Question

Part A – Conduct Your Analysis Read Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. As you read each section of the book, look specifically for the author’s use of figurative language and complete the table accordingly. Pay close attention to the guiding questions for each section in order to identify uses of figurative language that will support your upcoming literary analysis. Prologue - chapter 2 how does the author use figurative language to: establish the setting? Foreshadow events? Develop characters?

Answer 1

Edith Wharton uses figurative language in 'Ethan Frome' to create a vivid setting, foreshadow events, and reveal character traits, using symbolism and imagery to enhance the storytelling.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome, the author masterfully uses figurative language to establish the setting, foreshadow events, and develop characters from the prologue through chapter two. Wharton's setting descriptions are rich with metaphors and similes that paint the bleak, wintry landscape of Starkfield, Massachusetts. This not only establishes the mood but also subtly foreshadows the isolation and despair that the characters may experience.

The use of symbolism, such as the pervasive cold and snow, hints at Ethan's trapped emotions and chilling future. Character development is also achieved through figurative language, with Wharton using descriptive imagery to reveal insights into Ethan's personality and circumstances. The richness of Wharton's language turns the backdrop into a character of its own, with the harsh winter symbolizing the characters' frozen state of being. Imagery is crafted carefully to draw readers into the world of the characters and to establish a connection that makes the unfolding drama all the more impactful.