Preview of The Studs Lonigan Trilogy Summary:

Perhaps the most compelling theme in the saga of Studs Lonigan is that of self-destruction, and in this theme both Studs and his culture are at fault. Studs wills himself into his tough-guy act, but it is a much-desired and much-admired role in the Prairie Avenue gang he adheres to. In making this choice, Studs must deny the softer, more sympathetic aspects of his nature, and once he chooses this general direction, the world around him ensures that he cannot turn back. He defeats Weary Reilly, and in seeking the further applause of the people who admire him for that victory, he sets his destructive course in motion.

The city serves as a subtheme underscoring the basic theme of self-destruction. Studs's field of action lies between the University of Chicago and Lake Michigan, and he is constantly struggling against the forces those two places represent. He must belittle...