Analysis of Sister Carrie’s character嘉莉妹妹性格分析

Analysis of Sister CarrieAbstract: The purpose of this thesis is to prove that a person’s nature is influenced by his living environment through analyzing the changing of the leading role ofSister Carrie.Keywords: Sister Carrie literature desire changeSister Carrie, written by Theodore Dreiser, was his first novel. Dreiser was one of the principal American exponents of literary Naturalism. A critics once said, "No other author has withstood so much vehemently negative criticism and retained such a high status."1 As his first novel, Sister Carrie faced the same situation. Because the readers are shocked by the heroine, a "fallen woman", Sister Carrie got poor sales. Several years later, Sister Carrie was received favorably in England, and was reissued in the United States. Someone said, "Sister Carrie was unique in American fiction, departing sharply from the gentility and timidity of Howellsian realism."2 Certainly, Sister Carrie gets a very important position in American Literary history. Carrie, the heroine of the novel, has the most ideas and emotion of the author. Therefore, we can know what's the thesis of the novel through analyzing the leading role--Carrie. I think that a person's nature is influenced by his living environment and people’s requirement towards life is limitless.First of all, to analyze a person must follow some order. This order must be obvious and easy to understand. In this article, I analyze this character through different locations of the actions that happened in this novel because of three reasons.First, changing location changes a person obviously. This is an objective law. After moving to a new place, one faces new environment including new friends, new traditions, new customs, etc. A person is influenced easily by these elements. In ancient China, Meng Zi's mother moved their home to other places three times for her child, Meng Zi. Because she knew that bad environment did harm to Meng Zi's study. This story can be a good evidence to prove this theory. Time can change a person's appearance but it cannot change a person's inside. But the changing of the location can easily change a person's inside such as appearance, behavior, tastes and so on.Second, the author really wants to prove that a person's psychological desire changes with environmental changing. From immature to mature, Carrie Meeber makes some decisions. These decisions all have connections with the place where she lives in. For example, Carrie decides to live with Drouet because of her sister’s poor home and the prosperous Chicago. Another example is that she feels unsatisfied with Hurstwood because she can not bear the gap between their small apartment and the wonderful New York. The new environment spurs her on new desire and deserts her present life.Third, in this novel, the leading characters' outside and inside changed obviously when they lived in the different cities. For example, Carrie's second lover, Hurstwood,becomes a beggar in New York. He was a successful manager of a reputable saloon, but when he lives in New York, an unfamiliar city to him, he lost his charming, courage and vigor. From being somebody to being nobody, he cannot get used to his new life. He gives up his efforts and starts to read newspaper everyday. Finally, he kills himself at a snowing night. We cannot say that his changing is caused by the change of the place. However, we can see that the change of the location is a very important reason for that.Another reason is that the author also has the same experiences. To some degree, some plots are reflections of his actual life. Author wants to show his life experience in his novel. From Dreiser's life introduction, we can see it clearly. Dreiser was born in a poor Indiana family. When he was young, he went to Chicago and sought his fortunes. Finally he arrived in New York, and his journey was almost the same to Carrie's. So the author wrote some of his actual life in his first novel.Through the changes of the location of action, we can see it clearly that Carrie changes herself and her nature was expressed during different terms. I think that the course of her changing should be divided into three parts--on the train, in Chicago and in New York.Someone might say that the plot on the train is not something important, but I think the first chapter is extremely important. It is the basic of the plots followed. The writer introduces his theme and plot through foreshadowing, and he sets carefularrangement of details and describes the first figure of the heroine.First, the first chapter shows an eighteen-year-old innocent young girl to us. "She looks forward to Chicago with mixed timidity and hope, ignorance and youngful expectancy."3 That is, a young inexperienced girl leaves her home in the country to go and try her luck in a large city. From some details of her talking and action, she shows her innocence and immaturity. She is young, inexperienced and even naive, poor, and frightened by the city. The conversation with Drouet expressed her vanity and mutability. Carrie expresses her keen interest in attractive clothing and the shame of her own clothing. Drouet flatters Carrie by saying that she resembles a popular actress. She was fascinated by his elegant appearance. Carrie does not realize that the man who approaches her does not act out of kindness but simply because he is moved by "an insatiable love of variable pleasure"4.Second, the conversation between Carrie and Drouet gives her the first impression of a big city. It's the beginning of the uncovering of her nature. His clothing, talking and taste are what she has never met. He gives her the first impression of a big city before she arrives in Chicago. She admires Drouet's appearance which looks very popular and she accepts his bold overtures, like the author says,"When a girl leaves her home at eighteen, she does one of two things. Either she falls into saving hands and becomes better, or she rapidly assumes the cosmopolitan standard of virtue and becomes worse."5This is a beginning, a beginning of changing. In this chapter, the author givesCarrie all the characteristics of a young, inexperienced country girl, Drouet all those of the enterprising young man of the world.When Carrie lives in Chicago, her nature leads her to the ladder to the upper class. Her life is changing through her decisions towards the opportunities.Firstly, after departing with Drouet, Carrie Meeber follows her sister to the flat where her sister lives with her husband and baby. Watching her sister's family and perceiving the poorness of the apartment, she feels the drag of a lean and narrow life which consists mainly of hard work. Carrie's experience of job-hunting and hardworking makes her sad and tired. As a shy country girl, at first she does not dare enter buildings to enquire. When at last she gathers enough courage and applies for work, she fails. But eventually she does manage to find work at the end of this long and exhausting day and returns to her sister's flat with uplifted spirits. But the kind of the work she has found is mechanical, repetitive, and because of the lack of even minimal comfort on the premises, exhausting. Carrie nearly cannot bear the hardworking as well as the chatting between the other girls and the young men in her factory. Now, Carrie is starting at the very bottom of the ladder, but at least she is off to some sort of a start. We can see from Carrie's working process that she is remarkably ambitious, that she has a feeling of superiority for she feels sure "that she did not want to make friends with any of these [people]"; "she felt as though she should be better served"6. This can explain her living with Drouet for pursuing better living conditions in the following days.Secondly, Carrie does not appreciate her sister's life style. She thinks that her sister is very industrious while she does not appreciate that. Her sister and her sister's husband are the same kind of people. Their family life is full of plans and ties and they get used to the poor living conditions. However, Carrie, a young girl, likes popular things. She thinks they are too dull, too dreary, and they lack the magic and fate which she is searching for.Thirdly, prosperous big city and abundant materials simulated her vanity. Carrie can't resist the temptation of the clothing and the jewelries placed in stores. All above builds a foreshadowing that Carrie will leave this apartment to quest her life.To live with Drouet leads her to the first step towards the better life. Since she cannot go to work and pay for the rent because of her illness, she is very depressed. Drouet appears and helps her. He takes her to dinner, agrees with her that she deserves a better lot, and "loans" her some money.Her acceptance of the 20 dollars is a turn of her life which her nature requests. She lives with her sister and must pay for two and a half dollars for renting. Since she can't get any income because of her illness, she needs the money so that she could stay at Chicago. She doesn't want to go back, but she has her self-esteem, so she refuses the money at first. She feels ashamed that she has been weak enough to take his money. This emotion shows that she is still a pure, innocent girl. Dreiser opens Chapter 7 with a justification of the power of money which betrays his uneasiness about it:When each individual realizes for himself that [money] primarily stands for and should only be accepted as a moral due-that it should be paid out as honestly stored energy, and not as a usurped privilege-many of our social, religious, and political troubles will have permanently passed.7Carrie does not seem to be troubled by the morality of the capitalist system so long as she does not have to suffer from it: "Ah, money, money, money!" she thinks, "what a thing it was to have. How plenty of it would clear away all these troubles".8 She is lured by Drouet because he has money, and he is attracted to her because she is a pretty girl who needs protection. He talks to her into buying new clothes, renting a room in town, and leaving her sister's apartment. At this time, she thinks Drouet is kind and intends no evil. For her needs are so desperate, she is glad to have "two soft, green, handsome ten-dollar bills." The 20 dollars leads her heart much closer to Drouet and apart from her sister. This is the first time for a girl from the countryside to have so much money. Her vanity is simulated though she does not use that money to buy anything.Since Carrie thinks Drouet can be relied on and she couldn't bear the atmosphere in her sister's apartment, she has the last dinner with her sister's family and leaves there in a streetcar with Drouet. To go with Drouet is a mark that Carrie's nature demands her to cast off her present life and to pick a new way to satisfy herself. Facing Drouet, Carrie feels that she is something, not the poor manufacture worker. This satisfies her vanity greatly.In Drouet's presence, Carrie feels thoroughly at ease and sees the world clearly. Through Drouet the world shows more of its possibilities and kind. It is Drouet whoshows Carrie the step to the upper class. We can analyze this in three aspects.Firstly, living in the new environment which provided by Drouet, Carrie becomes much more beautiful and attractive. Since she becomes Drouet's kept girl, she does not work-and hardly thinks of doing so any more-and he pays her expenses. She is a good imitator of worldly manners and attitudes. She assumes the airs of a lady gradually, as the novel tells, "She became a girl of considerable taste".9 Secondly, she meets Hurstwood through Drouet. Hurstwood has fallen under Carrie's charm: "She was pretty, graceful, rich in the timidity born of uncertainty, and with something child-like in her large eyes which captured the fancy of this starched and conventional poser men."10 On the other hand, for Carrie, "When Hurstwood called, she met a man who was more clever than Drouet in a hundred ways",11she senses that Hurstwood is the superior man, and this man can give her better chances to further her ambitions, so when Hurstwood tells her that he loves her, she allows him to kiss her. She is ambitious and furthers her own ends rather unscrupulously.Thirdly, Drouet gives her first experience on the stage. This simulates her another aspect of her nature. Through Drouet she gets a part as the leading actress in an amateur performance of Daly's Under the Gaslight. This, after a disastrous beginning, proves to be quite a success. Carrie is excited about this. She has gifts to be an actress. She is good at learning and imitating. This is a foreshadowing of her future-Miss Carrie Madenda, a famous actress. She realizes that to be an actor will satisfy her vanity in another way. So this is always her hope through all her life.Falling in love with Carrie Meeber, Hurstwood's married life now takes a turn for the worse. He makes several mistakes which give his wife good grounds to suspect that he has a lover. She sues him for divorce, which threatens to ruin him as all his wealth is under her name. Then he steals the money in the safe although he doesn't intend to. He deceives Carrie and persuades her to get on the train. He has Carrie but he has almost lost all his property--his family, his job and his fortune.Hurstwood and Carrie move to New York. Carrie finally realizes her dream and her nature is satisfied by her success there.After they move to New York, Hurstwood rents an apartment. This small apartment is a peaceful place for Carrie, in fact, it limits her nature opened in Chicago. Carrie's nature uncovers gradually and she is ambitious and furthers her own ends rather unscrupulously.First, New York, which is full of "wealth, place and fame", gives Carrie a deep impression. Everywhere is fashion and popular to Carrie. But to Hurstwood, in New York, he is nothing and has no friends, no job and little money. He finds work as a manager of a saloon but he has little money left. "It was no gathering or lounging place. Whole days and weeks passed without one such hearty greeting as he had been wont to enjoy every day in Chicago".12 The money he earns can only allow them to subsist. The free-wheeling and free-spending Hurstwood of Chicago has been reduced to a rather pitiful penny-pinching individual. This is not a good thing to Hurstwood, but to Carrie, this situation is even worse. Carrie senses the change in Hurstwood of course. Shefinds him nervous and secretive. She can clearly feel that life in New York is not so comfortable as that in Chicago. This contrast makes her feel more uncomfortable but she doesn't think that she is limited by Hurstwood because she is always passive and receptive.Second, in the year of their living in New York, Carrie meets and knows a young woman--Mrs. Vance, their neighbor. She is a striking woman who makes Carrie realize that she would like to be treated as well as she is. She begins to be dissatisfied with the current state of affairs.Mrs. Vance takes her to a matinee party and opens her eyes. She notices that her new neighbor is much better dressed than she is. "It cut her to the quick, and she resolved that she could not come here again until she looks better."13 Carrie feels that she is insulted by the beautiful and expensive clothes. Her vanity makes her sad and has a huge desire of owning all that she admires--clothes, perfumes, mansions, carriages. She is really disappointed because of Hurstwood's income and his limitation.With new friends, Carrie takes to going to the theater and eating in very expensive restaurants, but Hurstwood is not interested in and could not afford anymore. Carrie begins to think other men wiser than Hurstwood. She thinks that this man isn’t reliable and Hurstwood is much duller in her eyes. Her desire of entering the upper class becomes stronger.After she goes to the theatre, she thinks again of trying to become an actress. It is clear that her independence starts to grow up, and she is never happy with what she has. Carrie always wants more and more and she will do anything to obtain what shewants. However, since Hurstwood's income can allow them subsist and Carrie is always passive and receptive, she is under the controlling of Hurstwood and feels dissatisfied every day.Hurstwood begins to grow old physically and mentally. The business which he invested is going to break. The future looks bleak for him. They have to move out of the house to a smaller flat. Carrie becomes restless and dissatisfied. At this time, she begins to feel that living with Hurstwood is a mistake. To some degree, Hurstwood's failure on business gives Carrie a chance to liberate her life. I'll analyze this in three aspects.Firstly, after Hurstwood loses his job, he starts looking for another job, but he failed. His job-hunting experience is unpleasant and demeaning. He now begins each day with disgust, depression, shamefacedness. He also loses his heart and sits in hotel Cobbies instead of looking for work. He looks haggard about the eyes and quite old. Carrie notices this, and it does not appeal to her. At this moment, we can say that she has little with him. In this condition, Carrie finds a job as an actress. Their roles have been reversed and she is the one who earns their living now. Present time is far different from the past time. Carrie grasps the money and her independence expands. She can buy her new clothes. On one hand, this situation satisfies her vanity and natural request; on the other hand, it expands her nature's requests and vanity. Earning money by herself brings another problem. That is, Carrie begins to think that "It isn't right that I should support him".14 From here we can see that Carrie doesn't really lovesHurstwood, she is just pursuing a better living condition. Their relationship between Hurstwood and Carrie has reached a very low point. "So changed was her state that the home atmosphere became intolerable. It was all poverty and trouble there."15From Carrie's more and more dissatisfaction caused by her expanding vanity and desire of materials day by day we can see her nature clearly now. She can be indifferent to her lover's degrading and plans to come back home late to miss dinner with Hurstwood. Her nature leads her to stay away far from this burden.Secondly, as Hurstwood always fails in his attempt to find a job, Carrie gets a promotion and a rise in salary. Because of this and Hurstwood's increasing despondency, she makes up her mind to leave him. She is aware of that "There was something cruel somewhere"16 but she still goes away. She only leaves some fortune to him. What she does is somewhat heartless, even cruel, but since she doesn't really love him, she just follows the direction made by her nature, her ambition. In Chicago, she goes with Drouet for casting off the hard-working days and poor living conditions. After that, she deserts Drouet and agrees to stay with Hurstwood because she thought that Hurstwood would bring her a better life. Now she realizes that she can only rely on herself and she doesn't want to have any burden. So she makes the decision and finishes it quickly and mercilessly. Hurstwood's behavior and hers form a sharp contrast. When Hurstwood reads about Carrie in the newspaper in a third-rate hotel, he says "well, let her have it, I won't bother her."17This sharp contrast only shows that Hurstwood loves Carrie while Carrie just likes him or we can say that Carrie just likes his social position. For Carrie, she is always pursing the better life and she climbs tothe upper class step by step. She just wants to stay in the big city and live a comfortable life. Her moving out from the small flat symbolizes that she decides to cast off her former life and quest a new and beautiful life alone.Thirdly, Carrie's great success in her show brings her more money and her request of nature is simulated and becomes limitless. Since she succeeds in her job, Carrie now has a comfortable dressing room and gets an offer from one of the best hotels on Broadway to occupy one of its suites. She also receives a lot of love letters and marriage proposals. But Carrie remains level-headed: "She smiled to think that men should suddenly find get so much more attractive. In the least way it incited her to coolness and indifference".18She realizes that money does not create real friendship or eliminate loneliness. But for Carrie, she seems never to have enough.Her success satisfies her nature and vanity with abundant money and materials but she is empty. The novel closes with Carrie; she is rich successful, adulated. "Applause there was, and publicity…and yet she was lonely",19 longing for a happiness she will never find in wealth or popularity. Although Carrie lives a luxurious life and lives at the Waldorf, one of New York's most prestigious hotels, she can red Balzac's Pere Goriot, she cannot understand what the real happiness is. On the point of view, the rocking-chair is one of those concrete things. At the very end of the novel, the rocking-chair is connected directly with Carrie's brooding and pensive moods, with her realization that success, applause, and money do not necessarily bring happiness: "She was lonely. In her rocking-chair she sat…singing and dreaming".20 "In your rocking-chair,by your window dreaming, shall you long, alone. In your rocking-chair, by your window, shall you dream such happiness as you may never feel".21 These words expresses the empty and loneliness in Carrie's heart. She is very successful but she has no true love. Through Drouet and Hurstwood, she has the chance to be successful. Now what she lacks is the spiritual life. She envies Ames but she can never understand him. She always seeks the materials and that's why she feels empty now.Conclusion:First, it's Carrie's nature that leads her to success step by step. On the train, she is attracted by Drouet's dressing. At that time, Carrie is young, inexperienced and naive, and she leaves her home in the country and only wants to try her luck in the big city. In Chicago, she goes with Drouet for casting off the hard-working days and poor living conditions. That's because she knows for sure that she wants to stay in Chicago and she longs for a comfortable life. When she meets Hurstwood, she begins to see Drouet's weak points and to compare him with Hurstwood, and she can clearly define that Hurstwood is superior to Drouet. Her nature which is full of ambition makes her to accept Hurstwood's love for improving her living condition. So she deserts Drouet and agrees to stay with Hurstwood with the thoughts that Hurstwood would bring her a better life. In New York, as Hurstwood always fails to find a job, Carrie realizes that she can only relies on herself and she finds a job by herself. Because of Carrie's nature which is always longing for money and Hurstwood's increasing despondency, Carrieleaves Hurstwood and becomes more and more successful in her career. All through these actions, we can see her nature which is expressed through her vanity which makes her full of ambition. Her ambition has a direction that she should have a happy life. But because of her innocence that she thinks beautiful dressing means happiness, she never gets real happy life even when she is rich in fortune.Second, on the whole, Carrie is rather passive and receptive. Carrie is not a woman of calculation but of instinct who constantly wants to push on towards something better. Initially she wants things which she does not have and she improves her material condition gradually, step by step, first with Drouet, then with Hurstwood, finally through her career as an actress. When she has everything, she is bored. Carrie is not aggressive, even not very calculating. She does not create opportunities for herself, she is drawn into them as they present themselves. She is quick to seize a new opportunity, but on the whole, she is rather passive and receptive.Third, we can see people's requirement towards life is limitless. In this novel, every step of Carrie is to pursue a higher standard life, she is longing for materials. At the end of the story, she is rich in her career, but she still feels lonely. She needs spiritual comfort. She has to persist in seeking the happiness. So in all, people's requirement towards life is limitless.Notes1Dennis Poupard, Twentieth-century Literary Criticism; vol. 10 (Gale Research Company, 1983), P.492 Dennis Poupard, Twentieth-century Literary Criticism; vol. 10 (Gale Research Company, 1983), P.493 Frederick J. Balling, M.A., Cliffs Notes on Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (U.S.A.: Lincoln, Nebraska, 1967), P.184 Professor A.N. Jeffares & Professor Suheil Bushrui, the Licensed Edition of York Notes: Sister Carrie (Beijing: World Publishing Corporation, 1992), P.175 Frederick J. Balling, M.A., Cliffs Notes on Dreiser’s Sister Carrie (U.S.A.: Lincoln, Nebraska, 1967), P.206 Professor A.N. Jeffares & Professor Suheil Bushrui, the Licensed Edition of York Notes: Sister Carrie (Beijing: World Publishing Corporation, 1992), P.187 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie (Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.638 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie (Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.679 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie(Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.10310 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie(Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.10311 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie (Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.9412 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie(Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.27713 Professor A.N. Jeffares & Professor Suheil Bushrui, the Licensed Edition of York Notes: Sister Carrie (Beijing: World Publishing Corporation, 1992), P.3014 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie(Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.36915 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie(Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.37216 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie(Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.40217 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie(Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.41318 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie(Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.42019 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie(Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.46220 Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie(Now York: the New American Library, 1907), P.46221 Professor A.N. Jeffares & Professor Suheil Bushrui, the Licensed Edition of York Notes: Sister Carrie (Beijing: World Publishing Corporation, 1992), P.16BibliographyMATTHIESEN, F.O. Theodore Dreiser. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1996McALEER, JOHN J. Theodore Dreiser. An Introduction and Interpretation.New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1968MENCKEN, H.L. “Sister Carrie’s History”. New York Evening Mail, August 4, 1917SHAPIRO, CHARLES: Theodore Dreiser: Our Bitter Patriot. London: Southern Illinois University Press, 1969WARREN, ROBERT PENN: Homage to Theodore Dreiser. New York: Random House, 1971。

嘉莉妹妹英文读后感《Sister Carrie》is a remarkable novel that delves deep into the themes of ambition, desire, and the pursuit of the American Dream Set in the late 19th century, it follows the journey of Carrie Meeber, a young woman from a small town who moves to the big city of Chicago in search of a better lifeCarrie's character is complex and relatable She starts off as an innocent and naïve girl, filled with dreams of success and luxury Her initial struggles in Chicago, where she faces poverty and exploitation, are heartwrenching However, her determination to improve her circumstances drives her forwardThe author, Theodore Dreiser, does an excellent job of depicting the harsh realities of urban life during that time The city is portrayed as a place of both opportunity and deception, where the line between morality and immorality often blurs Carrie's encounters with various characters, such as the smoothtalking Drouet and the powerful Hurstwood, shape her perspective and decisionsOne of the most striking aspects of the novel is its exploration of the role of money and material possessions in shaping people's lives Carrie's longing for nice clothes, comfortable living, and social status leads her down a path that is not always morally upright This raises important questions about the true meaning of happiness and fulfillmentAnother interesting theme is the concept of social climbing Carrie's ascent in society is not only due to her own efforts but also a result of theopportunities presented to her by the men she meets This highlights the influence of external factors and the power dynamics at play in a capitalist societyThe novel also sheds light on the double standards faced by women Carrie is judged harshly for her actions, while the men around her often get away with similar or worse behavior This aspect adds a layer of feminist critique to the storyThe writing style of Dreiser is detailed and descriptive, which brings the settings and characters to life The descriptions of Chicago's streets, factories, and theaters make the reader feel as if they are right there in the midst of the hustle and bustleOverall, ＂Sister Carrie" is a thoughtprovoking and powerful novel that forces us to reflect on our own desires, choices, and the society we live in It shows that the pursuit of the American Dream is not always as straightforward as it seems and that success often comes at a price The story of Carrie is a cautionary tale about the dangers of getting lost in the pursuit of material wealth and social status It reminds us that true happiness and fulfillment may lie in more profound aspects of life such as relationships, personal growth, and a sense of purposeIn conclusion, ＂Sister Carrie" is a classic that remains relevant to this day Its themes of ambition, morality, and social inequality continue to resonate with readers, making it a mustread for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of human nature and the American society Ithas left a lasting impression on me and has made me think more deeply about the values and goals that we strive for in our own lives。

关于英美文学论文开题报告范文篇一论文题目：The Destiny of Sister Carrie-An Analysis of “New Female Image” in Sister Carrie(嘉莉妹妹的命运-浅析《嘉莉妹妹》中的新女性形象)一、选题动机、可行性分析、意义、重点和创新点：1选题动机：对作者的作品比较感兴趣，而且嘉莉妹妹比较贴近现实生活。

在现今社会中有很多女性的生活与嘉莉很相近，可以引起共鸣。

I am very interested in the author’s writing themes. And Sister Carrie relatively close to real life. In today's society there are many women in the life and Carrie very close, can resonate.2可行性分析：(1)选题意义：反映现今社会的诸多问题，以启示人们树立正确的人生观和价值观。

<嘉莉妹妹>是西奥多•德莱塞的杰出代表作,该小说勾勒了人类历史发展进程中消费主义和自然主义所展示的一幅精彩画面,真实地再现了20世纪初的美国大都市生活。

Reflect the many problems of modern society, is a lesson people establish a correct outlook on life and values.(2)选题重点：对嘉莉这个主要人物的性格以及影响她的外界环境因素的分析。

The main characters of the character of Carrie and her impact on the analysis of environmental factors(3)选题创新点：从侧面反映现实生活From the side of the situation reflects real life二、本选题国内外研究现状There are not so much articles which talk about the Sister Carrie国内外研究此课题的文章并不多见, 在美国文学史上,嘉莉妹妹一直是颇具争议的人物形象.三、毕业论文研究基础及研究方法：(1)研究基础：I have read the novel before and I am very interested in the themethe novel involves ,together with we learned the novel not long before. Afterthe teacher analysizes it for us carefully, I have a further understandingto it.我以前就读过这本小说的中文版本，看完之后我对里面涉及的主题很感兴趣。

A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF SISITER CARRIE《嘉莉妹妹》解读June, 2007Xiaogan UniversityAbstractSister Carrie tells the story of a small country girl Carrie who moves to Chicago to realize her “American Dream”and eventually becomes a Broadway star in New York. Despite living a luxurious life, she is lost in sprit. Reading the novel, we may easily notice Carrie’different needs and desires arising gradually and also the betrayal of traditional moral code in the process of pursuing material gain. The paper analyzes the reasons why Carrie has various needs at different stages of life, mainly based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. One is Carrie’s inner desires; the other is the outside force, including temptations of environment, cities, etc. The interaction between them makes Carrie lose herself eventually. It seems to tell people that in modern society material supplies more and more abundantly, but we should never pursue it blindly and much importance should be attached to happiness and stability created by spirit. It is essential to ponder the significance and the value of life.Key words: Sister Carrie; desire; lost; hierarchy of needs从马斯洛层次需要理论重新解读《嘉莉妹妹》摘要《嘉莉妹妹》讲述一位农村女孩嘉莉不甘贫穷来到芝加哥实现自己的“美国梦”，最终成为纽约百老汇一位著名的演员，享受奢华的物质却陷入精神迷失的故事。

《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉的人物性格分析An Analysis of Carrie's Character inSister CarrieAbstract: This thesis will make a brief interpretation to social criticism of Theodore Dreiser's first masterpiece Sister Carrie. It tells a story of a girl, Carrie,who was reduced from an innocent city immigrant to a commodity, andfinally to an actress by the city environment which was permeated with anatmosphere of ceaseless commercialization. Until now, Sister Carrie isstill controversial book. And the thesis will mainly analyse Carrie'scharacter, external and internal factors affecting her and the growth of herindependent consciousness. According to those analyses, we know thisbook is still a wake-up call and its significance of social criticism doesn'tdetract at all with time gone. It is worthwhile to read again.Key words: Carrie; analysis of character; social criticism摘要：这篇论文将对西奥多·德莱塞的第一部代表作《嘉莉妹妹》的社会批判意义做一简要阐述。

AnalysisofSisterCarrie’scharacter嘉莉妹妹性格分析Analysis of Sister Carrie’s character“Sister Carrie” is the first novel of famous American novelist Theodore Dreiser in the 19th century. It is also a remarkable naturalist one of his works. Carrie is the major character of this book. The story took place in the United States in the late 19th century, when the emerging industrial and commercial city were rising. There was a large number of rural population pouring into the city. Carrie, an eighteen years old, smart and simple girl, in order to get rid of poverty, she took on a train to Chicago with only four dollars. However, the reality broke her dream. She became the mistress of the salesman. Then she met a hotel manager, Hurstwood, who was attracted to Carrie’s simplicity and beauty. Later he stole the money from the hotel, and deceived Carrie to make her elope with him to New York. In New York, Hurstwood lost the money, and he couldn’t find a job because of steal. Carrie had to find a job as an actress to earn their livings, then she became a famous actress and squeezed into the upper class. She abandoned Hurstwood and pushed him unconsciously to despair and death. Although she owned the fame, she felt very lonely.In my opinion, Carrie is an innocent, simple, hard-working and romantic girl. Also she is realistic, enterprising but vainglorious.First, her simplicity and naivete. She is easy to be moved by man’s complaisance. On the train to Chi cago she met Drouet, and when she got off the train, Drouet offered to help her take the package. She said,”very kind of you.” and felt that it was very lucky to get care in strange place. Carrie didn’t knowDrouet was a person who liked to be adored by women and make them happy. When Carrie couldn’t find job after an illness, she met Drouet again. He invited Carrie to dinner and gave her 20 dollars to buy clothes. Carrie felt ashamed and refused him, but she accepted at last under the lure of money. Then she thought Drouet was a generous and good person, but she didn’t know he was only a man who took the pursuit ofwomen for fun. (洪艺帆)Second, she is diligent and enterprising.Carrie’s diligence is shown principally in her work. When she first arrived in Chicago and the next day, she went out to find a job. For running all day, she finally found a job that pays four point five dollars a week in a shoes factory. Though it was low-paid, long working hours, and poor working conditions, she endured that. After she became the mistress of Drouet, who belongs to the Masonic, Carrie tried to improve herself in taste. And at that time, the Masonic was performing a fund-raising play. In order to act the heroine, Carrie practiced at home every day. She knew that if she wanted to success, she had to hardworking and finally she performed this role successfully.Hurstwood lured Carrie to New York and they lived together. Carrie first was a housewife, but when Hurstwood was unemployment and stayed at home, she had to go out to look for a job to change the situation which was getting embarrassing. Then she worked in a choir as a humble chorus actor. But she never gave up hope and made great effort in living a better life, she eventually became more and more popular. Without her diligence and gumption, Carrie could not get success at last.Third, she is romantic and practical. Her romance reflected in her fantasy of life and emotion, she imagined that she willeventually be paid off and her hardworking will not be wasted. When she got her first job, she fantasied that a happy life is waiting for her. But her fantasy soon shattered, she lost her job.The romance is also reflected in her emotional fantasies, her first fantasy is that she and Drouet would get married, and later fantasy is that Hurstwood and she would be happy together, but both of them are shattered. After she became famous, she still was not happy. So she gradually became practical. When Hurstwood was unemployed, she lefthim and tried to find her position. She is romantic because she does not understand that social competition is brutal, sinister; she is practical because she learned that only by working hard can she live a wanted life.（惠宝琴）Fourth, Carrie is a Woman with strong vanity and desire for material, which contributed to her make succeeds in the future. Her heart is filled with the desire of wear and beauty. When she went to the department store to look for a job, Carrie was always attracted by trinkets, jewelry and so on. She wanted to wear all the jewelry on her body and desire to have them all. At the same time, she was eager to dress beautiful to show off her in here. “What a happy thing it is”! And it displayed her pursuit of fame and fortune. However, It is precisely that this vanity makes her not satisfied with her present situation, which made her out of the circle of her own lives and, ultimately, she met with success and got the fame and gain what she wanted.Fifth, Carrie's independence is not her willing，but is forced out. She came to Chicago to live with her brother-in-law and sister’s home and had to look for a job by herself. But when she got a job, she must pay for meals to her sister. But she was not welcomed by the families after she was unemployment, theysuggest her to return home. And then at that Carrie she fall in love with Drouet, but after a short while she breaking up and to find a job again. Later she was lured to New York by Hurstwood, Carrie not satisfied the present situation and she make great effort to find jobs, after failing many times and tried several,she finally became the main star of the Broadway.From the above analysis, we know that Carrie is an innocent single, Pure, hard-working, romantic and realistic, carefully compare good but vanity compared with the strong independent women. After reading the work, I tastethe author has two intention. On the one hand, I understand the author in order to praise the men who are similar to Carrie that making a wonderful achievement in a highly competitive society through effort. On the other hand, the author want to reflect the social reality. Though the live of Carrie, it is reflect the social scene and the status situation from the side. （苗悦）。

本科毕业论文题目浅析《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉的人物形象学院文学与新闻传播学院专业汉语言文学年级2011 级学号**********姓名汪琴红指导教师陈永兰成绩年月日目录摘要 (1)关键词 (1)Abstract (1)Key Words (1)一、嘉莉的美好形象 (2)（一）美丽单纯 (2)（二）热情而富于青春幻想 (4)（三）努力实现自我 (5)二、嘉莉性格的弊端 (7)（一）贪图物质享乐，爱慕虚荣 (7)（二）道德观念上的模糊与匮乏 (8)（三）观察能力与分析能力尚不成熟 (9)结语 ................................................................................................错误!未定义书签。

注释 . (11)参考文献 (12)浅析《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉的人物形象摘要：在德莱塞的长篇小说《嘉莉妹妹》中，女主人公嘉莉表现出了独特的性格特征：一方面她美丽单纯、热情而富于青春幻想，努力实现自我；另一面她贪图物质享乐、爱慕虚荣，观察能力与分析能力尚不成熟，在道德观念方面的匮乏与模糊的性格缺陷也展露无疑。

她身上显现出一个人真正应有的优缺点，展现出了新一代女性的形象。

本文就上述几方面对嘉莉身上所展现的人格魅力进行进一步分析。

关键词：《嘉莉妹妹》正面形象反面形象意识的觉醒Abstract：In Dreiser's novel "Sister Carrie", the heroine Carrie showed a unique character: on theone hand, her beautiful and pure, warm and full of youthful fantasies, and strive to realize the self; the other side she covet material enjoyment, vanity, ability and observation and analysis ability is not mature, the lack of moral concept and fuzzy character defects also showed no doubt. Her show a person really should have advantages and disadvantages, showing a new generation of female image. This paper further analyzes the above several aspects of the show on the Jail Li body charm of personality.Key Words：Conservatism, Sister Carrie, positive image, negative image, The awakening of consciousness故事发生在19世纪末的美国，当时新兴工商业城市相继崛起，大批的乡村人口涌进城市。

An Analysis of the Personalities of Sister Carriein Sister Carrie《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉的性格分析摘要《嘉莉妹妹》是美国小说家西奥多·德莱塞的第一部长篇小说, 嘉莉妹妹是文中的主角，作品揭露出一位在现实社会生活中温柔，善良，美丽的社会乡村少女在资本主义社会环境中转变成为独立，自信，聪明，优雅，有内涵的新女性，刚开始嘉莉妹妹把自己的希望寄托在男性身上，结果自己遭受了两次欺骗，到后来她认识到只有通过自己的努力才能改变自己的命运。

最终她通过自己努力和才能登上百老汇红五星舞台，成为一名大都市独立的新型女性。

本文旨在通过对嘉莉妹妹的性格分析，使读者清楚地认识到成为一名新时代的独立的女性，不能把希望依赖于别人，只有通过自己的努力才可以实现自我的价值，并最终取得成功。

同时新时代的女性首先应该在经济上独立，从而获得人格上的独立，赢得别人的尊重，而嘉莉妹妹正是通过依靠自己才成为了一名经济独立，而又有自信和内涵的新女性。

关键词：嘉莉妹妹；性格分析；性格形成原因；作者写作目的AbstractSister Carrie is written by American Theodore Dreiser. Sister Carrie is leading role. In the works, Sister Carrie is described as a gentle, kind-hearted, beautiful, country girl, eventually; she turns into be a independent, confident, smart, elegant, new metropolis female. In the beginning, she puts her hope on male. Unfortunately she is deceived twice by men. In the end she appears on Broadway red throne through her hard efforts and becomes a new independent metropolis female.This article, aiming at the analysis of sister Carrie’s characters, introduces readers a new independent female who can’t rely hope on anybody only through her own efforts to achieve self-value and success. At first, a new female must obtain economical independence to gain personal independence, and win the respect of others. Owning to her efforts, Sister Carrie becomes a female with financial independence, confidence and inner beauty.Key Words: Sister Carrie; character analysis; cause of formation; the writer’s writing purposeContents摘要 (I)Abstract (II)1. Introduction (1)2. The Characters of Sister Carrie (1)2.1 Innocence and Simplicity (1)2.2 The Character of Sister Carrie after Her Coming into City (2)2.2.1 Her Diligence and Gumption (2)2.2.2 Her Romantism and Realism (3)2.2.3 Her Independence and Persistence (4)2.2.4 A Forceful Woman in Life (4)3. The Reasons of the Formation of Sister Carrie’s Later Personalities (5)3.1 Internal Causes (5)3.1.1 The Backgroud of Family (5)3.1.2 Rebellious Character (6)3.2 External Causes (6)3.2.1 The Background of Capitalism and Consumerism (6)3.2.2 The Influence of Individual Experience (7)4. Defects of Sister Carrie’s Personality (7)4.1 Her Vanity (7)4.2 The Lack of Rational Education (8)5. The Writer’s purpose (9)6. Conclusion (9)Bibliography (12)Acknowledgments (13)1. IntroductionSister Carrie is the first novel written by the American novelist Theodore Dreiser When the industrial and commercial cities have been rising, a large number of rural population have poured into the city. Carrie,eighteen years old, a smart and simple girl, in order to get rid of poverty, boards on a train to Chicago with only four U.S., hoping to have a better life. However, the harsh reality breaks her dream because of her unemployment and disease. In desperation, she becomes the mistress of the salesman Chas.H.Drouet, and then she comes across a hotel manager, G.W. Hurstwood who was attracted by her simple beauty. Hurstwood lures Carrie to New York, stealing the money of the hotel. In New York, because of Hurstwood’s deteriorating economy and unemployment, Carrie is forced to find job. Then she earns their living by hard work. Finally, owing to chance, she becomes a popular actress, squeezing into the high society and abandons poor Hurstwood. Carrie is famous for her persistence and effort. But she is not happy, even feels lonely.This paper is divided into six sections. The first chapter introduces the background of Sister Carrie. The second chapter reviews the characters of Sister Carrie. At first the personalities of Sister Carrie is analyzed in the rural areas, and then the characters of Sister Carrie is analyzed in the city. The third chapter analyses the reasons of Sister C arrie’s personality’s formation. The fourth chapter tells Sister C arrie’s defects of personality.The fifth chapter analyses the writer’s intention. In the last chapter the Sister C arrie’s characters are summarized.Duing to her complicated characteristic, a few questions need to be asked. What kind of person she is? What are the causing factors to the formation of her characters? What are defects in her personality and why does the author create such a character?2. The Characters of Sister Carrie2.1 Innocence and SimplicityIn the first place, she is a brave girl.“When Sister Carrie boarded the afternoontrain for Chicago, her total outfit consisted of a small trunk, a cheap imitation alligator-skin satchel, a small lunch in a paper box, and a yellow leather snap purse, containing her ticket, scrap of paper with her sister’ s address in Van Buren Street, and four dollars in money,”(Theodore Dreiser,1981:1-2)from the paragraph, we can see she is a courageous girl. When Sister Carrie goes out alone with little money, she is only eighteen years old. In the second place, she is easy to be moved by heterosexual complaisance and sweet words at the train for Chicago. She encounters Drouet on the train for Chicago and after getting off the train, Drouet asks for taking the package for Carrie, she says, “Very kind of you.” and feels that it is really lucky to get such a complaisant care in a strange land. Besides, at the train she gives a heterosexual stranger her address after they communicate with each other after a while without the vigilanceIn conclusion, it can be seen that Sister Carrie is brave, innocent and simple.2.2 The Character of Sister Carrie after Her Coming into city2.2.1 Her Diligence and GumptionCarrie’s diligences are found expression in the work. She goes out to find a job the next day she arrives in Chicago. For running all day, she finally finds a job in a shoes factory with a payment of five point four dollars every week. Though having to work long hours in a poor working condition with a low pay, long working hours, poor working conditions, she endures that. Later because she wears thin clothes, she gets a cold and loses her job. If she does not find a job, her sister wants to ask her to go home. But she does not give up living in Chicago; finally she becomes the mistress of Drouet. And at that time, the Masonic which Drouet belonged to is performing a “fund-raising Play”. At the meantime, the play lacks of heroine. Drouet asks Carrie to have a try, so Carrie replies to try. From that moment Carrie practices painstakingly at home every day and then it is a good choice to get rid of privation. So she knows that if she wants to succeed, she has to work hard and finally Carrie performs this role successfully. This experience lays a solid foundation for her to success in the Broadway. Hurstwood lures Carrie to New York and they lives together. Carrie is a housewife in her first time, before Hurstwood loses his job and stays at home. Theenvironment is getting increasingly embarrassment; Carrie has to go out to look for a job to do. Although she is only a humble chorus actor in a choir, then she does not give up hope and makes an effort, eventually she becomes more and more popular, enjoying a prosperous life. Without her hard work, Carrie could not have been successful at last. Her gumption is expressed in the way how she improves herself. In Chicago, Carrie learns the conversations and manners of the people in graded society.2.2.2 Her Romantism and RealismHer romance is reflected in her illusion. Her romantic fantasy is that she will eventually get back as long as she works hard. Only in this way her hard work will not be wasted. After she finds a even low-paid job, she imagines that she will be happy. Her fantasy is that she has a nice future than before—live a happy life waiting for her “For the next day Carrie indulge d in the most high-flows peculation. Her fancy plunged recklessly into privileges and amusements which would have been much more becoming had she been cradled a child of fortune. With ready will and quick mental selection she scattered her illusion four-fifty per week with a swift and graceful hand. Indeed, as she sat in her rocking-chair these several evenings before going to bed and looked out upon the pleasantly lighted street, this money cleared for its prospective possessor the way to every joy and every bauble which the heart of woman may desire. I will have a fine time, she thought”(Theodore Dreiser,1981:1-3). But her fantasy is soon shattered, and in this competitive metropolis, it is very difficult for one without any experience to find a work. Earning four point five dollars salary per week and working in poor condition are almost unbearable for her. Besides she also needs to pay her sister and brother-in-law for food. The rest of salary is not enough to offer her necessaries. Moreover her job is lost, because she is ill for three days. Her romance is also reflected in her emotional fantasies. Her first fantasy is that Chas.H.Drouet will marry her after she becomes his mistress. When she comes cross Mr.G.W.Hurstwood and lives together with him. Her second fancy is that she and Hurstwood will have an ideal combination. But the Drouet does not really want to marry her, and then the Hurstwood just avoids his wife’s outrage and rudeness to find a safe haven. Finally her emotional illusions have been shattered totally. Althoughachieving fame and fortune, she still is not happy, even Hurstwood has returned his original beauty and glory, he could not allure her. She knows that these material substances are not happiness in her own present state. Fame is not everything. She has twice been deceived by men, so that she no longer holds the magic about life and love. Her romance is because she does not understand that social competition is brutal, sinister. What’s more she does not get the people’s hearts. Her reality is because life hones church she no longer easily believes a man. Only by own efforts to live the life you want.2.2.3 Her Independence and PersistenceCarrie’s independence is not spontaneous, but is forced out. She comes to Chicago to stay with her sister and brother-in-law’s home and ha s to look for a job by herself, and then when she gets a job, she must pay the meals for her sister. After she is unemployed, she is not welcomed; they propose her to return home. At that time Carrie encounters Drouet when she is in distress, and she takes him as the last straw, which makes her abandon relations to go alone. And breaking up with Drouet, she has to find a job again. Later she is lured to New York by Hurstwood, Carrie cannot stand with poor life, and Hurstwood cannot find jobs. Their life has a problem, so she goes out again to look for a job, and tries several times. And finally she becomes a famous actress in the Broadway in a small chorus. Her persistence is embodied in searching jobs. In a prosperous city, she cannot find job after running all day. But she doesn't give up. At that time, she is only an eighteen years old. Although feeling shy and ashamed, she is full of courage to have a try. Finally, she obtains job through her efforts. In the end she becomes a famous actor and gets success through her persistence.2.2.4 A Forceful Woman in LifeCarrie dares to face the difficulties of life, and takes an optimistic attitude to face the difficulties. When she arrives in Chicago, in order to adapt to living in a flourishing city, she begins to change her mind. She does not only simply abandon the lifestyle of her mother’s generation, but also makes efforts to adapt to the new way of life in modern America. At first the initial stage of herself-fashioning, when Carrielives with her sister Minnie, she begins to focus on self-fashioning. She separates from her sister Minnie, because her sister is a traditional woman who is busy with household chores every day and seems to have lost herself, and the thought of tradition life is what Carrie wants to abandon, so Carrie would like to choose a new way of life. Carrie earns money to buy beautiful clothes for her and wants to go entertainment. She knows what kinds of life she wants. When living into the apartment with Drouet, Carrie starts to model herself in ideal. In addition to cultivate her, Carrie pays attention to the behavior and wants to be more elegant as well as more temperament. As a result, she becomes a quite charming girl. At the same time, she walks in graceful footsteps, not so heavy, she is beautiful and elegant. Eventually Mrs. Vance introduces her cousin Armstrong to Carrie; Armstrong’s thoughts have influence on Carrie about having a great degree, which makes her pursue the spiritual world from the initial simple material desires to the pursuit of art. That makes Carrie begin to realize that the pursuit of material comfort is not enough; the pursuit of spirit is the most important to her.3.The Reasons of t he Formation of Sister Carrie’s Later Personalities 3.1 Internal Causes3.1.1 The Backgroud of FamilyOrigin often leaves imprint in one’s personality or inner world. Carrie’s extreme thirst for material and her lack of rational are found a little clue in her early life in Colombia. She is afraid of returning home. Her sympathy for the poor and downtrodden people, as well as fear about the fate dating back to her father’s life mixed with complex feelings of pity and shame. Therefore, she has to be persistent in finding a job and offer fundamental life by herself. Walking in the streets of the city, she sees the clothes shabby girl and despair of those pale and shabbily dressed men; she will bit her lip with standing. Although the principle is often nagging around her ears, but it can’t save herself from her strong fear of being likely to suffer that fate. So she wants to make her every effort to achieve her goal. Carrie’s mind can’t defuse thetension of painful memories from the childhood which is most clearly seen in her relationship with men. Carrie measures their value directly whether they offer her food, shelter, clothing and pleasure within the capacity of the external factors, which is call of her nature. She continuously obtains material substances from men when she is missing something. Unfortunately she always suffers pain. Finally she reaches her dream by her efforts and independence.3.1.2 Rebellious CharacterLeaving a tearful mother, Carrie boards on train to a strange and complicated big city. We could feel tne courage of an 18 years old young girl and the heart of the rebel. With a taste prosperity of Chicago, she soon begins to resist common lifestyle of the brother-in-law. Then, just as leaving her hometown in Wisconsin, Carrie once again escapes from the residence of a brother-in-law, matting her relationship with a man’s privacy. This is the strongest hint of rebel, and also leaves a clue that she doesn’t only actualize herself, but also becomes new metropolis female.3.2 External Causes3.2.1 The Background of Capitalism and ConsumerismThe background of the novel is based on the economic condition in nineteenth century early USA dominated by agriculture. The transition from agricultural economy depending on family to capitalist economy relying on operating capitalism mainly is based on the development of industry in nineteenth century. Working out of the family is more and more prevalent. Meanwhile women at the nearest large cities search for work, which reflects an international trend. Women start to work out of the family and pursue themselves. By 1890, the national labor consists of 17% women. Thanks to capitalism and consumerism background, the traditional idea that women should pay totally attention to husband and children converts to working out of family. Sister Carrie is one of women working out of the family.Capitalist economic development relies on the rapid transfer of products from producers to consumers. The most important social changes described in the novel is from the production to consumption. On the one hand the mass retail has wider implications; on the other hand customers benefit from low prices and a wide range ofoptions. In this way the consumers are related with consumption. Particularly, Sister Carrie is a potential consumer who desires to control her fate and reach her goal. She realizes that she needs to get her dream through hard effort. So capitalism background is an indispensable element for Carrie to model a new metropolis female.3.2.2 The Influence of Individual ExperienceChicago is a city full of hope, luck and rise. At the beginning of the novel author wants to preach a concept “the city is full of cunning deception, rather than any man in Chicago attracted heroines”. Carrie looks forward to Chicago “a huge magnet, attracting people full of hope and despair from all sides”. But in fact she suffers failure at first. In Chicago, she meets a salesman Drouet and falls in love with him. She wants to be his wife and waits for a long time. In the end, she is conscious of her innocence. Drouet just regards her as a mistress, besides, Drouet is dissolute. He can’t give Sister Carrie a good future. When she is confused, she comes across Hurstwood and is attracted by him. She falls in love again; unfortunately she is deceived by Hurstwood. When she lives with Hurstwood in New York,she goes out for hunting a job. Finally she leaves Hurstwood. Fortunately, she realizes her dream by herself, and becomes a famous actress. Her independence and effort can be dated back to her experience. It helps Carrie accomplish her success.4. Defects of Sister Carrie’s Personality4.1 Her VanityCarrie is a woman with strong vanity and desire for material which leads her to become a victim of the two men-Drouet and Hurstwood, which also contributes to her success in the future. She is always yearning for clothes and Jewelry, so when she goes to the department store to look for a job, Carrie is attracted by each item whether it is cheap trinkets, or expensive jewelry. Each piece is attracted to her. She wants to wear all the jewelry and desires to have them all. That delicate slippers and stockings, trimmed with beautiful trim skirts and petticoats, all every color of the lace, ribbons, combs, and flower package, what a wonderful thing if she can have them all. Herheart is filled with the desire of possessing them. Later she lives in New York with Hurstwood in some time and once the next door neighbor－Mrs. Vance invites her to the theater. Her vanity is revealed totally by the comparisons with Mrs. Vance. Carrie thinks she is pretty enough, but when compared with Mrs. Vance, she is not pretty at all. How could Mrs. Vance have so many cute little things? Carrie feels more uncomfortable when she goes on the street with Mrs. Vance, because it is filled with strong rich and flaunted atmosphere in the street, she thinks she is incompatible in this atmosphere. The fact is that that she could never have the bright appearance like Mrs.Vance’s, which makes she feel very pain. Later she vows that she would dress more gorgeously and come here again. At the same time, she is eager to dress gorgeously to show off in public place. Carrie’s vanity is manifested in her desire for goods and the comparisons with others, and is displayed in her pursuit of fame and fortune, too. Because her vanity makes her not satisfy her present status, so that she goes out of the circle of her own life, and ultimately, she obtains success and feels that she has been looked forward to.To sum up, Carrie is to adored materials to control her desire for pursuing fame and status. Fortunately she gains success.4.2 Lack of Rational EducationCarrie is often fallen by external environment, which, especially, is reflected in her emotional affairs. She is always easily controlled by men, partly because she makes every decision depending on someone’s ideas. Partly because she is lack of education, then it is an essential factor for her to master her fate. Lacking of knowledge leads to her weakness. There is none of family education in her childhood. The only way to consult is to listen to instruction of her father who carefully explains everything. When Carrie is not able to find correct direction from her experience, her conscience is her honest and knowledgeable adviser. Carrie is not educated; she does not have chance to learn knowledge from books that is a closed garden to her. She comes to the city in order to look for the greatest happiness in life.5. The Writer’s PurposeFrom the above analysis, it is obvious to see that Carrie is an hard-working, romantic and persistent woman who is fond of pursuing fame and vanity. Certainly, what is the purpose of the author to shape such a character? There are two reasons. Firstly, in order to highlight the characteristics of naturalism, the author writes Sister Carrie that is embodied the character of Naturalistic literary. One of the purposes of shaping figure in this works is to reflect naturalistic features. The natural feature is that people need to grasp every opportunity to work hard in a competitive society in order to success. On the contrary, the author models a loser－Hurstwood. He is no longer young and capable. Eventually he makes a choice to commit suicide. This is the naturalistic Portrayal. Secondly, when Theodore Dreiser creates Sister Carrie, Darwin’s theory of evolution and survival of the fittest theory are prevailing. Consumption ideology emphasizes people on costing and occupying things. The idea of possession weakens the traditional thrift, savings, and automation ethic. When Dreiser writes Sister Carrie, American women have begun to be affected by consumerism. They begin to challenge traditional moral standards. On the one hand, they no longer believe that the responsibility of women is to help husband and teach children. On the other hand, women should stay at home to do housework. On the contrary, women think they should have their job and earn money by themselves to enjoy life.6. ConclusionThrough hard work, Carrie is turned into a successful actress from an innocent village girl. During this process Sister Carrie is shaped to a new female character. Carrie is no longer manipulated by any man. On the contrary, with an independent career, she is independent in economic, which finally helps her become an independent woman, and realizes the independence of personality. Carrie becomes brave and mature through searching for job. Her success is accompanied by performance talent and her efforts, however in this process; her consciousness hasbeen awakened at the bottom of her heart. It is reviewed by the Dreiser in his book, It is a feature for a woman to be protected, supported and loved. But the power of women is suppressed by the tradition concept. Carrie is conscious of her acting abilities by chance, but she has been accustomed to live comfortably under the male protection so as to refuse to face up to own strengths. She does not fully display her talent until she is frustrated with men. For example, when she learns that Hurstwood cheats on her and then Drouet leaves her, eventually she decides to go out looking for a job. She has needs, but she is not amenable to be tricked or to be bribed by any men. She is going to support herself. This concept helps Carrie develop women’s self-awakening. Furthermore, Carrie finds job in the cinema. It is compared with former jobs, even though it is still not easy, she adds a lot of courage. Besides when Hurstwood is out of job, Carrie attempts to look for a job. Finally she decides to go to a play regardless of her husband’s objection. This job is twice as hard as the former, but Carrie gets a position in the chorus by her tenacity and courage .Her talent is soon recognized. Carrie begins to realize own strength in the promoting process. A man a little word, will not make her mind again. She knows men every well, which eventually creates the Sister Carrie’s image. She walks out of the small world of her family. She, among the public field, gains economic independence, which is a prerequisite for women to seek to further pursuit based on financial independence. Carrie once has previously relied on Drouet and Hurstwood to get happiness before obtaining self-reliance. She wants to marry Drouet who refuses her. Immediately, she changes her hopes on Hurstwood who turns out to be impossible. And she’s like an object, from one man to another man. Because Carrie is not economically independent, it is pointless to talk about personal independence. Eventually, Carrie becomes a famous actress and achieves her worth. She no longer needs to rely on anyone and she also gets honor. Obviously, Carrie achieves real personality independence after being economical independence.Sister Carrie eventually becomes a new woman; of course there are also limitations in her personality. However, she dares to pursue individual liberation; meanwhile she also actively seizes the opportunity to adapt to the social progress. Onthe contrary, compared with her sister－Minnie Vance , Hurstwood’s wife and other female characters, she can be regarded as a representative of the females.Bibliography[1] Matthaei,J.A. An Economic History of Women in America. New York:Schocken.1982:10-12.[2] Theodore Dreiser. Sister Carrie. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching andStudying Press , 1981 : 136.[3] Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie.The Pennsylvania Edition. New York: Penguin.1981:1-3.[4] Woolfolk,A. Educational Psychology.The United States of America: A Division ofSimon&Schuster,Inc.1993:50-52.[5] 霍顿，罗德. 美国文学思想背景[M]. 人民文学出版社,1991:2-5.[6] 方华文. 嘉莉妹妹[M].译林出版社:2011:7-9.[7] 蒋道超. 德莱塞研究[M]. 上海: 上海外语教育出版社, 2002 : 125.[8] 蒋道超. 德莱塞研究[M]. 上海: 上海外语教育出版社, 2002 : 222.[9] 史志康. 美国文学背景概观[M]. 上海外语教育出版社, 1998:24-26.[10] 王钢华. 嘉莉妹妹的欲望和驱动力[J].外国文学研究,2002,12(3):8.AcknowledgmentsFirstly, I would like to express my gratitude to all the people who helped me during the writing of this paper. Without their help, this thesis would have been impossible.I am extremely grateful to my tutor XXX for her valuable direction and suggestion, for her constant encouragement and generosity in spending her precious time on my paper.Special thanks go to the Anyang normal college humanistic management university where gives me the opportunity to study my favorite major English teaching. Therefore I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the respectful teachers who have taught me during my undergraduate study.Last but not least, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my dear parents, for their encouragement and always supporting me to finish this thesis.。