1. Do you believe Clyde genuinely loved Sondra Finchley? Was he even capable of love?

2. Ambition suggests a strong drive for personal achievement. Would you describe Clyde as ambitious? Why or why not?

3. To what extent is Clyde responsible for Roberta's death?

4. Do you think Clyde deliberately hit Roberta with the camera?

5. What is the importance of the man in the hat who appears towards the end of the book?

6. What do we learn about Clyde's character from his handling of his sister Esta's unwanted pregnancy?

7. When examining Clyde's actions through a Spencerian lens, do you see him as prey or predator?

8. Discuss the role and significance of the preacher who appears at the novel's conclusion.

9. Reflect on the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland, a character who constantly runs but never advances. The Red Queen theory in evolutionary biology derives its name from Lewis Carroll's character. Considering Dreiser's message in An American Tragedy, how would you explain the Red Queen theory?

10. Analyze Dreiser's progressive plot structure. How does it support his themes and convey his message?