Book Discussion

[btvaughn]

vestimulate....what on earth does that mean? I'm going to actually go look for the book at the library soon...so I'll try and get back to you!
And for Ethan Frome....the only thing I wonder is if Mattie actually told Mrs. Hale, because it kind of came across that way when Mrs. Hale was talking to the narrator. Because she also talked about how she just saw the look on ethan's face when all three were in the room and that she pitied him the most.
Our English teacher asked us about this...and I was just wondering.

And nance....I don't want to say anything else....but just to clear things up, they didn't actually die!

 

[nance]

gosh i need to get out of here for a sec! hehe i'm trying not to read all this stuff! ok i'm going to be finished by tommorrow so THEN i'll be back here to talk about it!

 

[Victoria King]

vestimulate....what on earth does that mean? I'm going to actually go look for the book at the library soon...so I'll try and get back to you!
And for Ethan Frome....the only thing I wonder is if Mattie actually told Mrs. Hale, because it kind of came across that way when Mrs. Hale was talking to the narrator. Because she also talked about how she just saw the look on ethan's face when all three were in the room and that she pitied him the most.
Our English teacher asked us about this...and I was just wondering.

me neither! i asked all my teachers and no one knew it either so yeah!LOL! my one teacher tried reading it but she couldnt get through it!well she could understand it but couldnt get into it but she loved loved tartt's first book a secret history which i want to add to my list( as well as these books which i just found while at the book finder on b&n .com!LOL : dirty girls social club(ya need some fluff!hehehe!) unless by carol sheilds, all he ever wanted by anita shreve and many many more!LOL!!! i just want to read everything!

and that book ethan frome is always bringing up questions! its just a great book to discuss!

 

[btvaughn]

I agree....and my question still draws a blank. I hope I can answer it in class! lol
And soon enough, I'm going to make it to the library.

You ready to discuss a wonderful book, nance?

 

[nance]

nope!!! not yet! i didn't have time to read that much today... currently, i finished the part that Zeena went out for the day/night and Ethan and Mattie have the house to themselves... and he didn't kiss her! ok hopefully i'll be done by tomorrow!

 

[Victoria King]

ooo the pickle dish part! great part!get reading!!!!!

 

[nance]

okee i finished the part where Zeena tells Ethan that she needs to hire a house- girl or w/e it's called and tells him that Mattie is no longer needed and Ethan tells mattie!!! i'm almost done!

 

[btvaughn]

Isn't it great how Ethan reacts to hearing that from Zeena? And what you were talking about the part with the no kissing. I posted a quote from the book before...where he hadn't even touched her....wonderful. I'll try and find it!

But now it's off to dance tryouts...akk!

 

[nance]

I finished it! I finished it! wow... the end with the sled and commiting suicide and they didn't die and all the sadness... because my guess it that Mattie is stuck to a chair and poor.. poor ETHAN! god! and i HATE zeena! ugh... she's so queer and lifeless!! this was a very good book!

 

[Victoria King]

isnt it great?!?! im glad you loved it!you can go back to page one and read me and btvaughn's discussion on it and post your views!that would be great!im soo glad you loved it!!!

and to all of those that are taking on The Little Friend, do it!I love it and im halfway finished with it and i need someone to discuss with!hehehe!

 

[nance]

another thing that symbolizes that loneliness is zeena i mean the color red is used for passion but it could also mean evil or sin as well, and dark, her teasing (whats his name i forget, that guy that wanted her.....HELP!) and with the thought of suicide, and at the end we see her critical side come out when she is stranded to that chair!and ethan to that house!they are always tethered to something never free to do as they please even though they have their own minds

never thought of the color red... the two sides of... and yeah-- mattie has reeeaaalllly changed! she went from carefree, fun-loving girl to a zeena-like zombie!

 

[Victoria King]

i know i found it semi hilarous and extremly ironic how zeena and mattie switched roles at the end of the novella!

 

[nance]

ugh but i loved the relationshop b/w ethan and mattie! it's like ethan had absolutely no light in his life but when mattie came things changed but zeena (that controlling b*tch!) had to prevent that and send her away and i extremely doubt that zeena was that sick! and i loved it at the end when they reminisce about that time at the "church picnic" and the first ride down the hill! it was so sweet! and then they are foolish and try to commit suicide and ruin their love!

 

[Victoria King]

i know but now that im thinking back on the novel i sympathize with zeena somewhat but not to the extent with mattie and ethan. i mean i think zeena has always been trying to keep and hold onto ethan's attention because he only stayed becuase she was sick, she wanted to keep him she was desperate. i think she loved him truly. but she's very jealous and once she notices that ethan starts shaving again she feels worthless and i feel awful for her in that aspect, i think zeena doesnt know how to make ethan happy even though she wants to, so she just says nothing except that she needs to be taken care of and she knows ethan will stick around if she is helpless.

 

[nance]

yea-- that's a good point. zeena probably felt really jealous because of ethan's undivided attention to mattie and always thinking about mattie. but i hate the fact that ethan married zeena only out of sympathy and not real love- that's what it seems like to me but maybe zeena really loved ethan... who knows?

 

[Victoria King]

i think zeena loved ethan but i dont think he loved her as much! but if he would have never married her, he would have never met mattie and then could have married someone even worse than zeena or had a worse fate?!
*thinking too much!LOL!

 

[nance]

OHHH good point!! haha yea you're thinkin waaay too much there! but i agree w/ Mrs. Hale... they are better off dead because of the pain they have to live through.

 

[Victoria King]

i know when i think i think too much!LOL!oh well but yes mrs hale was right "too many winters in starkfield!" way too many locked up and tethered to the two of them bickering and complaining all day long!

 

[btvaughn]

I see what you're saying Victoria about Zeena, but honestly I just don't see how she loved Ethan. Perhaps something might have been there, but by the story time it was long gone. Maybe it was jealousy I read, but Zeena just doesn't seem like the type to fall in love!

 

[nance]

mmm... yea i think that zeena might have been attracted to ethan when they first met or something but definitely not at the current time of the book and she most likely despised him even more after his attraction for mattie.