The Failure of the American Dream in Theodore Dreiser's Novel: An American Tragedy

Abstract

While I was reading the novel hundreds of questions and thoughts came to my mind. Turning into myself I was looking for the answer to questions such as: What I pursue?; How can I be free and happy?; How can I fulfill my life?; While Clyde Griffiths’ life was outlined in front of my eyes, the feeling of oppression and helplessness got mixed up in me. His desperate struggle in the hope of a more beautiful and happier life, which finally chased him into death, deeply terrified me. Is the American Dream really a lie? What is Clyde pursuing throughout his life? What does The American Dream mean for him? How can we define this notion which is a significant factor of our life even today?