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Definition of Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the story. Foreshadowing can be achieved directly or indirectly, by making... read full definition
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the story. Foreshadowing can be achieved... read full definition
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the... read full definition
Prologue
Explanation and Analysis—Living Death:
At multiple points throughout Ethan Frome, Wharton uses the motif of living death to emphasize the gloomy atmosphere of Starkfield and foreshadow the novel's tragic conclusion.
The motif is first introduced during the Prologue, when the Narrator describes Ethan as a "ruin of a man" who "looks as if he was dead and in hell," implying that although Ethan is physically alive, he is metaphorically dead. The motif recurs later in the Prologue, when the Narrator sees the Frome farmhouse and notices the "black wraith of a deciduous creeper" hanging above the porch. The deciduous vine, which sheds its leaves in the winter, represents the barrenness of the Frome farm and is an ideal symbol for living death—although still alive, the plant appears dead, a concept reinforced by the phrase "black wraith.
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Chapter 2
Explanation and Analysis—Living Death:
At multiple points throughout Ethan Frome, Wharton uses the motif of living death to emphasize the gloomy atmosphere of Starkfield and foreshadow the novel's tragic conclusion.
The motif is first introduced during the Prologue, when the Narrator describes Ethan as a "ruin of a man" who "looks as if he was dead and in hell," implying that although Ethan is physically alive, he is metaphorically dead. The motif recurs later in the Prologue, when the Narrator sees the Frome farmhouse and notices the "black wraith of a deciduous creeper" hanging above the porch. The deciduous vine, which sheds its leaves in the winter, represents the barrenness of the Frome farm and is an ideal symbol for living death—although still alive, the plant appears dead, a concept reinforced by the phrase "black wraith.
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Explanation and Analysis—Ned Hale and Ruth Varnum:
At several points throughout Ethan Frome, Wharton uses the characters of Ned Hale and Ruth Varnum as foils for Ethan and Mattie.
In Chapter 2, Mattie tells Ethan that the couple was nearly killed in a sledding accident on the Corbury Road, and her tone seems to subtly express her affection for Ethan:
Unlock with LitCharts A+[T]he inflection with which she had said of the engaged couple "They're so happy!" made the words sound as if she had been thinking of herself and him.
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Explanation and Analysis—The Smash-Up:
Ethan Frome is filled with foreshadowing. Although Wharton never explicitly states that Ethan and Mattie will be involved in a sledding accident, numerous passages in the novel hint at what is to occur.
Wharton's use of a frame story, which takes place more than 20 years after the accident, creates a lingering sense of foreboding and dramatic irony. The reader knows that Ethan will be involved in a "smash-up" and become permanently disabled, but they don't know when or how. Ethan, by contrast, is totally oblivious of the fate that will eventually befall him.
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Chapter 4
Explanation and Analysis—Ned Hale and Ruth Varnum:
At several points throughout Ethan Frome, Wharton uses the characters of Ned Hale and Ruth Varnum as foils for Ethan and Mattie.
In Chapter 2, Mattie tells Ethan that the couple was nearly killed in a sledding accident on the Corbury Road, and her tone seems to subtly express her affection for Ethan:
Unlock with LitCharts A+[T]he inflection with which she had said of the engaged couple "They're so happy!" made the words sound as if she had been thinking of herself and him.
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Explanation and Analysis—Mattie vs. Zeena:
Over the course of Ethan Frome, Mattie and Zeena are consistently set up as foils of each other. In terms of looks and personality, the two women couldn't be more different. While Zeena is old, pale, sickly, and angular in appearance, Mattie is depicted as young, tanned, healthy, and curvaceous. While Zeena leads a sedentary and housebound lifestyle, Mattie goes into town for dances and picnics. And while Zeena is highly critical of Ethan and holds power over him, Mattie is more traditionally feminine and fills a more appreciative and subservient role.
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Chapter 5
Explanation and Analysis—The Smash-Up:
Ethan Frome is filled with foreshadowing. Although Wharton never explicitly states that Ethan and Mattie will be involved in a sledding accident, numerous passages in the novel hint at what is to occur.
Wharton's use of a frame story, which takes place more than 20 years after the accident, creates a lingering sense of foreboding and dramatic irony. The reader knows that Ethan will be involved in a "smash-up" and become permanently disabled, but they don't know when or how. Ethan, by contrast, is totally oblivious of the fate that will eventually befall him.
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Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Mattie vs. Zeena:
Over the course of Ethan Frome, Mattie and Zeena are consistently set up as foils of each other. In terms of looks and personality, the two women couldn't be more different. While Zeena is old, pale, sickly, and angular in appearance, Mattie is depicted as young, tanned, healthy, and curvaceous. While Zeena leads a sedentary and housebound lifestyle, Mattie goes into town for dances and picnics. And while Zeena is highly critical of Ethan and holds power over him, Mattie is more traditionally feminine and fills a more appreciative and subservient role.
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Epilogue
Explanation and Analysis—Living Death:
At multiple points throughout Ethan Frome, Wharton uses the motif of living death to emphasize the gloomy atmosphere of Starkfield and foreshadow the novel's tragic conclusion.
The motif is first introduced during the Prologue, when the Narrator describes Ethan as a "ruin of a man" who "looks as if he was dead and in hell," implying that although Ethan is physically alive, he is metaphorically dead. The motif recurs later in the Prologue, when the Narrator sees the Frome farmhouse and notices the "black wraith of a deciduous creeper" hanging above the porch. The deciduous vine, which sheds its leaves in the winter, represents the barrenness of the Frome farm and is an ideal symbol for living death—although still alive, the plant appears dead, a concept reinforced by the phrase "black wraith.
Unlock with LitCharts A+
Related Themes:
