Tuesday March 6 Ethan Frome Material

Homework for Wednesday: A Wagner Matinee by Willa Cather


You have in class copies of all the information below. Make sure you have read everything carefully. There are two parts, as there were two separate handouts.
1)Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton Prezi Presentation.
At this point everyone should be registered with a Prezi account. As well, be sure you have familiarized yourself with the process by watching the short videos. Once you begin working on your Prezi, make sure you save it to your Prezi account. It will be accessible from any computer, and this is how you will present in the classroom. You will not be able to save it to a school site or a jump drive.
Now, what are you going to do with this? Rather than an analysis paper, you are going to demonstrate your in-depth knowledge of the novel Ethan Frome through a Prezi.What do you need to have in your Prezi? The format that will express your understanding will be through literary elements. They are, of course, character, plot, theme, tone, setting, point of view, dialogue and figurative language devices, such as metaphors, similes and imagery. These are interconnected. For example, tone is created through the other elements.
Keep in mind that the literary style we are looking at here is Naturalism. Below is a summary that compares it to Realism.
Naturalism in Literature Characteristics
There are four main characteristics of naturalism in literature.
•The main characteristic of literary naturalism is pessimism, where a character tends to repeat a phrase having a pessimistic outlook, which sometimes emphasizes the inevitability and quality of death.
•Detachment from the main story is another characteristic of literary naturalism. The author tries to maintain an objective tone and sometimes achieves detachment or change by introducing nameless characters. This focuses mainly on the plot and character rather than focusing on the character only.
•In determinism, which is the third characteristic of naturalism in literature, the notion that individual characters have a direct influence on their lives is replaced by a focus on fate or nature and is the opposite of the belief of free will. The author makes the reader believe that the fate of the character has already been predetermined by certain factors, especially environmental factors and he can do nothing to change it.
•One common characteristic of literary naturalism is the surprising twist at the end of the plot. There is a strong sense in the naturalist stories and novels that nature is not affected by human struggle.
Realism vs Naturalism in LiteratureThough naturalism and realism are inter-related, they are different from each other. Here are a few differences between realism and naturalism:
•The history of naturalism in literature can be traced back to the nineteenth century and naturalism was supposed to be the extreme form of realism. As compared to romanticism and realism, naturalism is a more recent movement in the literary cycle.
•The focus of realism is on literary technique, whereas naturalism connotes a philosophical pessimism, where writers apply scientific method to their writings and depict human beings as an objective and impartial character.
•Realism portrays things the way they might appear to be, while naturalism shows a deterministic view of a person's life and actions.
•Realism shows that a person's decision is based upon his response to the situation, whereas naturalism concludes that a person's decision is predetermined by natural forces that make him act in a certain way
To begin your Prezi, start with the essential question. How is Ethan Frome an example of Naturalism?To build your argument, you will focus on those literary elements. This is where you need to be both knowledgeable and creative. As with a paper, each paragraph will have a thesis, supporting material and an analysis. Your paragraphs are your sections of your Prezi. Within each section, you may include an image(s), textual quotes, comments and / or video. This last may be something you film and insert. In terms of the analysis statement, this may be spoken when you actually give your presentation.
Suggestions: look deeply into the text. Look beyond the literal for your images. Try your own photography or filming.
Grading: 1. demonstrating that you know the text thoroughly.
2. Correct use of the Prezi program
3. Answered the essential question.
4. Included quotes and images
5. Creativity and imagination.
DUE Monday MARCH 19.
2) Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton   Accompanying questions for the Prezi to be turned in on Monday March 19.  They should help with the organization of the Prezi presentation.

Please type up these responses. MLA heading. This will count as a paper grade.

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?

 6. Discuss the final sled run 1) in terms of the literary movement of Naturalism, 2) plot and 3) characterization.