Ethan Frome Lesson Plan

Themes and Symbols

Kind of Activity:

Group Work

Objective:

Students will analyze the different themes and symbolism used in the novella and create a visual representation of their work

Structure:

In this activity, the students will discuss themes and symbolism in general, examine the specific themes and symbols used in Ethan Frome, and then create storyboards to help visually represent these ideas.

Lead the class in a brief discussion about what themes and symbols are.

Theme: The central idea, message, or lesson present in a given work. Common basic themes include love, death, good vs. evil, etc.—though many themes are more nuanced than this. Have the students offer...