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ETHAN FROME: Study Guide for QUIZ on Chapters 3-6

Chapter 3:

  1. Where does Ethan do his clearest thinking?
  2. What does Ethan regret at the beginning of this chapter?
  3. Why does Zeena believe that Mattie enjoys living in Starkfield?
  4. Why is Zeena’s family offended by Mattie’s father?
  5. What are Mattie’s skills mentioned in this chapter?
  6. What happened when Mattie tried stenography and bookkeeping?
  7. What does Zeena’s family give Mattie?
  8. Why do the Frome’s take Mattie into their home?
  9. When does Zeena finally stop criticizing Mattie?
  10. What is Ethan’s mood since the previous night in this chapter?
  11. Why does Ethan return home early?
  12. How does Ethan know that Zeena has made plans?
  13. Why has Zeena packed her bag?
  14. Why does Ethan dread Zeena’s trips to the doctor?
  15. What does Zeena ask Ethan that involves Jotham Powell?
  16. What is Zeena’s actual age?
  17. What is the reason Ethan gives for needing to collect money from Mr. Hale?
  18. Why does Ethan immediately regret telling Zeena about collecting the money from Mr. Hale?

Chapter 4:

  1. What motif continues to suggest a promise of happiness or well-being for Ethan at the beginning of this chapter?
  2. What gives Ethan’s kitchen a “homelike look”?
  3. What does Ethan dream about as he travels to town?
  4. What spark in Ethan had not been completely extinguished by the Starkfield winters?
  5. What did Ethan miss when he returned to Starkfield from Worcester?
  6. What did Ethan’s mother tell him she was listening to?
  7. Why is Ethan initially drawn to Zeena?
  8. Why does Ethan enjoy Zeena’s orders (at first)?
  9. Ethan’s love of nature does not include which of the following: _____animals _____astronomy _____lumber _____agriculture
  10. Why does Zeena want to stay in Starkfield?
  11. What may be the reason Zeena became sickly?
  12. What happened when Ethan asked Andrew Hale for money?
  13. What couple does Ethan see kissing as he walks through the trees?
  14. How is the pickle dish broken?
  15. Why can’t Ethan replace Zeena’s pickle dish?
  16. How has Mattie changed her appearance for Ethan?
  17. Who visited Mattie while Ethan was away for the day?
  18. What gives Ethan a sense of mastery at the end of this chapter?
  19. What is the mood of the scene between Ethan and Mattie?

Chapter 5:

  1. What does Mattie do while Ethan warms himself by the stove?
  2. Why does Ethan ask Mattie to sit in Zeena’s chair?
  3. Why does Mattie quickly move from Zeena’s chair?
  4. What does Zeena’s cat do in this scene from chapter 5?
  5. What might the smoke and haze from Ethan’s pipe represent?
  6. Why do Ethan and Mattie not go sledding that evening?
  7. Why does Ethan claim sledding is dangerous “on a night like this”?
  8. What does Ethan mention that makes Mattie uncomfortable?
  9. Why does Ethan feel constrained about Mattie inside his house?
  10. Whose marriage do Ethan and Mattie discuss?
  11. Why does Ethan mention Mattie’s eventual marriage?
  12. What do Ethan and Mattie finally speak frankly about in this chapter?
  13. What does Mattie confess her fear about?
  14. What interrupts most of Ethan and Mattie’s intimate moments?
  15. What does Ethan do because he is too afraid to actually touch Mattie?
  16. What might Wharton’s comparison of Mattie’s hair to “a drift of mist on the moon” suggest?
  17. What are Ethan’s last thoughts about at the end of this chapter?

Chapter 6:

  1. Who is present at breakfast at the beginning of this chapter?
  2. How does Wharton describe Ethan’s mood at the beginning of this chapter?
  3. Why do Ethan and Jotham reallyput off their trip to town?
  4. Why did Ethan secretly want to put off the trip to town?
  5. What might the bad weather at the beginning of this chapter foreshadow?
  6. Why does Ethan intend to hurry home for dinner?
  7. What errand does Ethan need to run in town?
  8. What is Ethan hoping the bad roads or late train may cause?
  9. Why can Ethan not buy glue from Michael Eady’s store?
  10. What happens to Ethan’s horse in this chapter?
  11. Why is the lumber so hard for Ethan to load?
  12. What does Ethan believe that Mattie understands?
  13. How does Ethan solve the glue problem?
  14. What does Ethan neglect as the result of his hurry to get to the house to be with Mattie?
  15. Why does Ethan think that Zeena has not arrived home yet?
  16. What does Zeena do when she arrives home?
  17. Why does Ethan invite Jotham Powell to dinner?
  18. Why does Ethan think something “went wrong” with Zeena near the end of this chapter?