1. The frame narrative is introduced in the Prologue. Why did Wharton utilize this technique?
2. Repetitive patterns of imagery are an important part of Ethan Frome. Identify several repetitive patterns or sequences. How do these repetitive patterns help the reader interpret character and action?
3. Explain how the setting of Ethan Frome contributes to the telling of the story.
4. Compare Zeena and Mattie both physically and psychologically at the beginning of the story. Compare them again at the end of the story. What ironic twist does Wharton provide?
5. Why does Wharton attempt to reproduce the New England dialect of some of the characters? What is the effect on the reader of the difference between the standard English diction of the narration and the dialect of the characters?
