Fallen Woman in Dreiser's Sister Carrie
Bumanglag, Amleth Lyn C. March 12, 2011
MAT-ELA
Anglo-American Literature
FALLEN WOMAN IN THEODORE DREISER’S SISTER CARRIE
Introduction
One might think that Sister Carrie is a love story, but rather it is a story of greed, declining morality, and selfish desires. All central characters are products of a changing economy—decline of agriculture and rise of industry in late nineteenth century. Theodore Dreiser significantly sets the story in Chicago (1889) and later to New York of which industrialization, urbanization and commercialization have magnetized thousands to migrate to achieve the “American Dream” this he stated in chapter 2. “In 1889 Chicago had the peculiar qualifications of growth which made such adventuresome pilgrimages even on the part of young girls plausible. Its many and growing commercial opportunities gave it widespread fame, which made of it a giant magnet, drawing to itself, from all quarters, the hopeful and the hopeless…”(p.19)
Sister Carrie represents the many Americans who desire to escape poverty by seeking greener pastures. Like Dreiser’s family who constantly searched for economic stability after the fatal business loss of their uninsured woolen mill.
This paper seeks to understand the transformation and later survival of the characters as they move to the tides of a changing economy. Furthermore, we will illustrate the driving force of money and its effects to the characters. Lastly, we will trace the mobility of the characters in their social status particularly Carrie.
Summary Sister Carrie is about Caroline Meeber or Sister Carrie, who leaves home, Columbia to stay with her sister, Minnie Hanson, in Chicago. While in the train, she meets Charles Drouet, a travelling salesman, whose fine clothes impress her. She needs to pay a rent to the Hansons, so she quickly searches for a job. After several attempts, she gets a position in a shoe factory for four and a half dollars a week. She works hard
MAT-ELA
Anglo-American Literature
FALLEN WOMAN IN THEODORE DREISER’S SISTER CARRIE
Introduction
One might think that Sister Carrie is a love story, but rather it is a story of greed, declining morality, and selfish desires. All central characters are products of a changing economy—decline of agriculture and rise of industry in late nineteenth century. Theodore Dreiser significantly sets the story in Chicago (1889) and later to New York of which industrialization, urbanization and commercialization have magnetized thousands to migrate to achieve the “American Dream” this he stated in chapter 2. “In 1889 Chicago had the peculiar qualifications of growth which made such adventuresome pilgrimages even on the part of young girls plausible. Its many and growing commercial opportunities gave it widespread fame, which made of it a giant magnet, drawing to itself, from all quarters, the hopeful and the hopeless…”(p.19)
Sister Carrie represents the many Americans who desire to escape poverty by seeking greener pastures. Like Dreiser’s family who constantly searched for economic stability after the fatal business loss of their uninsured woolen mill.
This paper seeks to understand the transformation and later survival of the characters as they move to the tides of a changing economy. Furthermore, we will illustrate the driving force of money and its effects to the characters. Lastly, we will trace the mobility of the characters in their social status particularly Carrie.
Summary Sister Carrie is about Caroline Meeber or Sister Carrie, who leaves home, Columbia to stay with her sister, Minnie Hanson, in Chicago. While in the train, she meets Charles Drouet, a travelling salesman, whose fine clothes impress her. She needs to pay a rent to the Hansons, so she quickly searches for a job. After several attempts, she gets a position in a shoe factory for four and a half dollars a week. She works hard
References: Books Dreiser, Theodore , Sister Carrie , The New American Library, Inc., New York, USA, 1961 Glenn, Paul J., Ph.D.,S.T.D : Ethics, Library of Congress, 1930 Website http://www.pinzler.com/ushistory/cultwo.html http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/rbm/dreiser/scculhist.html http://www.quotecounterquote.com/2010/07/thorstein-veblen-conspicuous.html