In Edith Wharton's book, Ethan Frome, the author descriptively portrayed the inner conflict between the pursuit of pleasure and the burden of obligation as Ethan's life unfolded to the reader. As a creative device, she used the bleak, and barren New England countryside to reflect Ethan's frame of mind. The burden of obligation shrouded Ethan's life. He felt obligated to his parents, their farm, his wife Zeena, and her cousin Mattie. Overcome by his enormous sense of responsibility for others, Ethan never had the time for the pursuit of his ....