In my literary career, I have never witnessed a character more naïve and annoying than Ethan Frome. In Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome, the main character, Ethan Frome, is a married man in the rural town of Starkfield, Massachusetts. It is the most bland, boring, and coldest town in the United States. It is a farming town that has a very tiny population of dull people like Ethan. He lives in a shabby home with his wife, Zeena, who happens to be slightly older than Ethan. The couple entered a loveless marriage that Ethan regrets every day; unfortunately, Zeena has also grown ill, making Ethan dread his relationship and life even more. As a result of Zeena’s concerning illness, her cousin, Mattie Silver joins their household to serve as a caretaker to Zeena; however, it appears Ethan has caught feelings for Mattie! Not a good idea Ethan.

            The novel’s central focus is Ethan’s sense of morality and the roadblocks of society that inhibits Ethan to be with Mattie. Ethan tries to justify the means of being with his crush while being a married man. This dilemma directly addresses Ethan’s morality: is it acceptable for him to cheat as a married man, or does his loveless marriage permit him to look for someone else? Ethan struggles with this idea throughout the novel. In Mattie’s sense, she does not explicatly say that she has feelings for Ethan as well; in fact, she also makes it difficult for Ethan to jump to any conclusion about what he should do. While Wharton presents this unique theme in the novel, Ethan is still an undeniably annoying character for readers.

            The main issue I have with this novel is with Ethan. He is so incredibly indecisive and it makes his fate very clear for readers at the start of the novel when he goes nuts for Mattie. The novel is told several years from its present that lead up to where Ethan, Zeena, and Mattie are in the present. Because of this early reveal that Ethan is still living his life in bland Starkfield, the conclusion of the novel is not very satisfying. As mentioned, the choices Ethan makes are very questionable; for example, he marries Zeena for no legitimate reason whatsoever. He has no feelings for her, she’s a little old for him, and she has a rude personality. Who would want to spend the rest of one’s life with a person like that? Next, Ethan’s inability to leave Starkfield and Zeena is also a troubling decision by Ethan. He constantly complains about Starkfield. It is a terribly cold place and it has no opportunities; in fact, Ethan wanted to live in Florida and get an actual job instead of living on his family home in Starkfield as a farmer. It seems that Zeena prevented Ethan from following his dreams, but Ethan’s lack of initiative drives me crazy. He is practically setting himself up for a miserable life and does nothing to address it.

            While Wharton is still one of America’s best literary minds, Ethan Frome is a very disappointing novel. Ethan’s behavior is mindboggling for readers and it sets up for a disappointing conclusion.  If you are a high school student who has to read this novel, you will just have to bear through it. I do not recommend this book for individuals who still have free will. It is a lackluster read with an absurd main character that will question why you love reading.

Check out Ethan Frome from the Newport Beach Public Library.