Wrap-up

Wrap Up
Choose any three questions
26. You are Julia Roberts. You have been offered your choice of the role of Mattie or Zeena in a new film based on Ethan Frome. You also have a choice of shooting the film in any location you wish. Wich of the roles would you choose to play and why? Where would you choose to have the film made? Why?
Answer: I would play Mattie because I'm sweet natured like her. I would film it in Starkfield, Massachusetts because that's where the setting of the book takes place.

27. If you could change the ending of the novel, how would you change it?
Answer: I would change it as to where Mattie & Ethan run away together before they have the sled accident. I would also change it as to where Ethan tells Zeena of his plans & she is ok with it & they live happily ever after. (:

28. When you read the last page of the novel, what were your thoughts? Be detailed.
Answer: I thought that Mrs. Hale was very opinionated about the whole situation. I also thought that it was suprising that she wanted Mattie to die. I'm not quite sure if Ethan died in the book or not or if Mrs. Hale is metaphorically speaking. She also feels sorry for Ethan because she believes that he suffers the most. Mrs. Hale seems to have a strong opinion about each of them: Zeena, Ethan, & Mattie.

Chapter 9 questions

Chapter 9
Choose any two questions.
22. The first-person narrator of the first part of this novel reappears in this chapter. He enters Ethan's kitchen. he speaks of the two women he sees and says he cannot distinguish which is Mattie and which is Zeena. List some things you feel could allow the narrator to know who is whom, based on your knowledge of the characters. You may use physical or emotional characteristics.
Answer: Mattie has prettier facial characteristics than Zeena. Mattie is nicer than Zeena.

23. Mrs. Hale is very honest with the narrator when she tells him that right after the accident, she wished that Mattie had died. Write a letter to Mrs. Hale telling her what you think of her feelings regarding Mattie's situation.
Answer: Dear Mrs. Hale, I think that your feelings towards Mattie are very much mispercieved. She is actually a really nice person & I understand that you wished that she had died but it's really not right to wish that someone would die when no one deserves that & i think you should really get to know her before you judge. Well I just thought that you should know.
Sincerely, Angel Lloyd

Chapter 8 questions

Chapter 8
Choose any three from Chapter 8
17. When Ethan comes back to the kitchen after checking the property, it is empty. He then finds a message Mattie has written to him on a scrap of paper with the words, "Don't trouble, Ethan." Write the interpretation you would put on the words that Mattie has written. Be detailed.
Answer: I think that she means don't be troubled by me leaving. She doesn't want him to be sad that she's leaving & get on with his life even though she loves him as much as he loves her.

18. We see the conflicts and choices Ethan is facing: his love for mattie is at war with his marriage to Zeena. After considering Ethan's thoughts, write what you think is the best thing Ethan should do and why you feel that way.
Answer: I think that Ethan should be with Mattie because he loves her & he doesn't love Zeena. I can't blame him, I wouldn't want to be with her either. She's just plain mean.

20. In the second to last paragraph in this chapter, we see Ethan's despair in as much as he can see no way out of the trap he feels his life as become. he seems to be a beaten, broken man. the term "devil's advocate" is sometimes used to describe a person who takes an opposite view for the purpose of an arguement. Imagine yourself as the "devil's advocate"; you feel that Zeena is the person who needs to be taken care of, that Ethan is emotionally immature and selfish, and that he deserves to suffer. Explain your point of view fully.
Answer: Zeena needs to be taken care of because she is very sick & needs someone to be there for her. She is always doing stuff for Ethan so it's time he do something for her. Ethan is immature and selfish because he wants to cheat on his wife & run away with Mattie even if it means sacrificing everything & hurting Zeena to be with Mattie.

Chapter 7 questions

Chapter 7
Choose any two questions
Zeena does not come down to dinner. After mattie and Ethan sit down to eat, mattie senses that something is wrong and guesses that Zeena is going to send her away. Throwing caution to the wind, the couple "melt" together, seemingly heedless of the fact that Zeena is upstairs. Suppose you are Mattie and you decide that there is one of three things you could do to keep from being separated from Ethan: choose one of the following options. Explain your choice in detail.
-You would go upstairs and plead with Zeena not to send you away, telling her that you would work your fingers to the bone to try to do everything exactly as she wishes it to be done.
-You would marry Enis Eady in order to stay in Starkfield to be near Ethan, planning on an ongoing affair with him despite your marriage.
-A different plan of your choosing.

Answer: I would go upstairs and plead with Zeena not to send me away. I choose this one because I wouldn't want to marry Enis Eady and because I think I could convince Zeena to let me stay.

15. The author has dropped hints that Zeena may know more about the relationship between Ethan and Mattie than she is letting on. One hint in this chapter is, "No, they're in a place you know don't about,' Zeena answered darkly, with one of her secret looks." What is your opinion of how much Zeena suspects about Mattie and Ethan? Leaf back through the novel to find examples to include in your analysis.

Answer: Zeena is talking about the pickle dish because she keeps asking who broke the dish & when Mattie finally tells her that the cat did break it but she got it down Zeena is really angry. She keeps asking her why she took it down & she says to make the table look pretty. Then Zeena goes on to say that she knew not to take it down because Zeena doesn't even take it down for the minister to use or her Aunt when she comes in from Bettsbridge.

Chapter 6 questions

11. Ethan has not forgotten to look for glue with which to repair the broken pickle dish before Zeena arrives home. He meets Denis Eady who looks for the glue in his father's shop and is unable to find any. Suppose you are Denis Eady and are suspicious of the relationship between Ethan and Mattie. Complete the following dialogue you would have with a friend if you were Denis:

Denis: He's a quiet one, that Ethan. But we all know that "still waters run deep." I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. And poor Mattie has to live in that house with him and that witch of a wife he has.
Friend: Yes, that he is. I just know that boy is up to no good. I'm telling you something suspicious is going on with Ethan and Mattie. I see the way they look at each other. Its no telling what is going on between them but I'm sure that Zeena isn't to happy about it. That boy is gonna get himself in a heap of trouble.
Denis: You got that right. Mark my words that Ethan is a no good cheater and someone needs to do something about it.
Friend: True but we just can't go make a bunch of accusations until we have all the facts straight and know for sure.
Denis: Yes I agree. We'll just have to wait.


12. When Ethan arrives back from town after delivering the lumber, he is anxious to glue the pickle dish back together before Zeena arrives home. Much to his dismay, though, he learns that Zeena is already there. He is also puzzled about why his hired hand, Jotham Powell, who brought Zeena home from the train station, won't stay for a free meal. Think about the possibilities which would explain Jotham's refusal. Choose one and write about it in detail.

Answer: Jotham possibly refused a free meal because maybe Zeena offended him in someway. Maybe by saying that he was no good or something of that nature. Knowing Zeena's character it was probably something really offensive that made him not want to even be around Zeena. That's one of the reasons why I think Jotham refused.

chapter 5 questions

8. The scene with Ethan and Mattie beside the fireplace seems idyllic. Ethan is smoking his pipe, the fire is glowing, Mattie is sewing as she siting in the rocking chair, and the silence is soothing. The cat is "watching them with narrowed eyes." Ethan and Mattie, in their own ways, are dreaming that this is really their life and not a pretense. Suppose you were that cat and could talk. What would you tell Ethan and Mattie about the dangers of allowing themselves to dream of being together?

Answer: I would tell Ethan and Mattie that they shouldn't dream when it most likely will not come true and is not there life. Also that Zeena could come home any second and would not appreciate this. Finally that they should be thinking about the other people than themselves and the repercussions of what could happen if they start to dream of being together.

10. Ethan and Mattie, though alone and with ample opportunity, never so much as touch hands during their evening together. We know, however, that their attraction to one another is great. Imagine that Ethan keeps a secret journal. Write Ethan's journal entry about that night.

Answer: Zeena had to go to the doctors leaving my and Mattie alone. She made me a really nice and delicious dinner but she broke Zeena's pickle dish but I assured her that it was ok. After dinner we relaxed by the fire I, smoking my pipe and Mattie, sewing. It was really nice to spend time with her alone. I could picture my life with her everyday being just like this night was. I hadn't even touched her hand and yet I feel strongly connected to her. Tonight is the last night to be with Mattie because this chance will probably never come up again. Well anyhow its getting late so I should turn in. -Ethan

Chapter 4 question

Chapter 4
7. Even though Ethan and Mattie have not had any any physical relationship despite their feelings for one another, what is your reaction to their involvement? Choose one of the following possibilities as the one you would favor as an outcome for their situation and give your reasons for feeling that way.
-Ethan and Mattie decide that, no matter what anyone thinks, they want to be together, and leaving Zeena, they elope.
OR
-As often happens, Mattie's feelings for Ethan wear off. She decides to marry Denis Eady. Zeena gets well with some new medicine, changes her ways and Ethan falls back in love with her.

Answer: I would like the outcome to be the first one, Ethan and Mattie being together, because first off I don't like Zeena, she's mean. Also because I don't think that Ethan really loves Zeena. He just married her because he was lonely. Another reason is I think that Ethan and Mattie seem more compatible than Ethan and Zeena because Mattie comes off as a lot nicer person than Zeena.