The defining theme of “An American Tragedy” is the complete contradiction of American dream. Dreiser has stated repeatedly in the novel that the aspiration to rise up within society and economically in modern day America often holds the very seeds by which such desires are denied by anyone and anything. This is the unfortunate way of life for the poor of America whom are the most desperate to achieve a higher status within society but are unfortunately poorly equipped and prepared to do so. In pursuing a better life for himself, Clyde’s actions are exactly reflected upon how our society expected him to act. But by murdering Roberta, he crossed the line in which society has created thus putting an end to any hopes or dreams of achieving that much desired America dream. The story follows a series of phases that help connect the reader to the characters, mainly Clyde, constantly placing emphasis on the inevitable events that lead to the execution of the stories protagonist.
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Book One in this novel can be considered a prelude for the reader as its’ main focus is on Clyde’s early childhood. The actions taken place throughout Book One helps place the foundation of Clyde’s future actions in both Book One and Two. As the story begins, the audience is made aware of the current social status of Clyde and his family, the Griffiths, as they preach on a busy street in Kansas. Emphasis is placed on how America has transformed into a working capitalist system which dominates the American lifestyle as the story starts off at dusk; the time people are returning home from their place of employment. Already Dreiser has revealed to the reader that one must work if they wish to achieve a respected status in life. However, it is ironic that the citizens of Kansas City frown upon the parents Asa and Elvira Griffiths as they force their children to work in such an odd manner. Their parenting styles differ greatly from each other as Asa, the father, is the more sensitive individual while Elvira has a more directed personality. Therefore, what Asa lacks by being the more romantic dreamer, Elvira is able to stabilize the family by acting as the practical pillar of strength. Clyde is more drawn to his indecisive and idealizing father out of the two. However, the desire for spiritual fulfillment is replaced for materialistic possessions. These combinations are the heart of the novel’s tragedy. Clyde’s already lack of spiritual fulfillment later deals a huge blow as his sister, Esta, runs away with a masher, a term known in today’s society as a player. The fact that his current state of poverty and suffering already makes Clyde questions his belief in God despite the amount of influence surrounding him. His sister running away to seek a better life and a way to escape feeds Clyde’s desire to take similar actions.
While attending movie theaters in his area is hinting towards that life that Clyde deeply desires, the occurrence in the pharmaceutical store is the first true pleasure of sensual and material pleasures that he experiences. However, this all occurs in the company an immoral man, Sieberling, who spots his opportunity in taking advantage of Clyde. Clyde will unfortunately become a pawn for others gains throughout the novel due to his desperation of moving up the social ladder; most obvious to the audience in Book Three when his case is twisted and used for one’s political gain. Burleigh’s decision to rig the evidence is shocking but is the example of Dreiser’s view that the strong desires of climbing up in social status, as well as to see justice carried out, will motivate people to behave corruptly; no matter how well-intentioned they are.
The setting for Book Two is set by introducing a new character to the novel: the brother of Asa, Samuel Griffith who owns and operates a successful Collar Factory in Lycurgus, New York. Further, Samuel and Asa are used to help clarify Dreiser’s doubling motif. This is able to be done by using specific similarities to draw attention to distinctive differences that emphasize his themes. While these two men are brothers, the course of their lives drastically took opposite directions. Asa is impoverished, unconcerned with his appearance and deeply devoted to his desire for spiritual fulfillment; Samuel, on the other hand, is a wealthy man by devoting his life to ensure a high social status within modern society. More doubling is seen throughout the novel that foreshadows events later on. Esta Griffith is the double for Roberta Alden in Book Two; both become pregnant before either makes a commitment through marraige. Clyde, the main character of the novel, has his own double in the novel as well: Nixon, the masher. Both impregnate their girlfriend our of wedlock and abandon them. However, Clyde does this in a more drastic and fatal manner.
The main setting that takes place in Book Two is in a city called Lycurgus. New York is known for naming some of its cities after ancient Rome. However, rather than referring to a place, the best known Lycurgus from ancient times was a Spartan lawmaker who helped bring order and reform to his militaristic city (Lycurgan Reforms). This is ironic in the sense that Clyde will be brought to upstate New York where he will face his final judgment in the hands of others.
Book Two opens in a similar manner to Book One as it introduces the Samuel Griffiths family. The foundation of which the house of Samuel Griffith is structured upon strict rules and codes. Unlike the home belonging to Asa Griffith, that very foundation is determined by expectations set by society and of their social status, not some spiritual uplift. While it is clear to the audience that Samuel sincerely cares for his immediate family, Samuel Griffiths’ major concern is his well being in his business and finances. This is reveled to the reader when Samuel decides to head to the factory first rather than heading home in order to get his work caught up and up to date. It is also made clear as Samuel decides to promote Clyde; not out of sympathy for his brother’s son, but due to the fact that questions can be raised as to the social status of his own son, Gilbert, as they share several physical similarities. Again, it is made obvious to the reader that Samuel is more concerned with business and his immediate family than Clyde’s well-being even though Clyde is his own nephew. Lastly, Samuel is determined to treat Clyde as another regular employee that works for his factory completely disregarding that fact that they’re relatives. Samuel believes in the value of a rigid class system and that such a system supersedes blood relations (Mescallado). Money is without a doubt very difficult to achieve but Samuel believes that in doing so, one can be enriched not only financially, but mentally and spiritually as well (Mescallado). With that in mind, Samuel has a belief system that drives his life as strongly as Asa’s religion drives his own. And although each man is separated by distinctive belief systems, Dreiser introduces a new character in the novel that meets somewhere in the middle of the two.
Titus Alden, Roberta’s father, makes for an interesting comparison to the other two fathers in the novel, Samuel and Asa Griffiths. Titus meets somewhere in between Asa, the dissipated dreamer, and Samuel, the aggressive and strict businessman. He has neither the quality of Samuel’s business resolve or Asa’s spiritual impulses, led each of the brothers down his own path. Instead, Titus seems to take a path already set out by him by native tradition and does not any forms of alternatives to this. However, this lack of individuality and eagerness to do something different also provides a kind of strength, as his unquestioning belief in traditional moral values provides clear guidance for how he should go about his life (Mescallado). However, his values and moral drastically change at the shock that his daughter died at the hands of Clyde. His only goal is to then seek revenge and bring those responsible, namely Clyde, to justice. And although Clyde does have genuine feelings for Roberta at the beginning of their relationship, it all changes as soon as Clyde discovers that he is much better off choosing another girl of a high social status in hopes of achieving his own selfish gains.
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Clyde at first loves the secrecy of his romance between him and Roberta and, as a result, he is blinded to the truth on how many people are actually aware of his actions involving Roberta. This will prove to be fatal for Clyde as he is ignorant to believe that no traces can be linked to his relation with Roberta let alone her death. However when viewed through Roberta’s perspective, she is completely frightened at the secrecy of the romance, constantly paranoid of being discovered and exposed to the general public. Taking into consideration of what happens to her, both the pregnancy and her death, it is very understandable to the origins of this fear. Roberta still remains true to her values despite her fear of losing Clyde as she will not sin by claiming to attend church when she knows full well that it will not happen nor will she spend the night with Clyde when they meet outside of town. However, her morals are slowly shattered by Clyde who introduces her to dancing. It’s ironic in the fact that at a certain point in Book Two, Clyde was the uninitiated youth who did not know how to dance and had to be taught by a more knowledgeable, yet less moral, person.
Clyde’s patience with Roberta grows weary and wishes to exploit her feelings for him by any means necessary. As a result, he has started to transform into a character such as his ex, Hortense; he does not show signs of interest until he his “favors” are met. But rather than seeking materialistic possessions such as what Hortense did to Clyde, he seeks sexual pleasures from Roberta. However, Clyde’s manipulations tactics are also as subtle as Hortense. He convinces Roberta into leave the Newtons the several rules and boundaries enforced upon her. Now that she is no longer under any constraints from the Newtons, Clyde tries to convince her to go even further now that the opportunity, an opportunity he helped bring about, is available. The teens remain ignorant to protection and the consequences that come without it and thus resulting in the pregnancy of Roberta. Now by this time, Clyde is also seeing another girl that goes by the name of Sondra Finchly. Clyde decides to leave Lycurgus in order to find a solution to Roberta’s pregnancy. The reader is now made very much aware of how much Clyde values keeping the his romance with Roberta a secret for if word should get out, it could ruin his chances with Sondra. When he forgets to get instructions for the medicine purchased outside of town shows just how little he cares for Roberta and her situation. He seeks for a quick fix and the process through which it goes does not matter to him as long as the outcome is that Roberta is no longer pregnant with his child and is set free from her hold.
Clyde’s refusal to escape possible capture from the police force reflects how desperately he wants both Sondra’s love and the elevated class status it brings
Political self-interest disguises itself as sympathy as Sondra isn’t named as the reason for Clyde decision on murdering Roberta. However, this luxury seems to only apply to the wealthy and those high in the social ladder as Roberta’s name is made public without hesitation as well as Clyde’s immediate family. It is very ironic in Clyde’s notoriety as the only suspect to the murder of Roberta as it earns him the fame and it bestows upon him a kind of recognition but not the one that he desired. As a nationally famous criminal, a suspected killer, he assumes a twisted but quite elevated stature in the public eye. Roberta was allowed by Clyde to die in the lack so that he may able to finally achieve that status he so desires. So in a way, the media attention given to him is the success he earned.
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