Entrapment or Cowardice in Ethan Frome? American Studies Honors, Periods 3 & 4 Ms. Gossard 3/3/2000 Throughout Edith Wharton’s novel Ethan Frome, Ethan is forced to make crucial decisions that affect the outcome of his life and others’ lives. He regrets most of the outcomes of his decisions and wishes he could change them. Yet, when given the opportunity to change his fate, he never seems to fully seize what could become of him. It has been suggested that Ethan was a coward for never taking advantage of seizing his fate, but that is not true. Life, responsibility and reality trapped Ethan. At each turning point in his life, there is nothing he can do without seriously hurting