Ethan Frome

Ethan Frome The novel Ethan Frome, written by Edith Wharton, is a wonderfully written novel that leaves the reader both depressed and awakened with the loneliness life often holds. Wharton, throughout the book, uses a lot of obvious imagery to allude to her own depressing life. Uses of sexual metaphors, symbols of being trapped and alone, and a generally gloomy setting make for a very meaningful read. The novel takes place in a small farming …

…a man’s worst fears realized. The fact that loneliness can be experienced even though you are not truly alone is a major theme in this book. Even though the story leaves the reader depressed, it does a good job at sending the intended message. The final line, that there isn’t much difference between a Frome living and a Frome in the grave, shows that being truly lonely is as good as being dead.