Sister Carrie : Stylistic and Thematic Analysis

 

Realism and Naturalism

Many late nineteenth and early twentieth-century writers tried to portray life as it actually existed. Their scenes, characters, and actions reflect daily activities in people’s lives, whether noteworthy or not. Literary experts call these writers “realists.” Realists who take their writing to the extreme discussing even life’s coarse, brutal, or disgusting aspects - are “naturalists.” Critics categorize Dreiser as a naturalist. Sister Carrie’s blatant prostitution and supposed marital infidelity shocked people when the novel first appeared. Also shocking is that Dreiser makes no attempt to apologize for his heroine’s actions. He sympathizes with Carrie’s efforts to survive in a modern world given her lower-middle-class background . Dreiser’s Carrie and the settings in which he put her render a vivid and realistic picture of a newly urbanized America populated by people from all walks of life.

 

Determinism

Dreiser writes from a philosophic doctrine known as “determinism.” Determinists believe that man’s actions are not his own; they are determined by inherited or environmental influences. Viewed from this philosophy, Carrie cannot avoid her experiences; her world runs on sex and chance. Neither does Hurstwood deserve his fate. His downfall results only from circumstances around him. The two characters’ destinies have nothing to do with morals: They simply happen.

 

Tragedy

Tragedy describes characters who have survived numerous struggles only to fail in the end. They fail, however, in such a way as to become heroes and heroines, evoking sympathy from readers. Dreiser’s Carrie and Hurstwood both portray tragic characters from different dimensions. Carrie struggles to overcome her meagre existence and her naive nature. Though she gains security, ease, and a taste of the finer things in life, Carrie never fully realizes the happiness she seeks. Hurstwood, on the other hand, represents the average middle-class American struggling to maintain his place. One moment of poor judgment ruins the rest of his life. The tragedy of Hurstwood’s life is his undeserved punishment.

 

 

Point of View

Dreiser uses a third person omniscient point of view to tell the story of his heroine, Carrie. Through this point of view, Dreiser provides readers with  insight into not only Carrie’s thoughts but also those of all his characters.

 

Setting

Early twentieth-century, newly urbanized America provides the backdrop for Sister Carrie. At the outset of the novel, Carrie travels by train to Chicago, a city of opportunity for not only country girls like herself, but also for immigrants from all over the world. The Chicago that Carrie finds offers an abundance of factory jobs for both men and women. In addition, numerous opportunities for enjoyment of the arts present themselves in the form of theatre, opera, symphonies, and so on. Carrie enjoys the fashionably dressed people around her and her own ownership of the latest styles. The same prosperity exists in New York City, where Carrie and Hurstwood find themselves at the end of the story. Yet here, the less fortunate in this materialistic culture appear more obviously, begging on street corners and seeking refuge in homeless shelters. While upper- and middle-class Americans

are envisioning a future full of promise, those at the lower end of the spectrum are suffering the negative repercussions of a stratified society.

 

 

Themes:

 

American Dream

Each of Dreiser’s characters in Sister Carrie search for their own “American Dreams” - the ones offered by a growing and prosperous democratic country. Carrie, a poor country girl, arrives in Chicago, filled with the expectations of acquiring the finer things in life. She imagines the elegant clothes she will wear, the exciting places to which she will go, and the fashionable people with whom

she will associate, thinking that everyone who lives beyond the boundaries of her Midwestern state has achieved that higher status. Drouet seeks his own version of the American Dream. He has achieved a certain station in life and wears the clothes to prove it. He frequents the important establishments in town and has befriended many of the right people. Yet, he pursues the other appointments that represent his dream, such as a beautiful woman to adorn his arm and his own home. Hurstwood has the woman, the established home and family, and a good position. He, though, wants more.  He seeks love, appreciation, and more prestige.

 

Change and Transformation

Carrie and Hurstwood undergo dramatic changes from the beginning of the novel to the end. Though gradual, their transformations create immediate repercussions along the way. Carrie’s metamorphosis takes her from country girl to glamorous actress. In her wake, she leaves her disillusioned sister, an angry suitor, and a broken down man. Hurstwood’s transition moves him from prominent and trusted businessman, husband, and father to homeless street beggar. 

 

Choices and Consequences

Hurstwood makes one choice that dramatically affects the rest of his life. While all choices result in consequences, those consequences can be positive or negative. Hurstwood’s decision to take the money from his employer’s safe starts his downward spiral to his eventual suicide.