It Hardly Matters

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Frome Massachusetts

I think every kid in New England is required by law to read Ethan Frome in high school. You know Ethan Frome, that uplifting tale (warning: spoiler! (I've always wanted to write that)) of massive snowdrifts, repressed sexuality, failed suicide attempts, and lifelong misery set in a place called Starkfield--an aptly-named, but fictitious Massachusetts town.

Judging from my high school experience, set in a place called Holden--an uncreatively named and unfortunately not fictitious Massachusetts town, I surmise that we were forced to acquaint ourselves with poor tortured Ethan, sickly, angry Zeena, and that whore Mattie Silver so we could deal better with Holden's gas station attendants, Big Y produce managers, dog groomers, and neighborhood kindergarteners. And you know, I gotta say, it kinda worked. Thanks, Ethan. I made it out. Snowdriftless, sexual, alive.

2 Comments:

  • We made it out! We made it out!

    But with obvious shout outs to tricky trikakis, babs wreschinski and the freres tarkianans.

    Happy Holden, count on us to care...

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:18 AM  

  • I seem to remember photos I saw our Freshman year of you having some pretty good times in a frilly number circa 1920 in some musical theater production. Only the coolest take refuge in the drama club. The perilous suburbs of Worcester, their loss. The mighty Quinapoxet calls your name.

    By Blogger Commuter, at 8:40 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home