# An American Tragedy — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser.

- [Book I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/book-i.md): Clyde Griffiths is introduced as a young man from a poor, religious family who becomes a bellhop at the Green-Davidson Hotel. He is drawn to wealth and pleasure, begins a relationship with Hortense Briggs, and becomes in
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/i.md): The novel opens with a summer evening street scene in a mid-sized American city, where the Griffiths family—Asa, Elvira, and their four children—conduct an open-air religious service. The father preaches and the mother l
- [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/ii.md): This chapter delves into Clyde Griffiths' early life, his family's shabby religious mission in Kansas City, and his growing discontent with poverty. It contrasts his parents' impractical, devout lifestyle with the wealth
- [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/iii.md): Clyde's mood darkens as his sister Esta runs away with an actor, deepening the Griffiths family's misery. The chapter explores Esta's inner conflict between her religious upbringing and her sensuous, yearning nature, lea
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/iv.md): Clyde Griffiths, now sixteen, becomes increasingly determined to improve his lot. He works odd jobs, eventually securing a position as a soda fountain assistant. Despite his parents' disapproval of worldly entertainments

> 99 more chapter companions — [open a free preview](https://www.betterreads.dev/reader?bookId=an_american_tragedy_se_1496kb&preview=1) to unlock the rest.

- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/v.md)
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/vi.md)
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/vii.md)
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/viii.md)
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/ix.md)
- [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/x.md)
- [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xi.md)
- [Chapter XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xii.md)
- [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xiii.md)
- [Chapter XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xiv.md)
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xv.md)
- [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xvi.md)
- [Chapter XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xvii.md)
- [Chapter XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xviii.md)
- [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xix.md)
- [Book II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/book-ii.md)
- [Chapter I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/i.md)
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/ii.md)
- [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/iii.md)
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/iv.md)
- [Chapter V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/v.md)
- [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/vi.md)
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/vii.md)
- [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/viii.md)
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/ix.md)
- [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/x.md)
- [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xi.md)
- [Chapter XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xii.md)
- [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xiii.md)
- [Chapter XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xiv.md)
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xv.md)
- [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xvi.md)
- [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xvii.md)
- [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xviii.md)
- [Chapter XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xix.md)
- [Chapter XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xx.md)
- [Chapter XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxi.md)
- [Chapter XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxii.md)
- [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxiii.md)
- [Chapter XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxiv.md)
- [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxv.md)
- [Chapter XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxvi.md)
- [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxvii.md)
- [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxviii.md)
- [Chapter XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxix.md)
- [Chapter XXX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxx.md)
- [Chapter XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxi.md)
- [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxii.md)
- [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxiii.md)
- [XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxiv.md)
- [Chapter XXXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxv.md)
- [XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxvi.md)
- [XXXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxvii.md)
- [XXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxviii.md)
- [Chapter XXXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxix.md)
- [Chapter XL](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xl.md)
- [Chapter XLI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xli.md)
- [Chapter XLII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xlii.md)
- [Chapter XLIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xliii.md)
- [Chapter XLIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xliv.md)
- [XLV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xlv.md)
- [XLVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xlvi.md)
- [XLVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xlvii.md)
- [Book III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/book-iii.md)
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/i.md)
- [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/ii.md)
- [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/iii.md)
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/iv.md)
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/v.md)
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/vi.md)
- [Chapter VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/vii.md)
- [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/viii.md)
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/ix.md)
- [Chapter X: Arrest and Imprisonment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/x.md)
- [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xi.md)
- [Chapter XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xii.md)
- [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xiii.md)
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xiv.md)
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xv.md)
- [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xvi.md)
- [Chapter XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xvii.md)
- [Chapter XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xviii.md)
- [The Trial Begins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xix.md)
- [XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xx.md)
- [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxi.md)
- [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxii.md)
- [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxiii.md)
- [Chapter XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxiv.md)
- [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxv.md)
- [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxvi.md)
- [Chapter XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxvii.md)
- [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxviii.md)
- [XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxix.md)
- [Chapter: XXX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxx.md)
- [XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxi.md)
- [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxii.md)
- [XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxiii.md)
- [XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxxiv.md)
- [Souvenir](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/souvenir.md)

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters