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摘 要

本文从克莱德的堕落和民主权利的丧失等方面介绍了文中他的悲剧性的具体体现。作者分别从政治，经济，文化三方面分析了造成克莱德的悲剧之原因。美国社会贫富差距的扩大，物质主义的影响，以及年轻人对腐朽的生活方式的憧憬都预示着主人公悲剧的发生。此外，美国梦内涵的转变，对享乐和占有的渴望，克莱德道德底线的沦陷都造成了克莱德的悲剧。

综上所述，克莱德的悲剧不仅仅是自身的悲剧，更是美国社会的悲剧。

关键词：悲剧；体现；原因； 启示

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 1

2.1 Domestic Studies on An American Tragedy 1

2.2 Studies on An American Tragedy Abroad…………………………….................2

3. Reflections of Clyde’s tragedy in the book 3

3.1 Loss of Morality 3

3.2 Lack of Enjoyment of Democracy 4

4. Causes of Clyde’s Tragedy 5

4.1 Political Causes 5

4.2 Economic Causes..................................................................................7

4.3 Cultural Causes 8

5. Conclusion 9

Works Cited 12

1. Introduction

Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945) was born of a large immigrant family. But it was as a novelist that he demonstrated his talents and made great progress in American literature. Many people called Dreiser the wheelhouse of American naturalism and chief spokesman for the realistic novel, as he introduces into American literature a novelty of material attitude and method. Robert Spiller had Dreiser’s naturalism coincide with America’s second literary renaissance. Dreiser is one of the most prestigious American writers, whose works are worth reading. He has expended much care and thought on An American Tragedy and it was this novel that brought him the highest reputation.

An American Tragedy relates, in great detail, the life of Clyde Griffiths from 12 to his execution at about 25. Clyde, the son of poor religious wandering preachers, wants to escape from the despair of poverty and rigidity of a preaching life. During the course of his pursuit for luxury life, he did lots of immoral things, which finally sent him to death.

The whole life of Clyde is a big tragedy. In this novel, the author focuses her concentrations on things like what is Clyde’s tragedy, what caused Clyde’s tragedy and what can readers learn from Clyde’s tragedy. According to the author’s writing purpose, she will organize her essay in the following train of thought. First, the author will analyze the tragedy of Clyde. The first part describes Clyde’s loss of morality and the second part describes Clyde’s lack of enjoyment of his right of democracy. All this two part focuses on the reflections of the Clyde’s tragedy. Second, the author will concentrate her essay on the causes of Clyde’s tragedy. And this section consists of three parts which contains political, economic and cultural causes. At last, the author will present the enlightenments she got from this novel.

1. Literature Review

2.1 Domestic Studies on An American Tragedy

There are so many articles focused on An American Tragedy published in the past years. When Dreiser’s studies flourished abroad in the 20^th century，there are little studies on An American Tragedy in China. Xu Ruzhi, the interpreter of this work, who wrote an article on the features of Dreiser’s artistic creation of the novel in 1982 and thought that Dreiser exposed his blurry socialist ideas in this book. Wu Xiangru and He Changyi orientated An American Tragedy in a perspective of social Darwinism and believed that Dreiser exposed his idea of determinism in the novel under the impact of social Darwinism.

In the 21^st century, the discussions and researches on Dreiser and his An American Tragedy become more and more flourished than the decades passed. Yang Jincai studied on the phenomenon that how did money, which stands for social status; influence Clyde in his realistic story. From the different points of view, Yang considered that this novel were prone to realism and took it as a realistic fiction. Jin Li reread the tragedy and pointed out that the novel also reflected the Christianity, lessened and secularized by American society, which can no longer save those who are abandoned to the reality of America. These studies tended to uncover the causes of Clyde’s tragedy and disclose all kinds of relations between the roles of this book and all aspects of American society in different angles of view; it also provide a large quantity of information and enlightenment in Dreiser’s study.

2.2 Studies on An American Tragedy Abroad

The publication of this novel raised heated wave in American literature. Some critics had their notions of the author that the novel takes great pains in retelling a true murder case. This novel was prohibited as negative in Boston at the time for its unconstrained depiction of sexual affairs. However, H. L Mencken stressed,

It is no more blurry than a table of stock prices. It is that committing a murder is sort of biological accident, like breaking a leg or becoming a father. (H. L Mencken, 1904:668)

Some people held that An American Tragedy has many similar mistakes and errors as Dreiser’s first novel, Sister Carrie, which was published twenty-five years before. The main fault which has not been changed is the awkward style. It also shows the Dreiser’s fondness for scientific theories. But most people acknowledged that the novel is a quite touching and serious one in spite of its tedious length. Dreiser’s decision to tell the truth as what he saw without prettifying or omitting anything and his habit of using real-life accidents impressed readers a lot.

Critics who argue that individual causes lead to Clyde’s tragedy include Jennifer Boise, Sally Trigg and David Guest. Boise holds that Clyde’s pursuit of social status and material wealth is the cause of his tragedy. (Baise, 1999:222)

Trigg argues that Clyde himself should be responsible for his tragedy because his insatiable desire, combined with his own weak nature and ignorance, set him up for his inevitable down fall.

1. Reflections of Clyde’s Tragedy in the Book

In An American Tragedy, Dreiser describes the whole process that Clyde Griffiths was affected by the evil in the society, then gradually evolved and degenerated into a murderer. Clyde’s personal behavior is extremely weak, and becomes known as the moral and mental coward.

3.1 Loss of Morality

Dreiser expresses his anger to American society through sharply contrasts, which is one of the attractive skills of the book. In the beginning of the book, there is a scene describing the spiritual world of the American people:

While the Griffiths are singing sermons in the streets, people around are just busy observing and discussing them, completely ignoring the spirit of such religious activities. (Dreiser, 1964:229)

The picture implies that: Americans do not care about spiritual life. On the contrary, their material life is too extravagant and varied from place to place. In Kansas, young people are busy in alcohol, prostitution, dancing and driving affairs. In Lycurgus, young people enjoy the summer life around the lake, where they can play tennis and enjoy parties. Through the contrast between spiritual and material life, Dreiser stresses that the decadent hedonism American life is the real murderer.

The hero Clyde in this novel is a young man with great ambitions. He is willing to lie and to indulge himself in unethical and illegal behavior to pursuit of his goals, Clyde repeatedly runs from difficulties, especially those he created for himself. For Clyde, there is no exact difference between the real life and the luxurious life, a distinction between right and wrong is not important any more for him. Roberta, seeking happiness, violating the prohibitions and is immediately punished-with pregnancy and possible disgrace, and with murder in Clyde’s heart. A malignant paradox, then: Dreiser detested religion, but as soon as his characters violate religion’s precepts they are ruined. Clyde is in prison, or, as Dreiser insists on calling it one of those crass erections and maintenances of human in-sensitiveness and stupidity principally for which no one primarily was really responsible. (Dreiser, 1964:789)

For instance, working as a bellboy at Green-Davidson, Clyde lies to his parents about his salary and hours and spends the money, which is obviously needed by his family, on flashy clothes. At hearing of his sister’s trouble, he feels, no pity, but “a little sick and resentful. (Dreiser, 1964:95) There is one typical episode to show the selfishness of Clyde. Clyde’s mother needs his 50 dollars to help the pregnant sister, while at the same time Clyde’s girlfriend Hortense Briggs wants the same money for a gaudy coat. Although in his mind there is a struggle about duty and morality, he gives the money to Hortense to show his passion for her.

Murdering Roberta is Clyde’s most selfish and irresponsible action. It is this murder that leads to his death. When having fallen in love with Sondra, he gradually treats Roberta coldly. When Roberta finds her pregnancy, Clyde’s first response is to find a doctor and settle this issue. (Dreiser, 1964:582) He has not any intention of marrying her, or to take the responsibility to raise the baby. He yearns for moral freedom and the unencumbered life. Being forced to overpay for ineffective pills, he, in return, forces Roberta to visit the doctor alone. He thinks it was she who was facing the immediate problem which had to be solved. (Dreiser, 1964:400) Actually, Roberta’s pregnancy is the result of his indulgence of his sexual desire. His thought is very selfish and against the morality and he wants Roberta, to go off all by herself and struggle by herself. (Dreiser, 1964:791)

When Roberta forces him to marry her, Clyde does not refuse her directly but is thinking about a way to discard and get rid of Roberta forever. In the end Roberta died, Clyde is also convicted to death.

3.2 Lack of Enjoyment of Democracy

Clyde depends on these political forces to cover up his crime. The desire for survival drives him to fabricate lies for exculpation. In face of angry relatives of the descended, as well as the Father to save his soul, his refusal to plead guilty to repent his alienated humanity does not revive under the control of various forces.

From Clyde’s story in this book, the readers can feel that Clyde is lacking of his right of democracy and his fate is controlled by the political forces. It is the very state election time when the case happens. The Democratic and the Republican are making use of the case as they like regardless of the exact fact to promote attention in order to get the trust of the voters and win the election. The Democratic that takes charge of the administration at that time tries every means to testify Clyde’s crime; they even concoct false evidences to testify Clyde’s crimes as soon as possible to defraud trust of voters, while the Republican tries every way to exonerate for Clyde.

4. Causes of Clyde’s Tragedy

4.1 Political Causes

4.1.1 The extension of American capitalism twisted people’s value

In the novel An American Tragedy the major role Clyde was born in a poor family. His birthright forbids him from being capable of enjoying the luxury of a life which lived by the upper class of American society; he begins to understand that there exist no equality, hypocrisy, fraud and ruthless exploitation of one group of people by another. Clyde’s tragedy is derived from the American capitalism. Living in such hypocritical society, Clyde was obsessed with meaningless search for satisfaction of his desires and began to pursue luxury pleasures and material enjoyments.

People are not content with their social positions but dream of reaching the top standard of the society and possessing not only wealth and property but also fame and privileges. The class relationships in America at Dreiser’s time were very strained. People work for money and the only purpose of their lives, for a large quantity of people, is to possess money by all means. Money governs all kinds of human activities and manipulates human relationships. It is money that bereaved of people’s morality.

After examining the relationship between Clyde and Sondra, readers have no difficulty in finding that it is wealth that plays the most important role in maintaining their love affairs. Clyde takes Sondra who can easily ensure a better life and better future for him as a path to the heaven of wealth, social status, and property. Thus, in the tragic incident Roberta is drowned and Clyde is actually the criminal.

Before the American industrialization, the puritan value system played a dominant role in people’s daily life. The puritans worked hard but lived a very frugal and ascetic life. While after industrialization, the US economy grew rapidly and social influence became greatly perceptible, people were encouraged by a lot of opportunities around them and felt it was uncommon that poor people rose from rags to millionaires. They were often inspired by an even more general desire for success in their daily life, based on the premise that unique condition of freedom and national growth could enable. (Dreiser, 1964:562) As an expression of Americans’ ideals and aspirations, the dream had been changed, especially after the American industrialization.

Such is the case in An American Tragedy, Clyde and many others care nothing about religion, morality or responsibility, but pay close attention to money, nice clothes, big house, beautiful cars, and pretty women. They pursue quick wealth, extravagance, sensual gratification and social distinction, which are their measurements of success.

4.1.2 The imperfection of country’s laws

If that is the case there is no fair operation of legal affairs, American democracy is truly deceptive. After Clyde was arrested, the whole society is scrutinizing all his actions. Sondra is a very important person in solving the riddle of the case. In this legal process she is expected to be present at the court as a witness and provide the necessary information needed by the court. But she hides herself under her father’s wealth and political influence.

“I think I can do something--keep the letters out of the papers, anyhow. Maybe out of the trail-I’m not sure—but I am sure I can fix it so that her name will not be mentioned. So don’t worry”. (Dreiser, 1964:903) Sondra’s father was so much overawed by Atterbury’s voice that he was quick to explain that by no means had he planned as yet to use publicly the name of Sondra or the letters either, but rather to reserve their accuracy for the private inspection of the grand jury, unless Clyde should choose to confess and avoid a trial.

Clyde is tried and convicted of murder in the law but still be executed. This is in essence an unfair trial. Because although Clyde has planned murder and the vicious idea do flash cross his mind, yet he never carries out his plan. Roberta dies of an accident. Clyde is not a murderer. But in the process of trial, he is wrongly convicted and nothing he can do to appeal to the high court for further trial for the very reason that he is poor. But people from well-to-do families would be able to free themselves from the punishment of the law. They might and no doubt would be able to delay and eventually affect an ultimate verdict of something less than death. But most interestingly the court room has become a battle field for the two political parties of America. If you try to understand the democratic system of America just examine what happened in the legal procedure for the murder case.

Clyde, being poor, non-gentleman-take, doesn’t belong to the row the law protects. Because of this, he would be always the object of enslavement, government and punishment. There never exits equality between the poor and the rich. That “all men are equal before the law” is none other than a hollow statement and another version of “all men are equal before money”. Clyde is poor, so his tragic death is assured.

4.2 Economic Causes

An American Tragedy is a severe charge to the social reality at that time. Dreiser has always been good at setting examples and accumulating details. In An American Tragedy, he aims to confirm that the ideal life of mediocrity is corrupting the younger generation. In order to ensure the accuracy of narrative, Dreiser does actually quote some American media reports about thirty years ago, but these materials are blended with the development of the character of the protagonist without any trace of makeup. Dreiser has frankly admitted that he was longing for pleasure brought with money when he was young, but he had given up the materialistic life as he grew up. As American commentators point out, Dreiser constantly used his novels to criticize those that he once pursued.

With the passage of time Clyde accumulates his experience of life from which he draws negative enlightenment rather than positive ones. For instance, working in the hotel he is able to share lots of tips with other bellhops. He realizes that in order to have free use of the money he must cheat his parents about his gains. His hotel life actually affects other aspects of his life. It is in the hotel that he establishes his relationship with other people of different social ranks and that he first meets people that are of opposite sex. He confronts a variety of problems and has to meet challenges and temptations of all kinds. But unfortunately, he gradually falls into the trap the evil society has set for him as an innocent young man. Extreme materialism is just like a devil driving people to behave madly. It destroys virtues which have been long cherished by people; it drives people to be ignorant of family and loved ones. In order to be successful in materialistic aim people could use any sordid and dirty means. In capitalist society, money is the source of negative things and everyone seems to yield to the mysterious attractive of money. In order to obtain money, people can take great risks to make adventure of every kind, or to do things that would harm their interests of other people.

Under this circumstance, every people, boys or girls, officials or average civilians, driven by extreme materialism, is trying all their best to get material success in spite of the morality, law and other people’s rights and life.

4.3 Cultural Causes

An American Tragedy is involved in not only a tragic figure, but also a whole civilization. Dresser takes Clyde as a person created by the environment, compelled by the environment and destroyed by the environment. He tries to expose all the environmental conditions at that time through documentation. An American Tragedy is a profound work of the criticism the American Dream. The idea of the American Dream is that all Americans have the opportunity to improve themselves economically and socially. If Dreiser’s message in An American Tragedy can be summed up in a sentence, it is: the American Dream is a lie. Dreiser creates a microcosm of America by introducing characters that represent every stratum of society.

The desire for money and success can be seen everywhere in An American Tragedy. To fulfill his desire for beautiful clothes, sex and material life, Clyde leaves his family to work in Green-Davidson, goes to his uncle’s factory, pursues Hotense, Roberta and Sondra.

Human has certain social attributes, subject to the social superstructure. An American Tragedy ruthlessly exposes the manipulation of American politics on human. In the American society where Clyde exists, the politics, social systems, laws and so on, only protect the interests of a small number of financial oligarchs and their representatives. Both political parties, governments, politicians, and priests, lawyers, media, all serve for the interests of the ruling class. They manipulate everything and cut off the possibility of standing out of ordinary people. Clyde, like many young Americans, influenced by such kind of politics, does not have any ideal or belief. Clyde uses every possible means to obtain money and satisfy his desire, which finally leads him to destruction. In Green-Davidson Hotel, Clyde lives in the luxurious world of wealthy people. When he has money, he could not wait to follow the examples of enjoyment. He joins the Joint Club of Chicago, which gathers outstanding and well know people in the society, such as politicians, bosses, and generals, all are self-centered. All these arouse his political and economic ambitions. When his uncle Samuel Griffiths offers him a job in the collar company, he hopes that the opportunity can help him snake way into the upper class. However, his uncle pays him far less than that he got in Green-Davidson hotel and the club. Clyde has no social status and has little money, although Roberta can satisfy his sexual desire, she can not satisfy his ambition for status and money. Sondra appears to be essential for the vain and ambitious Clyde. He makes all his efforts to pursue her, completely losing humanity. The political hypocrisy and judicial corruption are important features of American society.

5. Conclusion

The thesis analyzes the causes of Clyde’s tragedy in An American Tragedy. Dreiser has made plain that Clyde’s fate is long before sealed by a brutal and cynical society. Clyde attempts to break these forces free but fails; there is still a collision of poverty between the lower middle class and the rich both mentally and spiritually.

First of all, the personality weakness of Clyde destroys himself. Clyde has no ideas, no specific curiosity, and no consciousness. He wants to get ahead by pleasing people wealthier and more powerful than he. He is willing to lie and to indulge in unethical and illegal behavior in pursuit of his goals, and he repeatedly runs from difficulties, especially those he creates for himself.

However, the social forces play a more important role in Clyde’s tragedy. The prosperous urban life inspired by the economic growth stimulates Clyde’s desire for a better life. Clyde feels ashamed of his poor living conditions when he feels the great gap between the rich and the poor. The desire to become economically better controls Clyde.

Dreiser gave the readers a new understanding of the American Dream with the means of satire: the American Dream is actually the American nightmare. The nightmare contains dazzling degeneration and the destruction of society. In this society, without any moral standards, man is inhuman. The novel also exposes the truth of capitalism: the gap between the rich and the poor is so huge that people takes money as their credo of life. It is the mixture of extreme egoism and hedonism. It is the decadent capitalist way of life that results in the death of the younger generation, such as Clyde, in the pursuit of pleasure.

Dreiser creates the miniature of the American society at the early 19th century. From this novel readers can feel obviously that it is the capitalist economy, capitalist value and capitalist politics that kill Clyde. In America, Clyde’s tragedy is not a special case, it is the common tragedy. That is why the novel is named An American Tragedy. The characters of a novel can only have significance in the social environment. Of course, he is best at describing the complexity of ideology and social system. Dreiser is well informed about the operation of power machines. As for describing the sequence of poverty, so far, no American novelist can catch up him. (Alexander, 1952:11)

Dreiser has a very special position in American literature. He is the first important writer from lower class and his ancestor is not Anglo-Saxon. In America, it is common that a writer is born in poor family, such as, Thoreau, Whitman, Mark Twain, Howells and Crane. But it is different that, all these people, they belong to the society. Their ancestors are the earliest immigrants, who belong to the powerful middle class ruling America in the 19th century. They even don not know that there is a new and unacquainted society. Dreiser’s interpretation of current society is heavily influenced by his own experience, an experience that impressed upon him the poles of poverty and success which governed the metropolitan world. Dreiser’s writing is also influenced by the economic and social changes at his time. As a keen observer, Dreiser saw the conditions of America in his period. His work as a city newspaper-man also brought him into contact with many of the sordid aspects of urban life and highlighted the fatuity of the traditional ethical codes.

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