An American Tragedy

Clyde is still socially isolated in Lycurgus because of his strange status as a poor Griffiths. He can’t join the usual social clubs that managers attend because his uncle believes it is unseemly for a Griffiths to mingle with such people. People of the Griffithses’ class won’t socialize with him because he is nothing to them. Clyde’s invisibility ends one night when socialite Sondra Finchley gives him a ride in her chauffeured car. Clyde looks like a more handsome and charming Gilbert to her, and Clyde heaps compliments on her. Afterward, Sondra wonders why the Griffithses ignore Clyde.

After the encounter with Sondra, Clyde reconsiders his relationship with Roberta. Sondra decides to introduce Clyde into her social circle to spite Gilbert. She gets her friend, Jill Trumbull, to extend a party invitation to Clyde. Clyde worries that the Griffithses won’t approve and that Gilbert will be angry if he runs into Clyde at the party. Clyde decides to go to the party, even though it means skipping a date with Roberta.

At the party, Clyde is smartly dressed and happy that the rich young people are so welcoming. He lies about his family in Denver and claims that he may even leave the factory for better work elsewhere.