Neh: Edsit Ement: Personal or Social Tragedy? Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome

This lesson will challenge students to weigh the textual evidence for and against the claim that Ethan's woes lay in staying in Starkfield-and not in the details of his personal relationships. In the process, students will close read pre-selected passages from the novel, along with a few passages of their own choosing through at-home reading journals. These close reading exercises will culminate in an in-class debate and possibly the crafting of a short argumentative essay, in which students will have an opportunity to respond to Bjorkman's thesis.