so I elaborated a whole lot. Feel free to add/edit.
3)YAY I'm done! :-)
As for her personal life, the book didn’t have much connection. In her own words she said, “So much for the origin of the story; there is nothing else of interest to say of it, except as concerns its construction.” For her, the story was a writing struggle, not necessarily something she plucked out of her life. As an author she was more concerned about having it well written. She did know about New England, and lived in a town that was similar to Starkfield. Her connection was vague and based on botany and the land as she saw it.
http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/ewharton/bl-ewhar-ethan-author.htm
http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/wharton/whar3.htm
http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/36044.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/edith-wharton
1)Don't forget works cited page!
2)I couldn't find a lot about why Ethan Frome is important in her career, so I elaborated a whole lot. Feel free to add/edit.
3)YAY I'm done! :-)