• In his uncle’s factory, he is attracted to Roberta, a poor and innocent farm girl working here, who falls in love with him. he ultimately have sex with Roberta and makes her pregnant. Meanwhile the elegant Sondra , daughter of a factory owner, takes an interest in Clyde and provides him with opportunities to be rich. Pregnant Roberta expects him to marry her, but Clyde dreams of marrying Sondra.
• The novel is a tragedy in the strict sense, Clyde's destruction being the consequence of his innate weaknesses: moral and physical cowardice, lack of scruple and self-discipline, muddled intellect and unfocused ambition; additionally, the effect of his ingratiating {Dreiser uses the word "soft") social manner places temptation in his way which he cannot resist.