An American Tragedy (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Theodore Dreiser
- First Published: 1925
- Type of Work: Novel
- Genres: Long fiction, Social realism, Naturalistic literature
- Subjects: Values, United States or Americans, Love or romance, Murder or homicide, Twentieth century, Chicago, Moral conditions, Ethics, Attorneys, Factory management
- Locales: Chicago, IL, Kansas City, MO, Lycurgus, New York
An American Tragedy, Dreiser's longest novel, has often been hailed as his masterpiece. It is divided into three books, the first of which foreshadows the events of the second, while the third describes Clyde's trial. The protagonist is Clyde Griffiths, the son of street preachers who live in dire poverty. Thus, Clyde grows up longing for material things he can never attain except through his own efforts.
After a series of dead-end jobs, Clyde ventures to Lycurgus, New York, hoping for a place in his uncle's prosperous shirt factory. Before long, he becomes supervisor of...
[The entire page is 1327 words long]
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