View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the final verdict?

2. What does the Judge force the legal teams not to mention?

3. Who will question Clyde in the courtroom?

4. How many witnesses testify to Roberta's character?

5. What is the name of Samuel's legal representative?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mason uses the trial to enhance his political reputation while the defense makes up elaborate lies to persuade the jury to find Clyde innocent. How accurate do you think Dreiser's depiction of American justice is? Do you think it is a negative or positive portrayal or simply realistic?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

The novel depicts the class system in America in the twenties.

1) How and why was life changing for the working classes in twenties America? How difficult was it for a member of the working classes to make an impact on society?

2) What were the role of the upper classes in twenties America? How much control did they have?

3) Do you think there is still a recognizable class system in America? In what ways has it changed?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 248 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample