In Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome the themes of society and morality as obstacles to the fulfillment of desire and winter as a stifling force were evident throughout the heartbreaking novel. Dreaming to become an entrepreneur, Ethan Frome is portrayed as a tragic victim in Starkfield. When his heart turns to Mattie, his loveless marriage is evident. The unsuccessful suicide of Mattie and Ethan shows the change of role the characters take. In the end Zeena takes care of Ethan and Mattie. Trapped by a hostile environment, unfortunate circumstances, and moral character, Ethan is a tragic victim of forces beyond his control.

Ethan lives in Starkfield, an imaginary town in Massachusetts. The name of the area creates a broad visualization of the town. The hostile environment creates an aura that causes Ethan to become cataclysmic. The stark, remote region and the wintry, blizzard-like climate are two parts of the...