An American Tragedy Study Guide

The Griffiths family is introduced on the streets of Kansas City, as they perform the daily evangelism. Asa, the father, is a fifty-year old man preaching the gospel to strangers on the city streets. His wife, though plain in appearance, is the only one in the family whose personality has any real strength. She spreads the Christian message and encourages the crowd to join in the singing. The daughter, Esta Griffiths, is fifteen, and her responsibility is to play a small, portable pump organ, while her parents encourage onlookers to sing. She is not conspicuous, and she sings along as she plays. However, she does not have a good voice. There are three more children, a boy, 7, a girl, 9, and another boy, who is twelve. (read more)