Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Ethan From is a fictional novel by Edith Wharton based on a puritan, North-Eastern town during the early 20th century. It's main focus is on the strict social aspects of the society and how the characters react. The novel is written using a narrator visiting the town and becoming interested in a unique character in the town, Ethan Frome. Frome is disabled and living on a poor little farm and the narrator can uncover no information about the story of the elderly man. However, the narrator builds a connection with Frome and therefore uncovers the heartbreaking story. Many years before, Ethan Frome was a young man dreaming to escape the strict Puritan society in which he lived. He had dreams of becoming an engineer, but he had married a sickly, manipulative woman. Zeena was too weak to carry her load around the house and farm and did not act as a good husband for Ethan. Since Zeena was sick, the couple had to hire a hand to help around the house. Ethan fell madly in love with Mattie Silver, the maid. He began to hate Zeena and become obsessed with Mattie. Yet the Puritan society made it impossible to do anything about his feelings because divorces are impossible.

(Still in progress)

BIG Question

Throughout the 2009-10 year of AP Literature, I will be focusing on the following question and applying it to the novels that I have read and will be reading:

How does conflict influence an individuals decisions and actions?