A Feminist Perspective of the American Dream--
An Analysis of Carrie in Theodore Dreiser’ Sister Carrie
Ⅰ. Introduction
Sister Carrie is written by Theodore Dreiser. For me, the most important subject of this novel is Carrie’s American Dream. Thus, this paper aims at analyzing the
Sister Carrie tells the story about Carrie, who leaves her poor family from Colombia City and after experiencing the life as two men’s mistress in Chicago and New York, becomes an actress at the end. Though attacked as immoral by the public in its time, it is “considered as the best and most representative novel of Dreiser’s” (Stegner vii).
Ⅱ. The Pursuit of Carrie’s American Dream
A. The introduction of The American Dream
The American Dream is the typical cultural …show more content…
Thus, the character of dissatisfaction indicated that Carrie would go through several disillusionments in the process of pursuing wealth and high social status. Carrie always strongly holds the view that she can get a much better life in the big city and there must be a lot of chances to earn a great amount of money. All the things seem simple from the perspective of naïve Carrie. On the way to Chicago, Carrie’s mind is filled with the prosperous parties, lights, dinners and theatres. However, the reality is cruel, her sister’s living condition and the one after another frustration from the interview disappoint her. The experience that she finally works in a shoe factory but is fired because of her sick absence also makes her depressed. All these things let her suffers the first disillusionment in the process of …show more content…
She doesn’t need to work by herself but can buy whatever she likes. She can live as other rich girls in this city, such as wearing beautiful dresses and having dinner in a luxuriant restaurant. In order to get much better life, Carrie leaves Drouet to the arm of Hurstwood. From then on, she sinks deeper and deeper. Finally, when Hurstwood gets bankrupt, Carrie thoroughly loses her final support. At that time, she has to find job to buy bread and milk. In fact, Carrie is competent to support herself because her talent of acting. Only until Carrie loses the help of men, does she earn money and status by herself. The second disillusionment results from her excessive dependency on
An Analysis of Carrie in Theodore Dreiser’ Sister Carrie
Ⅰ. Introduction
Sister Carrie is written by Theodore Dreiser. For me, the most important subject of this novel is Carrie’s American Dream. Thus, this paper aims at analyzing the
Sister Carrie tells the story about Carrie, who leaves her poor family from Colombia City and after experiencing the life as two men’s mistress in Chicago and New York, becomes an actress at the end. Though attacked as immoral by the public in its time, it is “considered as the best and most representative novel of Dreiser’s” (Stegner vii).
Ⅱ. The Pursuit of Carrie’s American Dream
A. The introduction of The American Dream
The American Dream is the typical cultural …show more content…
Thus, the character of dissatisfaction indicated that Carrie would go through several disillusionments in the process of pursuing wealth and high social status. Carrie always strongly holds the view that she can get a much better life in the big city and there must be a lot of chances to earn a great amount of money. All the things seem simple from the perspective of naïve Carrie. On the way to Chicago, Carrie’s mind is filled with the prosperous parties, lights, dinners and theatres. However, the reality is cruel, her sister’s living condition and the one after another frustration from the interview disappoint her. The experience that she finally works in a shoe factory but is fired because of her sick absence also makes her depressed. All these things let her suffers the first disillusionment in the process of …show more content…
She doesn’t need to work by herself but can buy whatever she likes. She can live as other rich girls in this city, such as wearing beautiful dresses and having dinner in a luxuriant restaurant. In order to get much better life, Carrie leaves Drouet to the arm of Hurstwood. From then on, she sinks deeper and deeper. Finally, when Hurstwood gets bankrupt, Carrie thoroughly loses her final support. At that time, she has to find job to buy bread and milk. In fact, Carrie is competent to support herself because her talent of acting. Only until Carrie loses the help of men, does she earn money and status by herself. The second disillusionment results from her excessive dependency on