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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Clyde think will impress Hortense about his current situation?

2. Who clings to Roberta and makes Clyde and Roberta's relationship difficult?

3. Why does the doctor refuse to help her?

4. What is the name of the hotel does Clyde finds a job?

5. Who does Clyde become infatuated with at the Griffith's party?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Roberta's moral upbringing affect her relationship with Clyde?

2. What three taboos and social rules does Roberta learn in this chapter?

3. Why does the Samuel Griffith family refuse Clyde's insanity plea?

4. What two taboos does Dreiser address in book 2, chapter 37?

5. What impression does Clyde give to the onlookers?

6. What part have truth and justice played in the novel?

7. In what way does Clyde's behavior reflect American society?

8. In what way are Clyde's faults exposed in chapter 9, book two?

9. Why does Clyde think Jephson is his last hope?

10. How does Clyde's legal team begin their defense?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Clyde cannot resist women. Why do you think he is so weak in this regard? How do you think it affects his judgment?

Essay Topic 2

An American Tragedy is what is known as the great American novel. What is meant by the term great American novel? Are there any conventions of a great American novel? What other great American novels are there? What ideas and conventions do they share with an American Tragedy?

Essay Topic 3

An American Tragedy is written in the third person. Why do you think Dreiser chose to write the story in the third person? How do you think the meaning of the story would of changed if it was written in the first person?

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