The novella, Ethan Frome, was written by Edith Wharton depicting the story of love equipped with tragedy. Marxist criticism is predominant throughout the novella because of the unfulfilled desires or dreams of the characters on behalf of social circumstances. Poverty led to the end of Frome’s education, and Mattie being obligated to live in her cousin’s home. Fromes infatuation with Mattie Silver progressed and intensified daily, however, he was unable to convey his emotions because of his wife’s sickness which led to Mattie being forced into marriage. Lastly, the theme of isolation is illustrated through Zeena’s sickness, and the influence of winter on Frome’s character.
Throughout the novella, class structure influenced the lives of Mattie and Frome as they were obligated to give up on their unfulfilled dreams because of financial issues. Ethan …show more content…
Wharton states “ His father’s death, and the misfortunes following it, had put a premature end to Ethan’s studies, but though they had not gone far… they had fed his fancy and made him aware of huge cloudy meanings behind the daily face of things “ ( Wharton 27). This illustrates the importance of education as it gave Frome special meanings to daily things in life. Not only did he have to give up on his education but these special meanings as well. This reveals the oppression of poverty over the life of Frome as he has to abandon the things that makes his life meaningful. Subsequently, after the death of Mattie’s father, she was left stranded with no family or money that can sustain her. Wharton writes “ A man of far-reaching aims, had died too soon to prove that the end justifies the means.
Throughout the novella, class structure influenced the lives of Mattie and Frome as they were obligated to give up on their unfulfilled dreams because of financial issues. Ethan …show more content…
Wharton states “ His father’s death, and the misfortunes following it, had put a premature end to Ethan’s studies, but though they had not gone far… they had fed his fancy and made him aware of huge cloudy meanings behind the daily face of things “ ( Wharton 27). This illustrates the importance of education as it gave Frome special meanings to daily things in life. Not only did he have to give up on his education but these special meanings as well. This reveals the oppression of poverty over the life of Frome as he has to abandon the things that makes his life meaningful. Subsequently, after the death of Mattie’s father, she was left stranded with no family or money that can sustain her. Wharton writes “ A man of far-reaching aims, had died too soon to prove that the end justifies the means.