Ethan Frome

1 About this book

Edith Wharton wrote Ethan Frome as a frame story — meaning that the prologue and epilogue constitute a "frame" around the main story How It All Goes Down It's winter. A nameless engineer is in Starkfield, Massachusetts on business and he first sees Ethan Frome at the post office. Ethan is a man in his early fifties who is obviously strong, and obviously crippled.

The man becomes fascinated with Ethan and wants to know his story. When Ethan begins giving him occasional rides to the train station, the two men strike up a friendship. One night when the weather is particularly bad, Ethan invites the man to stay at his house. In the hall the man hears a woman talking angrily, on and on.

When Ethan speaks, the voice stops. The man tells us that he learned something that night which allowed him to imagine Ethan's story. Now we go back in time 24 years and learn about Ethan's life. Ethan has walked from his farm and sawmill into town to pick up Mattie Silver from the church dance.

Good for readers who want: a classic, a love story, and a short read.

• Classics
• Domestic fiction
• Family life
• Marriage
• Romance
• Accident victims
• Farm life
• Guardian and ward