# Chapter XXII explained — An American Tragedy

> Chapter companion for An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser.

## What happens

Clyde and Roberta begin a passionate but secret affair, overcoming their scruples and fears. Roberta extracts a promise from Clyde that he will never desert her, though he has no intention of marrying her. Clyde feels a newfound confidence and sees himself as a man of the world, while Roberta becomes entirely devoted to him. Meanwhile, Clyde continues to dream of the Griffiths' high society life, feeling the contrast between his secret relationship with Roberta and his aspirations.

## Themes in this chapter

### Seduction and Betrayal

Clyde's seduction of Roberta is portrayed as a conquest that boosts his ego, while Roberta fears betrayal despite his promises, highlighting the power imbalance and moral conflict.

### Social Class and Ambition

Clyde's affair with Roberta, a factory girl, is contrasted with his yearning for the Griffiths' high society, showing his ambition and the class divide that shapes his desires.

### The Female Body and Control

Roberta's body becomes a site of Clyde's pleasure and control, as she submits to his desires out of love and fear, while he remains detached from any commitment.

## Character check-ins

### Clyde Griffiths

Overcomes his scruples to begin a secret affair with Roberta, feeling a new sense of power and confidence, yet still dreaming of the Griffiths' social world.

### Roberta Alden

Yields to Clyde's desires after much protest, extracts a promise of loyalty, and becomes entirely devoted to him, though haunted by fear of the future.

### Hortense Briggs

Referenced as a past figure who contributed to Clyde's earlier sense of failure with women.

### Rita Dickerman

Mentioned as part of Clyde's past romantic failures that his new affair seems to disprove.

### Gilbert Griffiths

Imagined by Clyde racing in his big car, representing the high society life Clyde aspires to.

### Sondra Finchley

Mentioned as part of the Griffiths' social circle, dancing and canoeing, highlighting the world Clyde longs for.

## Key lines

> The wonder and delight of a new and more intimate form of contact, of protest gainsaid, of scruples overcome!

The excitement and pleasure of a deeper physical intimacy, where objections are silenced and moral doubts are pushed aside.

_Describes the initial thrill of the affair for both Clyde and Roberta._

> And this was proving to him that the notion which Hortense Briggs, to say nothing of the more recent fiasco in connection with Rita had tended to build up in his mind, i.e. —that he was either unsuccessful or ill-fated where girls were concerned was false.

This affair convinced Clyde that his earlier failures with Hortense Briggs and Rita Dickerman did not mean he was unlucky with women.

_Shows Clyde's growing confidence and self-image as a seducer._

> The one thing that did trouble him at times was the thought that possibly, in connection with the original fear she had expressed to him, something might go wrong, which, considering her exclusive devotion to him, might prove embarrassing.

Clyde occasionally worried that Roberta might become pregnant, which would be a problem given her complete dependence on him.

_Foreshadows the central conflict of Roberta's pregnancy later in the novel._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters/xxii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/an_american_tragedy_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/an_american_tragedy_se/chapters