The American Dream as Illusion
The American Dream embodies the belief that every American has the opportunity to improve their economic and social standing. It posits that one's background does not limit their potential; people can shape their futures and achieve as much as their aspirations allow.
However, if there is one lesson from Dreiser's An American Tragedy, it is that the American Dream is a myth. Dreiser creates a microcosm of America by introducing characters from different social classes and life paths. He then illustrates how their lives contradict the principles of the American Dream. Clyde Griffiths, the protagonist representing the common man, is unable to elevate himself from his initial state: impoverished and lacking exceptional insight or resourcefulness. When he encounters the allure of material wealth and the pleasures of success, he desires them but lacks the qualities to attain them legitimately. Moreover, the system is designed against him; the wealthy are determined to keep the less fortunate in their place. As a result, most of his affluent relatives do not see him as an equal.
Clyde becomes so obsessed with acquiring what his own shortcomings and societal prejudices deny him that he turns to murder to fulfill his dreams. Dreiser's point is not that Clyde's tragic fate is due to inherent evil. Instead, Dreiser shows that Clyde's downfall results from being an average person who believed in the American Dream and attempted to make it his reality.
While An American Tragedy focuses on Clyde's narrative, Dreiser reinforces his message through the stories of other key characters. Roberta, whose ambitions are more modest than Clyde's, dreams of marrying someone of higher social status but also meets a tragic end. The "haves," represented by Gilbert and Sondra, are not only born into wealth but also possess the savvy to manipulate their environments, a skill Clyde and Roberta lack. These "haves" effortlessly maintain the wealth and privilege they inherit.
In Dreiser's depiction of America, the American Dream is merely an illusion. Each person's fate is predetermined before birth, and attempts to rise above one's initial circumstances lead to disaster.
Moral Ambiguity
The theme of morality in An American Tragedy is complex and not easily defined. The most prominent example of this complexity is in the novel's pivotal event—Roberta's death. Although the jury delivers a clear verdict, the true extent of Clyde's culpability remains uncertain for both the readers and Clyde himself. Clyde had meticulously planned Roberta's murder but never actually carried it out. The chain of events that led to Roberta's demise was genuinely accidental. Clyde's only intentional act was swimming away as Roberta called for help. It is clear he should have attempted to rescue her, yet whether he could have succeeded remains doubtful. He is undoubtedly guilty, but the degree of his guilt is ambiguous.
Dreiser further explores moral ambiguity through his depiction of religious characters, beginning with the notion that religion claims to uphold the highest moral standards. Clyde's parents, who are evangelists, reject material possessions and worldly attitudes in favor of "higher" values. Yet, their lives are marked by pity and ineffectiveness. They fail to protect their daughter from betrayal and abandonment and cannot save their son from the electric chair. Perhaps more significantly, their lives of sacrifice and self-denial have not inspired their children to follow the same path. Dreiser seems to suggest that renouncing materialism is no more effective than embracing it.
Reverend McMillan exemplifies moral ambiguity in a particularly poignant way. He is a well-meaning man who visits Clyde in prison, aiming to save his soul. Trusting McMillan's sincerity, Clyde confides what he has told no one else: that he...
(This entire section contains 367 words.)
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did indeed plan Roberta's murder. Initially, McMillan feels satisfied that he has helped Clyde "come clean." However, McMillan later plays a direct role in Clyde's death. When the governor, who has the authority to commute Clyde's sentence, inquires whether Clyde is truly guilty, McMillan discloses Clyde's confession. This revelation leads to the execution of a man who, while undeniably guilty, may not be guilty of first-degree murder. McMillan's strict adherence to a rigid moral code does not necessarily equate to justice. It not only ends Clyde's life but also causes him to regret ever trusting anyone as he approaches death. Even McMillan eventually recognizes this and questions his own actions.