Social Realism In Ethan Frome By Edith Wharton

People in it became a distraction to society in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The style of realist writing embellished the time due to the problems addressed in the literature. People enjoyed the pessimistic aspects only because they could relate back to them. Along with this, the stories being published were very cheap, and they became accessible to everyone. Individuals who could not afford novels before were able to purchase them. These became the gateway to lower-class readers that related to the stories in the novels more. With all of these ideas in mind, naturalist ideas such as poverty, harsh environments, and social expectations became common in literature due to the majority “He vaguely desired to walk around and around the body

The working poor were isolated from the rich and middle classes. Due to these circumstances, the literature of the period began to reflect this, according to an article written by StudySmarter titled “Social Realism Literature”, it “brought the working class into the public consciousness and highlighted the inequality of social division.” This idea was brought to light in the book Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. In chapter three of the story, Ethan’s wife Zeena plans to take a trip to the doctor for some pain she has been experiencing. Ethan expresses his displeasure with the thought, “Her husband had grown to dread these expeditions because of their cost. Zeena always came back laden with expensive remedies, and her last visit to Springfield had been commemorated by her paying twenty dollars for an electric battery of which she had never been able to learn the use” (Wharton 3). Ethan’s job cannot provide enough money to take care of three people, and pay for Zeena’s extra expenses each month. The Frome’s could not afford to move away from the farm, outcasting them in a town they did not want to be in. It develops the conflict

Most were discriminated against due to their gender, ethnicity, and class. According to an article by StudySmarter naturalist work can sometimes “be seen to have a political agenda, with books frequently shining a light on the conditions of economic hardship. This brought the working class into the public consciousness and highlighted the inequality of social division.” This was showcased in the book Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. In the story, the Frome’s are housing a cousin Mattie due to financial hardships. During this period, women were expected to marry and take care of household duties. Ethan’s wife believes she should stick to these expectations, “Zeena waited a moment as if giving him time to feel the full force of the contrast between his excitement and her composure. Then she replied in the same smooth voice: ‘I know well enough what they say of my having kep' her here as long as I have’” (Wharton 7). Due to Mattie’s gender, she cannot support herself. This puts her in a box with not many options, and her societal expectations put a heavy burden on her and her family's backs. Furthermore, the short story “Wagner Matinee” by Wila Cather has a matching objective. In the tale, a woman gives up her dream to move where her husband wants, “When she returned to her duties in Boston, Howard followed her, and the upshot of this inexplicable infatuation was that she eloped with him, eluding