Everybody has tragic flaws. Some of the decisions that we make in life have an everlasting impact. Edith Wharton, author of Ethan Frome, writes about Ethan Frome, a man troubled by his own decisions. Ethan, married to Zeena Frome, has an affair with Zeena’s cousin, Mattie Silver, leaving him stranded between the two. In his effort to have his clandestine affair with Mattie and cover up so Zeena would not find out, Ethan manifests …showed first 75 words of 865 total…

…showed last 75 words of 865 total…her to train (pg. 129) General: Desperation is bad. Specific: desperate for Mattie to stay (pg. 107) Specific: can’t let Mattie go (pg. 107) Specific: killing each other (pg. 147) Conclusion: Restate your thesis: Ethan is full of fear, desperation, and impracticality. Re-introduce three “generals”: His shaving instilled fear into his mind. His impracticality allows him to have an affair with Mattie. And finally, his desperation almost cost him his life Universal Application: Flaws are part of life.