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Why did social reformers support Theodore Dreiser after An American Tragedy was published?

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Social reformers supported Theodore Dreiser following the 1925 publication of An American Tragedy primarily because of the novel's searing indictment of materialism and the American dream of success.1

Furthermore, the book presented a highly critical view of the American legal system, which resonated with reformers and led them to adopt Dreiser as their champion. By portraying the life and death of Clyde Griffiths as a product of social forces and instincts beyond an individual's control, Dreiser’s work aligned with the perspectives of those seeking to challenge existing societal structures.21