The purpose of this essay is to analyze and compare two novels written at the turn of the 20th century that are usually classified as naturalist. However, in sister carrie, the environment, instead of crushing carrie down, even contributes to her rise. The sister carrie edition that was published in 1900, long regarded as a watershed work in american fiction, was actually a censored misrepresentation of driesers original story. I think it is very difficult to define the exact character of dreiser s sister carrie, and his original intention. Sister carrie thesis statements and important quotes. Sister carrie worksheets, project, and test ereading. This research is qualitative research and technique of analyzing data is descriptive analysis. Sister carrie was a reflection of hermann theodore dreisers own life. Sister carrie replies, it appears, whomever you wish to become 2. Carrie was still with him, but not helpless and pleading.
The novel particularly focuses on consumerism and the consumer society, materialism, capitalism, class differences, the problems of individuals living in a consumer society, and. Instant downloads of all 1427 litchart pdfs including sister carrie. Pdf the language of clothes in sister carrie by theodore dreiser. Sister carrie, analysis of theodore dreisers novel lithelper. The difficult task of defining sister carrie by dreiser kibin. Characters of sister carrie novel summaries analysis. Modern american life and sister carrie english literature. He begins the careful work of describing the setting. This paper tries to analyze the character of sister carrie in order to find out why what. Sister carrie sister carrie tells the story of two characters. Minnie, carrie s sister, meets carrie at the train station when carrie arrives in chicago. Representation of the city in theodore dreisers sister carrie. Analysis of themes in sister carrie identity the marriages that occur in sister carrie sister carrie, carrie struggled to find throughout materialism social class sister carrie.
Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts. Well, we dont exactly know that yet but shell figure it out. The ironies of social standards in sister carrie essay. A girl of the streets is considered one of the first and most prominent examples of naturalism in the us, and, as milne holton puts it, maggie. The story as told by dreiser, about carrie meeber who becomes the mistress of a traveling salesman, is unapologetically told and created a scandal. Critical essays chapter titles in sister carrie the original title of sister carrie was to have been the flesh and the spirit. Warm with the fancies of youth, pretty with the insipid prettiness of the. She is the sister of minnie hanson and mistress of drouet and, later, hurstwood.
Heres an indepth analysis of the most important parts, in an easytounderstand format. Carrie meeber, an ordinary girl who rises from a lowpaid wage earner to a highpaid actress, and george hurstwood, a member of the upper middle class who falls from his comfortable lifestyle to a life on the streets. Sister carrie 1900 is a novel by theodore dreiser about a young country girl who moves to the big city wh. Assess how well your students understand major plot events in sister carrie with this twentyfive question multiple choice test.
Sister carrie, by theodore dreiser project gutenberg. Novel summaries analysis bel 6 the distinction between social classes or in. Dreiser describes her as bright, timid, and full of the illusions of ignorance and youth as she leaves behind her rural wisconsin roots for the big city of chicago where she will seek work and live. More comprehension and recall questions on chapters five through seven of the novel. Sister carrie, first novel by theodore dreiser, published in 1900 but suppressed until 1912. A biographical and thematic analysis of dreisers major works, which interprets sister carrie as a naturalistic novel in the tradition of emile zola in france and stephen crane and frank norris. Most of its protagonists, like sister carrie come from. But if this denomination is reflected by the acceptance of the sordid side of life and a more faithful registration of personal experience, then it can be a characteristic of his work.
He introduces himself as the narrator of the story. Neither carrie nor hurstwood earn their fates through virtue or vice, but rather through random circumstance. Analysis of naturalism in sister carrie naturalism emerged in the mid of the 19th century in america as an outgrowth of realism. Instant downloads of all 1425 litchart pdfs including sister carrie. Sister carrie quotes by theodore dreiser goodreads.
Desire and dehumanization in theodor dreisers sister carrie. Using the essay topics below in conjunction with the list of important quotes from sister carrie at the bottom of the page, you should have no trouble connecting with the text and writing an excellent essay. While there are a number of literary and authorrelated reasons why this might be the case which is another essay topic altogether sister carrie is. Theodore dreiser based his first novel on the life of his sister emma. Doubleday, discusses the supposed suppression of sister carrie by its first publisher.
Abstract theodor dreisers sister carrie dramatizes the unbridled greed for wealth and craze for status in an extremely commercialized world. Sister carrie, he criticizes american society at the beginning of the twentieth century. In it the author introduces his theme and plot through foreshadowing, careful arrangement of details, and introductory characterization. Eighteenyearold carrie meeber is leaving her parents and her small midwestern town behind. Sister carrie tells the story of a rudderless but pretty smalltown. Mcteague and sister carrie analysis 702 words 3 pages social determinism and blind fate in mcteague and sister carrie in the nineteenth century, many writers were influenced by several theories.
Hurstwood, too, is very much engaged in creating false appearances. The difficult task of defining sister carrie by dreiser. It exemplifies the servitude of a society beholden to a. A literary analysis of the metaphors found in sister carrie by theodore dreiser at the point when hurstwood starts to decrease in soul in new york, specifically after he loses his position and stake in the cantina, he swings to perusing and this turns into his exclusive intrigue. As her sister greets her with a perfunctory embrace of welcome, all of carrie s excitement fades away, replaced by cold reality that is without light, merriment, or amusement. For all the liberal analysis of spencer and our modern naturalistic philosophers we. The difficult task of defining sister carrie by dreiser pages 2. This study guide consists of approximately 81 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of sister carrie. A brief analysis of sister carries character hanying yu foreign language departmen a ba teachers college, gu cheng, pi xian, cheng du 611700, china email. Theodore dreisers sister carrie was the first real book ive ever read in english. Sister carriechapter 20 wikisource, the free online library. The factual material for analysis was taken from the novel sister carrie by.
The theory of existentialism is applied to analyse the work of dreiser whose writings. A modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, supersummary offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. She first becomes a mistress to men that she perceives as superior, but later becomes a famous actress. Backgrounds and sources reprints excerpts from dreisers autobiographies, and a documentary account, drawn largely from dreisers correspondence with frank norris, arthur henry, walter h. The aim of this research is to describe sister carrie. Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does.
Caroline, or sister carrie, as she had been half affectionately termed by the family, was possessed of a mind rudimentary in its power of observation and analysis. Hale gossips frequently, and carrie becomes an object of her gossip when mrs. Eighteen years of age and headed for a new life, carrie has everything she owns with her. A girl of the streets 1893 by stephen crane and sister carrie 1900 by theodore dreiser. Sister carrie, analysis of theodore dreisers novel. Hoping to meet carrie outside the theater one evening, hurstwood misses his chance to see her when she arrives suddenly and rushes inside. Theodore dreiser wrote a novel sister carrie based on his sister emmas. In any novel, and particularly in sister carrie, the first chapter is extremely important. Sister carrie 1900 is a novel by theodore dreiser about a young woman who moves to the big city where she starts realizing her own american dream.
In america it was published in an edition of one thousand copies. Sister carrie chapters 18 summary and analysis gradesaver. Theme analysis the failure of the characters to communicate with words is a recurring theme in this novel. Hale sees her with hurstwood while drouet is out of town. Pdf theodor dreisers sister carrie dramatizes the unbridled greed for wealth and craze for status in an extremely commercialized world. Sister carrie study guide contains a biography of theodore dreiser, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The intent of this thesis is to provide an extended analysis on several characteristics of modern american life as mirrored by sister carrie. Sister carrie was rejected as it was considered immoral and discrepant to traditional american values. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. I shall focus on carrie and try to elaborate upon the themes of the novel and analyze. When drouet disappears carrie feels his absence greatly.
Examples of naturalism in sister carrie 1031 words. Thanks for exploring this supersummary plot summary of sister carrie by theodore dreiser. Caroline, or sister carrie, as she had been half affectionately termed by the family. With an aching stomach and sore feet, he joins a group of fellow unfortunates and is provided free lodging for the night through the efforts of a selfappointed social worker. Apr 14, 2019 caroline, or sister carrie, as she had been half affectionately termed by the family, was possessed of a mind rudimentary in its power of observation and analysis. Sister carrie worksheet chapters 57 rtf sister carrie worksheet chapters 57 pdf. Very early carrie becomes aware that hurstwood is a greater deceiver than drouet. Sister carrie, as a masterpiece by theodore dreiser, has been criticized for its. Download theodore dreiser s sister carrie for your kindle, tablet, ipad, pc or mobile. Summary of sister carrie characters of sister carrie themes of sister carrie sister carrie for ma english students of ignou by rahul sharma. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of sister carrie and what it means.
I was 11, my mother just bought me a brandspankingnew english dictionary, and my school librarians finally let me roam the section of the library where normally kids were not allowed to wreak havoc in on their own. You are, of course, free to add your own analysis and understanding of the plot or themes to them for your essay. Theodore dreisers sister carrie in the context of consumer. He had pretended all this affection, all this passion, and he was lying to her all the while 168.
In terms of genre and historical classification, theodore dreisers novel, sister carrie crosses the borders between realism and naturalism click here for full analysis of this topic. Shes on a train headed for chicago where shes got plans to move in with her big sister minnie. Sister carrie, published in 1900, stands at the gateway of the new century. At the time dreiser wrote sister carrie, freudian psychoanalysis was. At first, it did not receive any warm welcome with the public and the critics. Theodore dreisers sister carrie comes to reinforce the belief that this novel is the core reflection of american background. In august of 1889, carrie meeber leaves her small town to find employment in the city of chicago. Young caroline meeber, called sister carrie by her family, is aboard a train as the novel opens. It was inspired by charles darwins theory of evolution. Theodore dreiser, the author of sister carrie, informs the reader that, selfinterest with her was high, but not strong. In 1883 she ran away to toronto, canada with a married man who had stolen money from his employer. The novel particularly focuses on consumerism and the consumer society, materialism. Luring metropolises naturalism attaches great emphasis on ones living environment, believing that ones living environment influences ones fate enormously.
A summary of part x section1 in theodore dreisers sister carrie. Carrie observes minnie has a depressing air about her, the grimness of shift. Theodore dreisers novel sister carrie in the context of. A a a a a a caroline, or sister carrie, as she had been half affectionately termed by the family, was possessed of a mind rudimentary in its power of observation and analysis. The best study guide to sister carrie on the planet, from the creators of. Sister carrie worksheets, project, and test ereading worksheets. Find a summary of this and each chapter of sister carrie. Warm with the fancies of youth, pretty with the insipid prettiness of the formative period, possessed of a figure promising eventual shapeliness and an eye alight with certain. He was the leading figure in a national literary movement that replaced the observance of victorian notions of propriety with the unflinching presentation of reallife subject matter.
Hale on buggy rides to view the mansions neither of them can afford. Sister carrie by theodore dreiser which is considered one of the most important city. I would say, as many eyes, so many opinions, so no wonder there are different approaches and interpretations towards the novel which is influenced not just by the reader s. An example of such a comparative analysis is theodore dreisers masterpiece sister. Sister carrietheodore dreiser free downloadpdf epub. Carrie meeber, an ordinary girl who rises from a lowpaid wage earner to a highpaid actress, and george.
Representation of the city in theodore dreisers sister carrie grin. The sister carrie embraces is minnie hanson, described as lean and rather commonplace. Examples of naturalism in sister carrie 1031 words bartleby. Naturalism stresses the idea that any individual has a predetermined destiny influenced by social factors and that ones character is formed on the basis of. Caroline, or sister carrie, as she have been half affectionately termed by the family, was possessed of a mind rudimentary in its power of observation and analysis. Sister carrie is a work of pivotal importance in american literature, and it became a model for subsequent american writers of realism. A girl of the streets is regarded as the first work of unalloyed naturalism in american fiction 37. It has been called the greatest of all american urban novels. This norton critical edition features the 1900 doubleday page text of the novel. Warm with the fancies of youth, pretty with the insipid prettiness of the formative period, possessed of a figure promising eventual shapeliness and an eye. Sister carrie study guide literature guide litcharts. One of his works, sister carrie is taken for the study and it is analysed through.
Shallow as was his mental observation, there was that in the things which had happened which made his little power of analysis useless. Sister carrie, like most of theodore dreisers novels, embodies dreisers belief that while humans are controlled and. In sister carrie, theodore dreiser depicts real american cities, specifically chicago and new york, in ali their grandeur and squalor. The present thesis entitled american life in the twentieth century. In england sister carrie was accepted more favourably. This is most evident in the relationship between hurstwood and carrie as only the readers are made privy to their thought processes. Carrie s craving for pleasure as represented chiefly by money and clothes shows the forces at work on the flesh.
1344 589 1838 1221 1291 1295 1303 775 19 1270 1310 723 1740 402 1230 506 508 273 1689 1846