《美国悲剧》发表于1925年，是作者的代表作之一。本故事的主人公克莱德生长在一个先是笃信宗教，后来贫穷得不得不以宗教为生的非宗教从业人士家庭里。他自幼被父母逼着为了生计在街头抛头露面宣传他父母所笃信的上帝，可是贫穷低贱的克莱德却有一个雄心勃勃的美国梦。他一心向爬，纵情于酒色和物质享受。克莱德让一个地位比他更低微的姑娘怀上了孩子，可是他不愿意娶她，一是因为她会是他的累赘，二是因为这时恰巧有一个上层社会的小姐爱上了他，可以让他摆脱贫贱，一步登天。于是克莱德设计谋杀了善良无辜的穷姑娘。但是克莱德落入了法网，他被处以死刑。上帝没能救得了他，他的父母却仍在贬斥世俗的物欲，颂扬上帝的仁慈。美国梦是耶非耶？上帝仁耶忍耶？作者最终也未能说明究竟何为美国悲剧。(Published in 1925, An American Tragedy is one of the representative works of the author. Clyde, the protagonist of the story is raised in a family that is devoutly religious, but became so poor that the family members have to make religion their livelihood. Ever since he was a child, he has been forced by his parents to take missionary work in their street. Poor and low as he is , Clyde keeps an ambitious American Dream within him. Aiming at moving up, he indulges himself in wine and sensuality. lifestyle, Clyde makes a girl from lower class pregnant but is not willing to marry her, because he sees her as a burden to him, and also because another girl from the upper class falls in love with him. He dreams of marrying the other girl for the fortune and social status, and murders the poor, kind and innocent girl. In the end Clyde is caught by the net of justice, and sentenced to death. His God fails to save him, yet his parent still condemns the material desires in the world praises the mercy of the God. Is the American Dream a good thing or a bad thing? Is the God merciful or not? Till the end, the author still cannot tell what an American Tragedy is.)