An American Tragedy Theodore Drieser constructed a character like no other in the book, An American Tragedy. Clyde Griffiths started off as a young man with no real problems, except for the fact that his family was strictly religious and poor. I say “no real problems” because during the course of the novel, this boy spirals down in life. One event after the other brings this young man down to a place where it becomes harder and harder to climb back up. In Book one, the reader sees the young boy walking on the street with his family preaching the way of God. Eventually, Clyde decides he needs a job and begins to work at a soda shop. Not too soon after does Clyde start to work