An American Tragedy is a novel by Theodore Dreiser, first published in 1925. It tells the story of Clyde Griffiths, a young man from a poor family who is determined to make something of himself. He moves to the city and finds a job in a factory, but soon falls in love with a wealthy socialite, Roberta Alden. When Roberta becomes pregnant, Clyde is faced with a difficult decision: marry her and give up his dreams of success, or abandon her and pursue his ambitions.
Clyde chooses the latter, and Roberta is left alone and desperate. She eventually drowns herself in a lake, and Clyde is arrested and charged with her murder. The novel follows Clyde's trial and his eventual conviction and execution. Throughout the novel, Dreiser examines the themes of ambition, morality, and justice in America.
The novel begins with Clyde's childhood in Kansas. His family is poor, and his father is an alcoholic. Clyde is determined to make something of himself, and he moves to the city to find a job. He finds work in a factory, and soon meets Roberta Alden, a wealthy socialite. The two fall in love, and Roberta becomes pregnant.
Clyde is faced with a difficult decision: marry Roberta and give up his dreams of success, or abandon her and pursue his ambitions. He chooses the latter, and Roberta is left alone and desperate. She eventually drowns herself in a lake, and Clyde is arrested and charged with her murder.
The novel follows Clyde's trial and his eventual conviction and execution. Throughout the novel, Dreiser examines the themes of ambition, morality, and justice in America. He paints a vivid picture of the harsh realities of life in the early 20th century, and the struggles of the working class.
The novel is a powerful indictment of the American justice system, and of the social and economic inequalities that existed in the early 20th century. It is a timeless classic that continues to resonate with readers today.