Ethan Frome in Edith Wharton

Oct 11, 2013 Mary Durrant rated it it was amazing

One of my all time favourites of hers.
A very moving book and I couldn't put it down.Thoroughly enjoyed! ...more

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Aug 31, 2008 The Book Whisperer (aka Boof) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: victorians, classics, read-in-2009, my-most-amazing-books, usa

I am completely and utterly in love with Edith Wharton! This is the second of her books that I have read in as many weeks and I don't know what kept me from her for so long.

Looking back through some of the reviews of Ethan Frome there appears to be a love/hate divide going on. I LOVED it! Wharton has the most amazing talent to pull me right into her stories as though I am there right with the characters. Starkfield - brilliant name for such a place; it was just that - freezing, barron, snow- ...more

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Apr 08, 2009 Laura rated it it was amazing

Shelves: gothic-horror, realism-naturalism

A few years ago, I mentioned Edith Wharton to one of my classes. One student on the front row looked pensive for a moment, and then asked me, "Hey! Did she write Ethan Frome?"

"Yes," I said.

He wrinkled his face and stuck out his tongue. Taking this as an expression of disgust and hatred, I asked him, "How OLD were you when you read Ethan Frome?"

"Fifteen."

"Well, there's your problem," I said. "You can only read Wharton after you've had your heart broken--more than once; after your best friend has A few years ago, I mentioned Edith Wharton to one of my classes. One student on the front row looked pensive for a moment, and then asked me, "Hey! Did she write Ethan Frome?"

"Yes," I said.

He wrinkled his face and stuck out his tongue. Taking this as an expression of disgust and hatred, I asked him, "How OLD were you when you read Ethan Frome?"

"Fifteen."

"Well, there's your problem," I said. "You can only read Wharton after you've had your heart broken--more than once; after your best friend has stabbed you in the back; after you've been the target of malicious (and, usually, exaggerated) gossip; after you've been shut off from a friend or group of friends; after you've lived long enough to experience the cruelty and selfishness that motivates human behavior. Only then, after you have had more adult experiences, can you truly appreciate Wharton."

I share this anecdote because Ethan Frome, while not my favorite Wharton novel, is one of her best, but its reputation is cheapened by high school English curricula across the country. Sure, it fulfills our usual standards for a high school book: it's short; has several layers of narration, which makes for easy-to-grasp lessons; there's the simple symbolism with snow, etc.; it's romantic and melodramatic. Unfortunately, these are only what I call "good on paper" ideas. This novel, despite appearances, is actually very deep, complex, and disturbing. Wharton is commenting on imagination and storytelling itself, examining the consequences of blurring dreams and reality, of romanticizing desires and aspirations. In Ethan Frome, Wharton forces her readers to examine their own emotions and behaviors in relationships. Even though this novel is 100 years old, the situations, emotions, and torment are just as powerful and oppressive as they were in 1911. But this is not something one can appreciate at the age of 16.

There are many negative reviews of this novel, and they are mostly from teenagers. I recommend all of these kids take the same advice I gave my student: re-read this when you're older. ...more

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