Published 01-05-2025
Keywords
- Sister Carrie, Theodore Dreiser, American naturalism, Carrie Meeber, George Hurstwood, urbanization, determinism, symbolism, environmental influence, literary realism.
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How to Cite
Abstract
This article explores the naturalistic elements in Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie, focusing on the main characters and the symbolic imagery used to reflect the interplay between individual desires and societal forces. Through the character of Carrie Meeber and her journey from rural obscurity to urban prominence, Dreiser illustrates the principles of naturalism particularly environmental determinism, social pressure, and innate human drives. The analysis also considers the downfall of George Hurstwood as a complementary narrative showcasing the destructive impact of societal expectations and internal conflict. Furthermore, symbolic representations such as the cityscape and theatrical imagery are examined for their role in emphasizing the themes of moral ambiguity and the illusions of material success. The study underscores how Sister Carrie critiques the rigid class structures and moral codes of late 19th-century America, presenting a vivid portrayal of human struggle within the naturalistic literary tradition.
References
- Dreiser, Theodore. Sister Carrie. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co., 1900.
- Becker, George J. Realism in Modern Literature. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1963.
- Zola, Emile. The Experimental Novel. Paris: Charpentier, 1880.
- Pizer, Donald. Twentieth-Century Naturalism. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1982.
- Watt, Ian. The Rise of the Novel. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1957.
- Linda Wagner-Martin, “Naturalism in Sister Carrie,” American Literature.Michael Davitt Bell, The Problem of American Realism: Studies in the Cultural History of a Literary Idea.