An American Tragedy

How attractive is the world of wealth, luxury, and entertainment! But Clyde Griffiths had the misfortune of being born into a family of poor street preachers. From a young age, he dreams of being among the happy, successful people and having their opportunities. Clyde quickly realizes: nothing will help him unless he can help himself. Aspiring to gain a prominent position in society, he begins a romance with 17-year-old Sondra Finchley, a wealthy heiress to a factory owner. However, he is burdened by his love affair with a simple factory worker, Roberta Alden. The girl is pregnant and obstructs him from achieving his cherished goal – to build a career and attain a beautiful life. In a desperate pursuit of success, Clyde finds himself willing to commit a crime...

"An American Tragedy" is the pinnacle of Theodore Dreiser's creativity. Its unparalleled depiction of harsh reality and the dark side of the American dream, exceptional in its force and scope, has left several generations of readers indifferent.