• Chapter notes on most chapters - 2 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
• A description of Ethan Frome as a person
• The environment of Starkfield
• Character profiles | Ethan Frome | Zenobia Frome | Mattie Silver
• The Starkfield News, Headline - The Smash Up. A newspaper on Mattie & Ethan's costing trip.
• Notes on views of Marriage Edith Wharton | Ethan Frome
• The diary of Ethan Frome (Meeting Mattie)

Chapter Notes:

CHAPTER 2

Ethan is meeting Mattie from the dance
Mattie does not see Ethan
Denis Eady offers her a lift in his father's cutter but she turns it down
Ethan is relieved that she didn't go
Mattie agrees to go coasting with Ethan tomorrow
Ethan asks Mattie indirectly if she is leaving
Ethan is relieved that Mattie is not leaving
When Ethan and Mattie return from dance, the key is not under the mat, which is most unusual!

CHAPTER 4

We find out in this chapter that when Ethan's mother died, Ethan became very lonely. Ethan wanted to marry someone so he married Zeena.

Before Ethan's mother died, she was quite silent and didn't speak much. Ethan is worried that this is now happening to Zeena. Ethan has lied to Zeena about collecting some money and that was why Ethan did not take her to the station to go and see a doctor. Ethan knew that Zeena would spend a lot of money on new medicines so he had to get some money from somewhere. Ethan asked the builder for a suspended payment but the builder thought he was joking. Ethan has a problem! Zeena originally came to help Ethan's mother. Ethan wanted to move somewhere else but Zeena thought if she moved people wouldn't look up to her anymore! Zeena only speaks to complain!

Ethan is jealous at the thought of Denis Eady going to spend an hour with Mattie. Zeena has gone to Bettsbridge. Ethan has returned to Mattie who has prepared the supper. There is an accident with the expensive jug and Mattie gets upset. Ethan glues the jug together. Ethan has a sense of mastery that he likes as he has taken care of things.

CHAPTER 5

Ethan and Mattie postpone their sledding trip until tomorrow, as it is too dark outside. Zeena is still away and Ethan shares everything with Mattie. It is almost as if Mattie is married to Ethan. Mattie is looking forward to going coasting tomorrow. Ethan is enjoying the evening with Mattie and wished that it would go on forever. Ethan and Mattie are seated like a married couple. Ethan kissed the piece of material that Mattie was working on and Mattie immediately packed up her work. They talked openly for the first time about Zeena's attitude towards Mattie. The cat rocked the rocking chair, which reminded them both of Zeena. When Ethan went to bed, he remembered that he hadn't touched Mattie's hand.

CHAPTER 6

Ethan has had a vision of what life with Mattie could be like.
Ethan isn't going to meet Zeena from the station - Jonathan went
Getting the glue is very important to Ethan and everything goes wrong for him.
Zeena is back a lot earlier than expected and Ethan doesn't have a chance to fix the jug.
Ethan does not want to sit alone with Zeena
Ethan is happy that

CHAPTER 7

Zeena is back from the doctor and in a bad mood
She wants to get a hired girl
Ethan has to confess that he didn't get the money and that there has been a miss understanding
Zeena suddenly mentions Mattie being thrown out and Ethan immediately protests.
Ethan breaks the news to Mattie but says that he won't let her go
Zeena finds the broken pickle dish and Mattie owns up
Ethan blames the cat!

CHAPTER 8

We find out that Ethan likes Abraham Lincon and poetry. This gives us further clues on Ethan's character.
Ethan, in his thoughts, bitterly regrets marrying Zeena.
Ethan plans to run away with Mattie and leaves a letter for Zeena. But, soon he realises that he can't because he has no money.
Zeena accuses Mattie of stealing something from the house.
Ethan decides that by deceiving the builders, he can leave with Mattie after all.
Ethan realises that even if he had the heart to leave Zeena, he would be deceiving two kind people.
Ethan wrote a letter to Zeena telling her why he was going.

CHAPTER 9

There is a small argument between Zeena and Ethan because Ethan wants to take Mattie to the flats but Zeena wants Jotham to take her.
Zeena finally accepts that Ethan can take Mattie to the flats.
Ethan takes Mattie a long way round.
Ethan and Mattie went down a "Lane of memories". They visited many of the places they had visited together. Some of these places we had not heard of in the novel so far.
They had a very good time together.
Ethan and Mattie have a discussion about where Mattie will go now. Although Mattie says she has somewhere to go, Ethan persists and she admits that she has no where to go.
Ethan and Mattie have a long emotional discussion.
Ethan asks Mattie if she would like to come coasting with him. (Mattie promised the other day that she would go coasting with Ethan)
At first Mattie refuses but she is persuaded.
Mattie and Ethan kissed where Ned and Ruth kissed a couple of days ago.
Mattie shows Ethan the letter that he wrote to Zeena. (He meant to destroy it)
Mattie wants them to go down the big hill and commit suicide by crashing into the Big Elm.

They crash but are not killed.......

Click here for coursework essays on Ethan Frome

Notes on Ethan Frome as a Person

What we know on Ethan Frome at the start of the novel (Flashback - after smashup)

He is the most striking figure in Starkfield
He has great height, careless powerful look, lean head, shock of light hair
His is lame
He is bleak and has an unapproachable face
Stiffened and grizzled like an old man (even though he is not)
He had a smashup which shortened his right side
Punctual - drove to the post office same time each day
He is not communicative
When he does speak, he answers in a low tone or monosyllables
His silence is not unfriendly
He is known by everyone in Starkfield
He is poor with scarcely enough to support his family
His Father, Mother and Wife had many health problems
He is simple and straightforward
He is kind and thoughtful
He is isolated and withdrawn
He went to college for a year but had to drop out when his father died
He is married to Zeena but has trouble communicating to her
Since Mattie has come into his life he has taken more pride in his appearance like shaving everyday
Mattie understands everything Ethan Frome says about natural beauty

The Environment of Starkfield

Starkfield is a very small community
Everyone in Starkfield knew Ethan Frome
Most people move away from Starkfield in the winter, as it is so cold
Starkfield gets cut off in wintertime
Starkfield is in the middle of no where
Starkfield has its own chronicle
A New England village with a post office, church and main street
Biggest mansion belonged to Mrs Hale
Isolated community is dead during winter

Name: Ethan Frome
Age: 28
Date of Birth: 1872
Address: Near Starkfield (2 miles away), Massachusetts, USA
Interests: Ethan especially enjoys nature. Ethan enjoys spending time with people who share his interest. He enjoys going coasting. He enjoys reading. Enjoys walking too.
Married to: Zenobia Frome
Land owned: A large farm (getting deserted as Ethan finds it hard to look after the farm and Zeena!)
Children: None

Name: Zenobia Frome
Age: 35
Year of birth: 1865
Married to: Ethan Frome
Medical State: Hypecondriact
Interests: New medicines and doctors (and expensive ones at that!)
Address: Same as above

Name: Mattie Silver
Age: Early 20's
Year of Birth: Unknown
Original address: Stanford, USA
Interests: Same as Ethan Frome's. She also enjoys dances and having fun!
Marital Status: Single

Edith Wharton's views on marriage:
- Edith thinks that you should not marry just for convenience.
- She thinks you should be married for love and not just forced to do so.
- In 1885 Edith Wharton married a friend of her Mother's (Quite likely forced)
- After writing Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton kicked out her husband! (Very uncommon at this time)
- There is no mention of love in Edith's marriage.

Ethan Frome's views on marriage:
- Ethan thinks that Zeena only married him for money.
- No love in Ethan's and Zeena's marriage.
- Ethan only agreed to marry Zeena because he felt insecure.
- Ethan wanted someone to die with.
- Ethan finds the marriage restrictive.
- Ethan is not attracted to Zeena and he thinks she is ugly. 

Today Zeena sent me to meet the new house worker. I felt sorry for the poor soul who would have to work for Zeena. She is one of Zeena's cousins, but I hope she won't be like Zeena (I don't think I could cope with two Zeena's in the house!) When I went to meet her from the station, the first thing I saw of her was her wonderful smile as she shouted and waved "You must be Ethan". She wasn't a bit how I expected. She didn't look the house working type at all. I do hope that she livens up our household up a bit. It has been a really good day and what turned from being one of Zeena's chores into meeting a wonderful new person made the day even better. I do hope Zeena treats her well and doesn't try to work her too hard, as I don't think she will be too up to it. She is like a breath of fresh air and I'm sure she will do Zeena the world of good if not me too. At last, I feel that things are really looking up.

2nd October 1944