General Help
NAME: Bethany Reed
EMAILADDRESS: b_claire03@hotmail.com
QUESTION: i'm doing a critical essay in my english literature
class over edith wharton's works. i need to find a good thesis
to prove about her works and i need some help!! please!!
(Note: Since this general message is representative of many of
the kinds of questions received at the site, future questions of
this nature will NOT be answered individually. Please consult
the answer at right for assistance.)
|
The best way to find a good thesis is to sit down and think about
the works that you have read--really think about them. Here
are some suggestions:
1. If you have been asked to compare characters, take a piece of paper
and draw a line down the center lengthwise. Put the name of each
character at the top of a column. What do you know about each character? Write
as quickly as you can, going back to the text for more ideas. After
you've written down the obvious points, go back and look for the less obvious
ones. Do the same thing for the other character. What similarities
and differences do you see? What points keep coming up?
2. If you have to write an essay with a thesis about some aspect of Wharton's
works, consider these possibilities:
Subject and Tone: What is Wharton's attitude toward her subject?
How can you tell? What words, images, or scenes show this? To what
extent is the narrative voice sympathetic to a character such as Lily
Bart? How can you tell? To what extent is she being ironic? How
can you tell?
Context: What pieces of information or attitudes does Wharton rely
on her audience to supply? For example, is our attitude toward divorce
the same as it was in Wharton's day? In what ways does Wharton
respond to or critique her culture? How can you tell what values
are important? In what ways is marriage a business in Wharton's world,
and how does this affect the relationships between men and women? What
role do women play in the culture that Wharton describes?
Structure: How is the story told? Where does Wharton
use flashbacks, frame stories, or other devices to tell the story? How
does this affect our perception of the information? Does the work have
parallel scenes? How do the characters respond within these scenes?
Style: How does Wharton convey her message? What is her sentence
structure like? What classical, biblical, literary, philosophical,
biological, or musical allusions does she use? What do they mean in
the context of the story?
Setting: How is the setting of the story important? If the
story is set in a foreign country or with international characters,
what do these characters or settings represent?
Characters: What do you know about the characters? (See #1 above).
Are they round or flat? What has shaped their behavior? Can you figure
out how they might behave in a hypothetical situation? What do they
look like? What do they do when placed in a social situation? Are they
associated with any particular gesture, type of clothing, saying or
phrase, or work of art? If so, what does this tell you about them?
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| NAME: Mizael Gardu=F1o
EMAILADDRESS: mizaelgb@hotmail.com
I am a student in a translation English/Spanish program
in Mexico, and now I have some problems in translating some expressions
in "The Pelican" (1898). The phrases are "Real teeth and hair" and "cut
the knot".
I appreciate any explanation I could receive about these two
expressions.
Best regards.
|
Here is the passage from "The
Pelican": "After the lecture was over it happened that I walked
home with Mrs. Amyot. Judging from the incensed glances of two
or three learned gentlemen who were hovering on the door-step when
we emerged, I inferred that Mrs. Amyot, at that period, did not
often walk home alone; but I doubt whether any of my discomfited
rivals, whatever his claims to favor, was ever treated to so ravishing
a mixture of shyness and self-abandonment, of sham erudition and real
teeth and hair, as it was my privilege to enjoy. Even at the
incipience of her public career Mrs. Amyot had a tender eye for
strangers, as possible links with successive centres of culture
to
which in due course the torch of Greek art might be handed on."
"Real teeth and hair" in this context means that whatever other deficiencies
Mrs. Amyot had (of erudition, for example,) she at least does not have
false teeth or false hair (like a wig). Wharton contrasts the two
(false and real) to show the real source of Mrs. Amyot's power, her femininity.
Here is the other passage: "But if Lancelot was not genuine, his mother's
love for him was. It justified everything -- the lectures were for the
baby, after all. I had not been ten minutes in the room before I was
pledged to help Mrs. Amyot to carry out her triumphant fraud. If she
wanted to lecture on Plato she should -- Plato must take his chance like
the rest of us! There was no use, of course, in being "discriminating." I
preserved sufficient reason to avoid that pitfall, but I suggested "subjects" and
made lists of books for her with a fatuity that became more obvious as
time attenuated the remembrance of her smile; I even remember thinking
that some men might have cut the knot by marrying her, but I handed
over Plato as a hostage, and escaped by the afternoon train."
"Cut the knot" means "solve the problem." It derives from the
old story about Alexander the Great, who solved the problem of untying
the Gordian
knot by slicing it in half with his sword.
|
Dear Edith Wharton Society,
I have recently read Souls Belated by Edith Wharton
and have started to write a paper on her styles of writing, in this story. I
have already read it over three times and still fail to find all the necessary
things to write a paper. If you could help me I would greatly appreciate
it, I am looking for: Characters, Plot,
Setting, Theme, Symbols, Narrator, etc.
Thank you for your time
JR |
The questions given for the first answer should help you in writing
your paper. |
| Ethan Frome and Frame Story
NAME: moulin
gatho2001@yahoo.fr
I'm a french student I'd like to know few things about Edith
Wharton
novel : Ethan Frome
In Edith wharton's novel Ethan Frome, : Why wharton used the technique
of the
prologue? What role does it play? |
|
| Wharton's Importance
My name is Kelsey Wohlman and I attend a private preparatory
school in
Jakarta Indonesia, JIS. Right now I am doing an independent novel
study on
the Age of Innocence and must do and oral report on the author, Edith
Wharton. I was wondering of you could please help me address the
question of
why should books written by Edith Wharton be placed on the curriculum. I
was
thinking somewhere along the lines of her books being such accurate
descriptions of an era and age past.... Also, how the society and
time
period in which she lived influenced her writing. That one is pretty
self
explanatory, and I could manage. However, any help that you could
offer
would be beneficial.
Thank-you
Kelsey Wohlman |
|
| Title of Custom of the
Country
NAME: Kelly, heybigblue@aol.com
Hi, I have just finished reading Edith Wharton's, The Custom
of the
Country. I am new to novels like these and have found it very difficult
to
read. I have a paper to write on the appropriateness of the novel's
title and I
would really like some help with that!
Thanks |
You may want to consult some of the sources in the online
bibliography on The Custom of the Country, especially
the essays by Adeline Tintner and others who discuss the title.
Usually people speak of "the custom of the country" as meaning
the manners, customs, habits, and moral traditions of a land, often
in the context of doing something that one might otherwise not
do (or something one disapproves of) or observing a custom that
is strange from the perspective of one's own land. You might also
want to look at the play The Custom of the Country (circa
1619) by John
Fletcher and Philip Massinger, for this is also a source for
Wharton's title. |
Puritanism in Ethan Frome
QUESTION: I'm doing a Research Paper on Puritanism in Ethan Frome and was wondering
if anyone knew any similarites between the life of a Puritan
individual and the characters in the novel Ethan Frome... If any beliefs
of the
Puritans are illustrated in the novel. AMBS, LMspoiledBRAT12@aol.com |
|
| Summaries of Wharton Stories
QUESTION: I'm doing a critical analysis on the stories "The Muse's
Tragedy" and "The Pelican," and am having a hard time understand
and relating the two. I have searched everywhere on the internet
for summaries of the stories, but have had no luck. Any advice? Emily, Loner994@yahoo.com |
|
"The Valley of Childish
Things"
> Hello,
> I'm looking for background information on the short story: The valley
of
> childish things. It was published in Century Magazine 52 (1896) p467
-
469; "The
> valley of childish things and other emblems". Can you help me? I didn't
find
> anything about it at your site. Thanks a lot in advance.
>
> Gabriela Henschke
> (student at University of Stuttgart)
>
> --
> GMX - Die Kommunikationsplattform im Internet.
> http://www.gmx.net
> |
[some material omitted]
For my part, the best advice I can give you to get started is
1) Check the MLA bibliography online to see what articles have
been
published on the story since 1984.
2) Look in the indexes to the main books of Wharton criticism
(list at the
EW site). You will find the story mentioned in many of the books. Though
it won't be discussed in more than a paragraph at most, these citations
will
give you a sense of how people have been reading the story -- as one about
the preference in men for women who are child-like rather than experienced,
and so on.
Good luck,
S Shaloo
************************************************
Sharon Shaloo, Executive Director
Massachusetts Center for the Book
S_Shaloo@msn.com |
Bibliography on "Roman
Fever"
I have a class which is english class.
We learned "roman
fever" written by Edith Warther.
I need to make my
paper about it.
Do you have sources
of roman fever?
Let me know please
Thank you |
You can find a bibliography by searching this site; the question
and answer appear on the Student
Queries 2000 page, and there is a bibliography on that page. |
"Souls Belated"
Dear Edith Wharton Society,
I have recently read Souls Belated by Edith Wharton
and have started to write a paper on her styles of writing, in this story. I
have already
read it over three times and still fail to find all the necessary things
to write a paper. If you could help me I would greatly appreciate it, I
am
looking for: Characters, Plot, Setting, Theme, Symbols, Narrator, etc.
Thank you for your time.
JR |
The questions in the "General Help" section of this page should
help you get started with this question. At some future date, we
will be working on putting more information about the short stories
on this site. |
"Roman Fever"
QUESTION: 1. Account for the irony that readers can experience in
Roman Fever. 2. After years being married to a successful lawyer,
Did Mrs Slade really found the true happiness and peace in mind?--
Anh Ng, goodman@hcm.fpt.vn |
|
Fashion and
Dress in The House of Mirth
QUESTION: I need information, articles and references for my essay
on "the Significance of Fashion and Dress in House of Mirth". I am finding
very little info on it. Karen Hamlin, toobatoot1@yahoo.com |
|
Literary Criticism
on Ethan Frome
QUESTION: Hi. My name is Tessa and I am in the tenth grade. I
need a number of literary criticisms on "Ethan Frome" by Edith Wharton. Any
help would be really helpful for my presentation that is due, like, real
soon!!!! Thanks.Tessa Dimsdale, badgrrl8@yahoo.com |
You can find some suggestions for finding sources if
you look in the Student Queries pages for previous years and also
the FAQ pages. As
noted above and on other pages, we can't send you critical articles
about your topic; you need to look them up in your library. |
| Edith Wharton in France
I'm a french student and I'm reading this book for my literature
class. = I'd like to find information on the book and also on
E.Wharton life = while she lived in France, if you could help
me, web site, books... Thanks. virginie |
You can find good information on Wharton's life in the biographies
written about her life; a short biographical sketch is available
at http://www.gonzaga.edu/wharton/bio.htm
Information about where Wharton lived in France is available on the FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions) page. |
| Edith Wharton as a Realist Novelist
I would appreciate it if you could answer the following queries.
-Can we consider Edith Wharton a realist novelist? If so what
was her contribution to the edification of the American realistic
novel?
-What themes did come out more frequently in her works?
Thanks.
M.Barkaoui, University of Annaba, Algeria. |
|
| Portrait of a Lady and The House of Mirth
I'm doing a project for a Realism and Naturalism class on comparing
James' "Portrait of a Lady" to Wharton's
"Age of Innocence." I need some information on where the comparisons/references
are and what they are.
This information would be appreciated.
Jennifer Underwood |
You should be able find some relevant articles in the
Edith Wharton and Henry James bibliography at http://www.editwhartonsociety.org/whartonjames.html,
starting with Millicent Bell's Edith Wharton and Henry James: The
Story of Their Friendship. |
| Edith Wharton and Cities
I was looking into your great site about Edith Warthon society
and I wanted to ask a quick question.
I was wondering how I can find some information on Edith Warthon's
life in major cities(NY, major European cities) and how it influenced
her work.
Thanks for your time.
Sincerely
Armin Afshar-Hamdi. |
You can find good information on Wharton's life in cities
in the biographies
written about her life; a short biographical sketch is available
at http://www.gonzaga.edu/wharton/bio.htm
Information about cities where Wharton lived is available on the FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions) page. |
| Ethan Frome and Happiness
QUESTION: In "Ethan Frome" do you feel that the character of
Ethan should be pitied, or do you think that he is just suffering
from his mindset that "the grass is always greener on the other
side"? Please help me with this question, thankyou.
princessjenny44@yahoo.com |
|
| The House of Mirth and
Houses
QUESTION: I am a student and I need some informations about
the subject of houses in the novel "The House of Mirth". Could
you help me suggesting critics that I can find on the web (or
other sources)about this matter? Thank you very much in advance
for your help. Have a nice day! Ramona
Ramona Lamberti, ramonalamberti@everyday.com
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| Edith Wharton
Foundation on the French Riviera?
QUESTION: I have heard a rumor of an Edith Wharton foundation
on the French Riviera. Can anyone provide me with information
about this foundation if it indeed exists? Thanks for your
assistance.
Leslie Shimotakahara, shimotakahara@usa.net
|
This may be a reference to her house there, a chateau in Hyeres
on the Riviera (Ste. Claire du Vieux Chateau). |
| QUESTION: HELP ME!!!! I have been looking all over the entire web
for Reviews and Criticisms of Edith Wharton's "The Fulness of Life" and
I can't find anything! I have a paper due on monday and ANY INFORMATION
AT ALL WOULD BE WONDERFUL....PLEASE HELP!
Blair Atwood |
You will find several suggestions about finding online criticism
and other types of sources on Wharton on our FAQ (Frequently
Asked Questions) page. |
| Epigraph to The House of Mirth
QUESTION: Why did Wharton decline her publisher's request to
put this epigraph from Ecclelesiastes 7:4 on the title page: "The
heart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of
fools is in the house of mirth?"
Mike
EMAILADDRESS: mack4289@att.net |
Wharton wrote
about this in a letter to her editor, William Crary Brownell (Letters 94). |
| Winter Setting in Ethan Frome
QUESTION: Do you know what does the winter setting symbolizes
in Ethan Frome? Why do you think so? Do you know what does the
sled symbolizes in Ethan Frome and why do you think so?
F. Pedraza |
Many critics have commented on the winter setting in Ethan Frome.
What is your opinion? Why might a white, frozen landscape in which
all life is dead or dormant be especially appropriate to an understanding
of Ethan's life? You might want to look first at any of the
recommended books, especially Marlene Springer's Ethan Frome:
A Nightmare of Need or the Norton Critical Edition of the novel. |
