Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is about a young Ethan Frome, who lives in the snowy, boring town of Starkfield, Massachusetts. He lives a complicated life, as he struggles to choose between a seemingly unattractive wife and a lusty cousin. Ethan is simply tormented by various internal conflicts, in which his characteristics and lifestyle, his friends, his family and the environment play a role in his personal unhappiness. Ethan Frome, the story's protagonist, is a farmer who has had members of his family living and dying on the same farm in Starkfield for generations. Ethan is described as a rather sensitive figure, with a deep appreciation towards nature. He seems to always be on the move, struggling and trying to get unstuck, simply with “the cloud in his brain.” In this novel, Ethan lives with his ailing wife, Zeena. Additionally, Mattie Silver, Zeena's cousin, has also been living with them for over a year as a housekeeper. As the story progresses, the reader quickly realizes the misery Ethan faces. Zeena, which is short for Ze...