Thoughts on Edith Wharton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved House of Mirth and enjoyed Age of Innocence and Buccaneers. I hated Ethan Frome and don't understand why it seems to be the most widely assigned of her novels (I know there are some other EF haters on this forum, but this is my first time posting about it).

One of the EF haters from upthread here, and my theory is that EF gets assigned for several reasons:

1) technically a novella, which makes it easier to fit into a semester where you are trying to offer a cross-section of literature
2) it demonstrates several useful literary devices, including serving as a valuable example for POV (with the narration coming from the perspective of an unnamed outsider to the town) and how it might be used to reveal or conceal certain pieces of information from the reader, to build tension and conflict (i.e. the reveal at the end which I will not give away here but seems to be the whole point of assigning the book)
3) it's more chaste than Wharton's other novels and also less focused on the female characters, which I cynically believe make it more likely to be assigned because of misogyny

I do think educators over-estimate how compelling the POV and framing devices are when the rest of the narrative is sooooo unappealing to the average teenage reader. It's just freaking bleak -- a limping and tragic protagonist, a sparse and depressing setting, and at least one horribly tragic event. It's a slog. House of Mirth is also sad but, true to its title, is also filled with humor and levity (which largely serve to highlight how sad its protagonists arc is).

Teachers: stop assigning Ethan Frome! Maybe I would have liked it more if I'd read it at 27 instead of 16.

[Anonymous]

Love Edith Wharton -- if you are a fan try Twilight Sleep, an unknown gem of hers. Satirical and witty, all bout NYC in the Jazz age.

[Anonymous]

I like them

[Anonymous]

I appreciate her wit and observant eye. She makes one feel as if they are eavesdropping. EF is boring AF compared to other works.

[Anonymous]

Custom of the Country is my favorite of her books, although I like all of them (except Ethan Fromme). The main character is such a fascinating, infuriating anti-heroine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Custom of the Country is my favorite of her books, although I like all of them (except Ethan Fromme). The main character is such a fascinating, infuriating anti-heroine.

Mine too. Long read but well worth it