Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser (October 6 - 18, 2004)
Eighteen-year-old Carrie Meeber leaves her small town home for Chicago to stay with her sister and make a living. On the train, she meets Charlie Drouet, a flashy salesman, who impresses her with his attention. After reaching her sister’s, Carrie sets out to find a job, finding a labor-intensive job in a shoe factory her best option. She quickly grows dissatisfied with her sister and brother-in-law’s frugal and gloomy lifestyle and her job and co-workers. As winter approaches, Carrie becomes ill, loses her job and has no money to afford a coat or hat to protect her from the cold. Drouet sees her on the street, and offers her food and a loan of twenty dollars to buy some warm clothes. She accepts the money, at first embarrassed, but then thrilled at the power of the green bills in her hands.
Her life with Drouet is happier. He buys her beautiful clothes, and he promises to marry her, but she does not believe him fully. In the meanwhile, he introduces her to his friend Hurstwood. Hurstwood is manager of a bar, and, what Carrie does not know - a married man. He is fond for Carrie immediately, looking out for her when Drouet is out of town. He soon falls for her, revisiting the charm of being a carefree youth in love, while neglecting his family. Carrie sees him as a stronger man than Drouet, contrasting them when they are together. Carrie and Hurstwood begin to have secret meetings and correspondences. During this time, Carrie takes part in a small play, and receives acclaim as an actress. As Hurstwood’s attentions to Carrie grow, Mrs. Hurstwood realizes what is going on and orders her husband to leave. Meanwhile, Drouet learns that Carrie and Hurstwood are involved, and Carrie learns Hurstwood is married. As Hurstwood’s ideal life begins spiraling downward, he steals from his employers and forces Carrie to leave Chicago with him. They end up in Montreal, and an investigator tells Hurstwood to return the money. He returns most of it and he and Carrie leave for New York, where he thinks he can start life again anonymously.
In New York, Carrie and Hurstwood live as man and wife under a new last name. As the funds run lower and lower, Carrie is disappointed at having to economize. Hurstwood struggles to find a job, while avoiding all the people he once knew. Carrie grows tired and finds a position on the stage. As she begins to shine as an actress with higher and higher billings, Hurstwood’s life fades out. Carrie leaves him, and Hurstwood becomes homeless and eventually ends his life in a cheap hotel.
What is interesting about the novel is that though Carrie is not perfect and follows a path of greed, she is never punished for it, as heroines of most books are. This caused a great uproar when the novel was first published. In contrast, Carrie’s “American Dream” is achieved by her choices, which do not involve hard work. She neglects Hurstwood, not even thinking of him as he dies. Hurstwood’s life unravels, but not as a punishment, but because of his inaction.
In some ways, Carrie sleepwalks through the book. She craves more – more
money, attention, improvement – but she is never satisfied with her progress.
She does not realize how far she has come from her first day in Chicago. As
the book ended, I did not feel the sense of conclusion for Carrie. She was
still left unsatisfied, and lacked the knowledge or awareness to realize what
in her life she was missing. Meanwhile, as a reader, I was left very curious
as to where life took her next.
Favorite Quote:
"When the distraction of the tongue is removed, the heart listens."
