Reading the Classics discussion

Welcome to week 2 of An American Tragedy! This week we are reading the second half of Part 1, chapters 12-19.

I think we can all see from the end of week 1 (ch.1-11) that week 2 (ch.12-19) is going to be about Clyde's [likely clumsy] attempted courtship of Hortense. It begins with a date at Frissell's, before and during which she is careful to remind him of her other suitors, and that while she deigns to be with Clyde, she could (and was supposed to be, so she claims) elsewhere and with another. She is keeping Clyde in her place while she works out exactly what and how much she can get from him.

It seemed clear in Book 1 that Hortense would prove to be no good for Clyde, and it looks like Clyde will learn some hard lessons in Book 2.

I've only read through chapter 12, but I get the foreboding sense that Hortense is going to really hurt Clyde emotionally, which will further propel him towards the dark side.

Is Clyde really this naive, to follow Hortense blindly, giving up his hard-earned new gateway out of the mission? How can he be so gullible? I was so angry that he agreed to buy the coat, while hiding and otherwise wasting his money. All while knowing his own sister was in desperate circumstances.

And now we have the joyless joyride. The accident was no surprise, but I didn’t see the little girl coming. Now what?

I was asking myself those same questions! All I could think of was that he moved around so much and was so sheltered in his family life that he just didn't have a clue.

Did anyone else question as to why everyone in the car thought they would be arrested? Or even how they all for in the car?!?! 😂🤣

Jerilyn wrote: "Is Clyde really this naive, to follow Hortense blindly, giving up his hard-earned new gateway out of the mission? How can he be so gullible? I was so angry that he agreed to buy the coat, while hid..."

Clyde has NO life experience. Suddenly he has money, nice clothes, worldly (somewhat) friends, and leisure. And there are GIRLS hanging about! Hortense must be gorgeous, and she certainly knows and plays it to maximum benefit. I can't blame Clyde here: he's out of his depth entirely.

I didn't see the girl coming either... but that can happen when you're driving like a maniac in a panic!

Erika wrote: "I was asking myself those same questions! All I could think of was that he moved around so much and was so sheltered in his family life that he just didn't have a clue.

Did anyone else question a..."

I wasn't surprised everyone in the car was scared to the degree that they were: consider they had not only just run over (and likely killed) a little girl, but they ran! Rationally we can make the case that it's the driver who's really in hot water, but also remember they're in what is essentially (now that they've hit the girl) a stolen car. 17 and 18 year olds panicking? I can see it. There's even more on their minds: the boys are going to lose their jobs... their parents are going to find out about this. It's a bad situation.

How many were in one car? 8?

Yes. Must have been some lap-seating in use.

I kept counting in my head how many people were there and thinking how big was a Packard!?!

Packard made luxury touring cars. Some models had three rows of seats and could easily accommodate a party of eight. They were also among the most powerful autos made.