Now that you’ve listed some important elements in the story, pick a topic from ethan frome. write an essay of approximately four or five paragraphs detailing how the topic relates to your understanding of the novel as a whole. here are some suggested topics, but you may choose your own: explore the idea of communication among the characters in the novel. what theme does wharton attempt to convey through their communication? what does the pickle dish seem to symbolize in the novel? what type of tragic hero does ethan frome represent? explore the differences between a classic tragic hero and a more modern tragic hero