A poor young man's ruthless pursuit of wealth and status leads to moral compromise and tragedy amid the harsh realities of the American Dream.
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A poor young man's ruthless pursuit of wealth and status leads to moral compromise and tragedy amid the harsh realities of the American Dream.
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"The classic depiction of the harsh realities of American life, the dark side of the American Dream, and one man's doomed pursuit of love and success ... "Mr. Dreiser is not imitative and belongs to no school. He is at heart a mysticist and a fatalist, though using the realistic method. He is, on the evidence of this novel alone, a power."--The New York Times Book Review"--Amazon
What Readers Think
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will contain mild spoilers
Sexual content
AI
Central illicit affair and premarital sex resulting in pregnancy; seduction drives plot.
Violence & gore
AI
Murder by drowning of pregnant woman; trial and execution depicted.
Profanity
AI
Mild period-appropriate language; infrequent strong words.
Substance use
AI
Social drinking in hotel and upper-class settings; not central.
LGBTQ+ Rep.
AI
No evidence found in available sources
Religious content
AI
Protagonist raised in strict religious street-preaching family; faith vs. ambition conflict.
Magic & witchcraft
AI
No evidence found in available sources
Occult / demonology
AI
No evidence found in available sources
Political content
AI
Critique of materialism, class divisions, and the American Dream's destructive effects.
Self-harm / suicide
AI
No evidence found in available sources
Abuse & suffering
AI
Murder of pregnant woman; class exploitation, poverty, and social coercion depicted.
Other
AI
No information found