An American Tragedy: Amazon.co.uk: Theodore Dreiser: Books

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4.2 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)

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34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The All American Novel!, 8 Jan 2003

By	Martin A Hogan "Marty From SF" (San Francisco, CA. (Hercules)) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: An American Tragedy (Signet Classics) (Paperback)

Dreiser has crafted an immmense, complex novel based on the life of Clyde Griffiths, a man who commmitted a famous murder out of desperation in 1906. Born of a poor Mid-western Salvation Army family, Griffiths becomes romantically involved with a woman of his own class, only to fall in love with a socialite just beyond his grasp. A series of miscalculations evolves and Griffiths finds himself lost in his own web of tragedy and panic.
Occurring mostly in the resort of Big Moose Lake, N.Y. during the hey-day of Adirondacks, the mood and characters are all too believable and Dreiser paints a romantically painful picture of a man who cannot escape his roots and destiny.

Don't be beset by the voluminous writing. The structure, narration and characterization is perfect. Dreiser truly has created the perfect All American novel. If you can pace your reading to prevent getting ahead of yourself, you will notice the careful style Dreiser has created that turns a neat full circle by the end.

Made famous by the film, "A Place In The Sun" with Montgomery Clift, Shelley Winters and Elizabeth Taylor.

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18 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ... And lead us not into temptation!, 10 Aug 2001

By	ingrid.lang@pandora.be (Brussels, Belgium) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An American Tragedy (Signet Classics) (Paperback)

Clyde Griffiths certainly has been led into temptation by his creator Theodore Dreiser: here he is, only an inch away from all he has ever wanted (money, beauty, status) and he thinks he can get it by paying the price of killing his former girlfriend. Dreiser, being a moralist, does not let him get away with it. On death row Clyde for the first time in his life makes a moral decision and perhaps reclaims his soul but loses his life. Neither could his victim, Roberta, resist the temptation of doing the wrong thing in order to get what she wants. Sex outside marriage does not seem much of an issue to us but this is turn of the century America and she herself is convinced that it is sinful. She falls victim to Clyde's seduction because she sees him as someone who can lift her out of her deprived existence on a fungous farm into a better life. It is true that she is also sentimentally in love with him. Up until the end Clyde feels that those who have not been tempted as he was should not judge him. He grew up repelled by the shabbiness of his home and confused by the failure of his parents (who are street preachers) to achieve any tangible success in life. He rejects their bible messages but, due to his lack of education and social isolation, has nothing to replace them with. When he does earn some money he wastes it on an exploitative girlfriend. Years later we see him in a minor position in his rich uncle's factory. He meets Roberta, who works for him and has a clandestine affair with her. And then it happens: he catches the fancy of a very rich society girl who brings him into the wealthy set, makes him presents, gives him money, plans a future with him. Roberta, by now pregnant and threatening a scandal, is an obstacle. I have long wondered why Clyde is presented not just as a criminal with a deprived childhood but also as a flawed human being. It is easy to scoff at the things he longs for but who among us is really free from the same longings? It must be because he has no resistance: at every point he gives in to temptation: he runs away after an accident and never finds out that no charges were pressed against him. He misspends his money and lies about it. He grasps the opportunity of pushing Roberta into a sexual relationship although he knows he should not...

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A study of character types., 7 Oct 2009

By	I. Sample "Iain Sample" (Aberdeenshire Scotland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: An American Tragedy (Signet Classics) (Paperback)

This is a very interesting book in terms of the depth of description that Dreiser builds into, and around his characters. You gain much from what decisions the characters make, but also how they implement these, and how the society of that time and the setting defines and confines their actions and finally judges their morality. I think part of the beauty of this book is that you know that the characters have major flaws, that you can see where the narrative will eventually lead, but the descriptive language and the depth of feeling is very enriching. Despite the fact that you know where the path will finally lead, you can still feel satisfied by the journey.

If you enjoy a beautifully written novel, though profoundly sad and melancholy, then you will not be disappointed - this is not an easy reader for a Sunday afternoon... With a title like this it is not going to be a laugh a minute, but that is an understatement, it is not so much the despair but the possibility of hope snuffed out that lingers and haunts.

Unsurprisingly I was recommended this book by a Ukrainian friend while in Rostov. It is very much of the vein of Eastern European and especially Russian classical literature, but set in beginning of the last century USA, hence the title!

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2.0 out of 5 stars Walking in treacle
This is the journey of Clyde Griffiths from adolescence to the electric chair only a few years later. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Officer Dibble

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