But after this the long days in prison for Clyde. Except for a weekly visit from his mother, who, once she was entered upon her work, found it difficult to see him more often than that—traveling as she did in the next two months between Albany and Buffalo and even New York City—but without the success she had at first hoped for. For in the matter of her appeal to the churches and the public—as most wearily (and in secret if not to Clyde)—and after three weeks of more or less regional and purely sectarian trying, she was compelled to report the Christians at least were very indifferent—not as Christian as they should be. For as all, but more particularly the ministers of the region, since they most guardedly and reservedly represented their congregations in every instance, unanimously saw it, here was a notorious and, of course, most unsavory trial which had resulted in a conviction with which the more conservative element of the country—if one could judge by the papers at least, were in agreement.

Besides who was this woman—as well as her son? An exhorter—a secret preacher—one, who in defiance of all the tenets and processes of organized and historic, as well as hieratic, religious powers and forms (theological seminaries, organized churches and their affiliations and product—all carefully and advisedly and legitimately because historically and dogmatically interpreting the word of God) choosing to walk forth and without ordination after any fashion conduct an unauthorized and hence nondescript mission. Besides if she had remained at home, as a good mother should, and devoted herself to her son, as well as to her other children—their care and education—would this—have happened?

Clyde, the protagonist of An American Tragedy, has been convicted of murdering his lover. He's been sentenced to death. His mother tries to get him off of death row, by appealing to churches. But she's not having much luck.

Nobody has much luck in Naturalist novels.

In Naturalist fiction, characters have a really, really hard time escaping their fate. An American Tragedy is a Naturalist novel, and, as we might guess, poor Clyde is on his way to meet his death, no matter how hard his mother tries to save his life. No amount of will can stop the machinery of fate from working… and crushing everything in its path.

Naturalist literature, in other words, is deterministic. Usually, characters end up worse off—not better—by the end. Just like Clyde does: once the wheels of his destiny are set in motion (and not even in the semi-cute "Luke, I am your father" way), nobody, not even his sweet Mommy, can reverse them.

This excerpt from Dreiser's novel sets up the mother's efforts at saving her son's life as hopeless. Even churchgoers don't want to help her. Not only do they not want to help her, but they also blame her for her son's fate:

Besides if she had remained at home, as a good mother should, and devoted herself to her son, as well as to her other children—their care and education—would this—have happened?

So poor mom and her son are presented as completely powerless in escaping their destiny. The lesson we're meant to take away from this novel is that not only can no one win against fate; no one can even fight it.