Ethan Marsh, the protagonist of Middle of the Night, is consumed by guilt and haunted by the disappearance of his childhood friend, Billy. This unresolved trauma defines his life, leaving him emotionally stunted and deeply introspective. Throughout the novel, Ethan’s overwhelming sense of responsibility for Billy’s fate shapes his worldview, rendering him more a vessel of unresolved emotions than a fully realized individual. This lack of a clear identity or defining characteristics is evident in the chapters narrated from his first-person perspective, where his thoughts are dominated by the past, leaving little room for personal growth or self-discovery.

Ethan’s relationships are marked by Billy’s absence. The void left by Billy’s disappearance creates a profound loneliness in Ethan, making it difficult for him to trust or connect with others. His relationship with Ashley, another childhood friend, is particularly complex; while they share a deep bond over their shared grief, Ashley’s eventual revelation about her role in Billy’s death shatters what little trust Ethan had managed to build, plunging him further into a state of betrayal and anger.

Ethan’s belief in the supernatural reflects his desperate need to find meaning and closure in the wake of Billy’s disappearance and, later, the death of his wife, Claudia.