An American Tragedy

By Theodore Dreiser

This landmark 1925 novel—the basis for the acclaimed 1951 film A Place in the Sun—is both a riveting crime story and a devastating commentary on the American dream.

One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years

Theodore Dreiser was inspired by a true story to write this novel about an ambitious, socially insecure young man who finds himself caught between two very different women—and two very different visions of what his life could be. Clyde Griffiths was born poor and is poorly educated, but his prospects begin to improve when he is offered a job by a wealthy uncle who owns a shirt factory. Soon he achieves a managerial position, and despite being warned to stay away from the women he manages, he becomes involved with Roberta, a poor factory worker who falls in love with him. At the same time, he catches the eye of Sondra, the glamorous socialite daughter of another factory owner, and begins neglecting his lover to court her. When Roberta confronts Clyde with her pregnancy, Clyde's hopes of marrying Sondra are threatened, and he conceives a desperate plan to preserve his dream.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: May 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9780593313336

Theodore Dreiser

Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945) was an American novelist and journalist. Born in Indiana, Dreiser was the son of John Paul Dreiser, a German immigrant, and Sarah Maria Schanab, a Mennonite from Ohio who converted to Catholicism and was banished by her community. Raised in a family of thirteen children, of which he was the twelfth, Dreiser attended Indiana University for a year before taking a job as a journalist for the Chicago Globe. While working for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, Dreiser wrote articles on Nathaniel Hawthorne and William Dean Howells, as well as interviewed such figures as Andrew Carnegie and Thomas Edison. In 1900, he published his debut novel Sister Carrie, a naturalist portrait of a young midwestern woman who travels to Chicago to become an actress. Despite poor reviews, he continued writing fiction, but failed to find real success until An American Tragedy (1925), a novel based on the 1906 murder of Grace Brown. Considered a masterpiece of American fiction, the novel grew his reputation immensely, leading to his nomination for the 1930 Nobel Prize in Literature, which ultimately went to fellow American Sinclair Lewis. Committed to socialism and atheism throughout his life, Dreiser was a member of the Communist Party of the United States of America and a lifelong champion of the working class.

Reviews for An American Tragedy

[kishields · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tremendously detailed story of the entire life, quest and failure of a young American man in the early part of the 20th century. Vivid, detailed descriptions of his working life as a bellhop in a Kansas City hotel, and then in his uncle's upstate New York collar (!) factory are fascinating and informative. His search for a foothold in what he perceives as the glittering social life of the industrial elite, partying in the lakes and towns around Albany and Saratoga, is utterly convincing and pathetic. His motivations throughout the book are twisted, but at the same time quite understandable. The murder of his working class lover, his confusion and bungled attempts to escape afterwards, the twists and turns of his trial and his religious confusion before his execution are all convincingly laid out in thorough detail. Although Dreiser is no stylist, I found this book compelling, moving and a fine examination of the struggle of one man determined to grasp the American Dream at any cost.

[katherinegregg · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Clyde Griffiths, a poor, uneducated, working class boy from the midwest, heads east to work for his wealthy uncle who owns a shirt collar factory in upstate New York. Excluded from social activities enjoyed by his relatives, Clyde is lonely but soon falls for Roberta, a pretty farm girl who works under him in the factory. Relationships between supervisors and workers are forbidden so they keep their relationship quiet. A little later Clyde becomes intrigued with Sondra Finchley, a local society girl who includes Clyde in outings initially to enrage Clyde's snobby cousin Gilbert Griffiths. Clyde, wanting very much to be part of high society, pursues Sondra with the hopes of marrying her. When Roberta gets pregnant, Clyde attempts to find a doctor to abort the pregnancy but has no success. Seeing no other way out, Clyde murders Roberta. Soon after Clyde is arrested, found guilty and ultimately goes to the electric chair.

[shawnd_72 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was spooked when I read this that somehow I'd been able to make it through school without any teachers making us read this. Perhaps a little too gruesome? I think this is a great American novel. It covers all the bases--class issues, choice between good and evil as we strive to reach 'the American dream', the clash between naivete of youth and our desire to give children independence. This is probably more of a thriller than you'd get in the 30s and 40s. From a genre/time in our history perspective, if folks ought to read Ralph Ellison then they ought to read this. Without sounding contorted, -- as this book doesn't fit a profile in my mind -- it's kind of Studs Terkel meets Ralph Ellison meets John Grisham meets John Dos Passos.

[cecilturtle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Despite its length, this novel captures the attention from beginning to end. The impetuous, sometimes melodramatic, style keeps the reader turning the pages: good time entertainment to be sure! This book, however, is much more. While it could have easily been a soap opera by modern standards, Dreiser's messages on social struggles and discrepancies, religion and the justice system makes this novel a powerful critique which gives it its timelessness. I found that the entire trial was extremely modern in content and form, and I was actually surprised to see such an overt and compelling argument against the death penalty (maybe it's just my reading). This is definitely an example of pathos well rendered, an attempt at showing the emotions behind the bars as opposed to the judgement and righteousness of institutions.Overall, I found that this book is still relevant both as a literary enjoyment and as a piece of social criticism for issues that are still on-going today.

[chapterofaccidents · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the worst novels I have ever read. Poorly written, poorly edited, poorly realized. It is rife with missed opportunities at true insight and contents itself with sticking to a factual, chronological enumeration of events leading in an apparent attempt to force the outcome to appear as if it arose from unfortunate mixture of nature and circumstance.After having written Sister Carrie (his debut novel) it is almost shocking how poorly executed Tragedy is. Dreiser's not very nuanced and shallow understanding of the absurdities of American life (for rich as for poor, for powerful as powerless) results in a stew of contradictory themes. Despite his awareness that something is gravely wrong with American life and society, Dreiser didn't seem to have the depth of intellect to translate this awareness into a coherent story. It may be that his writing suffered from his near obsession with the real life story of Chester Gillette on which the plot of Tragedy is based.

[pdebolt_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book delineates a tragedy of enormous proportions because the values of the main character are so evident from the very beginning. He is a deplorably shallow person who will stop at absolutely nothing to achieve what he wants, regardless of the consequences for those who provide obstacles . Clyde is undoubtedly one of the most despicable characters in all of literature. The girl he seduces and promises to marry is heartbreakingly earnest and blinded by her misguided love for Clyde. Shelly Winters played this character flawlessly in the movie version.

[schmerguls · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

[SPOILERS] On June 15, 1949. I said of this book: "It is prosaic, and the things about it that made it much discussed 25 years ago are now no longer so discussion-provoking." On June 18 I said: "Claude Griffiths has killed his old girl and is on trial now. The legal aspects of the story are interesting, and a person can't help but be for him, even though he practically killed her. Don't quite see how I can be for him so, since he's no good. Story is very 1910ish, even drug for awhile, going into great detail. It seems such kiddish writing in that it describes the obvious so non-subtlely, and of course it is the perfect example of the omnipresent author--I never was so aware of this in other books." On June 19 I said: "He was convicted and after that, though the book drug on dully for pages and pages, you knew how it would all come out. He was electrocuted. Stupid, stupid, abd few relieving features."

[excalibur_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is another book that I find difficult to rate because the main character is so distasteful. I am also torn because I know that I should find the actions of this character deplorable. However, I'm not sure that I particularly sympathize with the main character and I am not enirely convinced that his situation is uniquely American. People in all societies experience greed and a desire to be part of the in crowd, but this doesn't excuse murder. To me, the tragedy of this book isn't the main character's moral degredation at the hands of a winner take all America, the tragedy is what befalls the people surrounding a man (although no true man) who will stop at nothing to satisfy his fleeting passions.

[hadriantheblind · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Awful writing style, but interesting psychological depictions of characters. Makes one fear canoe rides for a little while.

[eembooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The character study of Clyde Griffits is captivating but he never does seem to reslove his quilt. Never acknowledges his child which was also part of the murder. It's whole different era but still a fasinating story.

[leslie398 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3 stars for the book & 4 stars for the audiobook. Dan John Miller did a fantastic job with the narration - one of the best I have ever listened to!As for the book, I was planning on giving it 4 stars until about 2/3 through (about when the trial started). My interest started flagging and the last third of the book dragged for me. Unfortunately a third of this book is about 280 pages (as long as some full novels!). Perhaps when a little time has passed, I may revise my rating as the ending becomes more in proportion to the entire book.

[drt_4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Book title and author: An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. 5/23/23Why I picked this book up: it was the next book in the Banned Books Compendium: 32 Classic Forbidden Books that I won in April 2023. Thoughts: This tragedy manuscript was started the summer of 1920, but a year later abandoned most of that text. It was based on the notorious murder of Grace Brown in 1906 and the trial of her lover. In 1923 Dreiser returned to the project, and with the help of his future wife Helen and two editor-secretaries, Louise Campbell and Sally Kusell, he completed the massive novel in 1925. In 1927, the book was banned in Boston after the Boston District Attorney targeted it for sexual content, abortion, and murder.In 1930, the Superior Court condemned An American Tragedy for “containing certain obscene, indecent and impure language, manifestly tending to corrupt the morals of youth, the same being too lewd and obscene to be more particularly set forth in this complaint.” The publisher was fined $300. ($5,332 in 2023 dollars.)Ironically, just across the Charles River, the book was required reading for a Harvard English course.In 1933, the novel was burned in Nazi book bonfires because it "deals with low love affairs.” This went to a Superior Court decision. This is a three book story. This book follows the life of Clyde Griffiths from late childhood to his infamous death. The novel discusses the balance of spirituality and materialism, landing firmly on the importance of humility and family as Clyde’s decisions lead to his destruction. The hard core Christian upbringing as a child, financial desire for material issues, growing up he had a lust for money, the first girl he liked drew him in, fed more into wanting to buy an expensive coat then wanted to be like his rich uncle, how to be social with females, his interactions with females, coworker, his ignorance of how to connect with females, how to earn, use and lie about $ to his family, his despicable, choices and sad out comes all made this book, intriguing to me. It basically did a great job making me want to root for him, get to watch his situation with other characters. This book discusses the balance of spirituality and materialism. Clyde’s unending pursuit of material wealth and the social status that comes from it pushes him into poor choices that result in his death and the death of two innocents.Why I finished this read: As in classical tragedies, Clyde’s downfall is a result of his innate psychological and moral weaknesses. This kept pages turning and the depth of the consequences from his beginning to where he was not truthful and how much it made me think made me want to finish.Stars rating: because I was torn between watching his development, his siding with. materialism, coming around at the end to his initial religious belief, consequences and suffering. I gave this a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

[colligan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

[Note: No, this will not be another of my stage-of-life crisis reviews.] “An American Tragedy” justly deserves the designation of a classic. Not having read Dreiser previously (and being skeptical of American authors in general) I started the book with some trepidation. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Dreiser presents an astonishingly detailed account of a young man of ill fortune. We are given so much insight into the main character that one comes to feel that we actually know the person. Despite the character’s very troubling behaviors, the reader comes to understand and yes, reluctantly sympathize with his plight. “An American Tragedy” lives up to its title in that it is not a cheerful or uplifting read. Many characters, both likable and not, are seen as frequently trapped by the circumstances of their lives. Yet, some characters no doubt evidence a form of nobility. These characters do their best to be true to themselves and their values through challenges beyond their control and ability to cope. The book provided so much detail over an expanded period of time and circumstance that I came to see it almost as a screenplay for an extended media presentation. I do have some doubts about how popular this novel would be to a modern reader. I found it very enjoyable but the book and the story are long. How many readers are willing to invest the patience and persistence required to appreciate this great classic work? However, in my view, it is worth the investment.

[drfuriosa · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'M FINISHED! It's a very interesting psychological glimpse into a criminal's mind, but I underestimated how much it would take out of me.

[alexaustin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The novel pivots on an issue that even Obama said was above his paygrade to render a judgment on. The issue isn't the moral center of the book, but it projects the book into the future indefinitely. When I read the book 15 years ago, I thought, hey, this is the Great American Novel that everyone talks about, but no one gives creedance to, either its existence or possibility. In the same way that Nabokov's Lolita may be a stand in for America the seductress, the protagonist An American Tragedy, is a stand-in for America the promise. To be continued....