He cannot tell Angela the truth about Alice, or Alice the truth about Angela, so he is caught up in lies and deceit. He is not lonely anymore, and it seems like he will be a success at the plant, but his personal life is a mess, because he is so determined to get ahead that he cannot do the right thing. He tells Angela, "It's wonderful when you're here. I can hold you. I can, I can see you. I can hold you next to me. But what's it gonna be like next week? All summer long? I'll still be just as much in love with you. You'll be gone" (A Place in the Sun). All he can see is his own loneliness and lack of success. He is selfish and self-centered, and his obsession with success and the wealthy show his own lack of self-esteem and self-worth. George is a sad character because he is so real, and his emotions are so strong. Throughout the film, his body language shows that he is fearful of his place. He is often awkward and uncomfortable when he is around the wealthy, and he usually arrives dressed wrong, such as wearing a suit when everyone else is wearing tuxedos. He cannot do the right thing in any situation, and this shows when he continually puts off Alice. He strings her along, which makes the situation worse, instead of being honest with her. He is not honest with anyone, not even himself, and this is why he is destined to fail. In the end, George does not really change throughout the film. He runs away from his responsibilities, and he ends up lonely and alone until his execution. He does finally take responsibility for his own actions before he dies, so he does change, but it does not come until the final moments of...

If George had been wiser, and able to learn from his mistakes throughout the film, he might have been more successful. However, that is part of the point of the film. George is who he is, and as much as he wants to be someone different, he is a product of his own family and their values, whether he likes it or not. He is not wise, he lets his emotions dictate his life, and this leads to his downfall. He is a tragic figure not because he dies, but because his life did not have to be such a waste.
In conclusion, George and his sad, pathetic life are somewhat like many of the tragic characters in Shakespeare's plays. For example, Othello is a tragic hero who is brave in battle but allows himself to become jealous and ruled by his heart instead of his mind when it comes to his wife, Desdemona. He believes she is having an affair with one of his men, rather than trusting her, and it leads to both their downfalls. He is a lot like George because he is determined to be successful in his career, and he is, but he is not successful in his personal relationships, and neither is George. Like Othello, George allows his heart and his overpowering love for Angela rule over his duty and responsibility to Alice, who he loved when she was "good enough." George and Othello both come from lowborn backgrounds, and attempt to make something better of themselves. They both succeed for a time, but not forever, and they both pay the ultimate price - death - in the end.