"An American Tragedy, v. 1" by Theodore Dreiser is a novel published in 1925. Based on a real 1906 murder case, it follows Clyde Griffiths, a young man from a poor religious family who pursues wealth and status. Working at his uncle's factory, he becomes entangled with two women: Roberta, a factory worker he gets pregnant, and Sondra, a wealthy socialite. Torn between obligation and ambition, Clyde's choices lead him toward a tragic fate on a remote lake.
Wikipedia page on this work: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_American_Tragedy