Ethan Frome / Wharton, Edith

Burdened by poverty and spiritually dulled by a loveless marriage to an older woman, Frome is emotionally stirred by the arrival of a youthful cousin who is employed as household help. Mattie's presence not only brightens a gloomy house but stirs long-dormant feelings in Ethan.

This novel centers on how the power of a person's culture can smother an individual's growth; Ethan Frome is a man tormented by a passionate love for his ailing wife's young cousin, and he is ultimately destroyed by that which offers him the greatest chance at happiness.

A grim tale of retribution involving a discouraged New England farmer, his hypochondriac wife, and a girl who still finds some joy in living.