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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。

Research ProposalTitle: Sister Carrie–The disillusion of American dream1.Thesis statement (Introduction):Sister Carrie is a well-known American naturalist novelist Theodore Dreiser's first novel, tells a story about how a young peasant girl Carrie leap from the bottom of the society to become a Broadway star. Carrie's growing desire is vividly shown as an endless picture. The article is written from the perspective of Carrie’s life to analysis the growing desire of Carrie, the naturalism in humanity and happiness in modern life.Sister Carrie is a vivid description of city life and also the wild dreams of some vague like Sister Carrie is dreaming of. Facing the mysterious city, it is really hard to keep our mind clear. Through Carrie’s l ife, we see the distances between the poor and the rich. I want to study what kind of life can be called happiness, as well as how to keep a wise mind from losing ourselves. When there is a conflict between ethics and self, how can we deal with it?What’s more, what revelations can we get from it on how to avoid blind strivings and own a peaceful heart and a satisfied happiness in modern life. At last, even though the dreamy dreams are wonderful, when it comes to reality, do ideals really equal to happiness?2.The significance of your research:When one steps into the society, 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. Of an intermediate balance, under the circumstances, there is no possibility.The city has it cunning wiles, no less than the infinitely smaller and more human tempter.There are large forces which allure with all the soulfulness of expression possible in the most cultured human. The gleam of a thousand lights is often as effective as the persuasive light ina wooing and fascinating eye. Half the undoing of the unsophisticated and natural mind is accomplished by forces wholly superhuman. For a life, city is a place full of unknown attracting human to pursue. Here Sister Carrie is a life as an example.Sister Carrie depicts the rural girl Carrie envying of big cities due to the material life came to Chicago to find the well-being of cities. She has suffered the bitterness of finding jobs, diseases and unemployment. In order to survive, she became salesman Drouet's mistress, and later eloped with hotel manager Hurst wood. Hurst wood lost his job in New York, and then under great pressure, Carrie had to find a job as an actor in a theater. She got her fame owe to accidental chance and elbowed her way into the upper-class. It seemed that her passionate desire had come true. However, at the end of the novel, she still sitting in the rocking-chair dreamed her own happiness. The reason is because Carrie has all along been driven by the desire, desire that she never satisfied with the status quo, constantly looking for the next target. Her desire was prompted by several factors.Theodore Dreiser is regarded as an outstanding representative of American naturalism. In this thesis, Dreiser’s first novel Sister Carrie is taken as an example to analyze the features of Dreiser’s naturalism. The thesis referred to three great historical and cultural background of the novel which are Darwinism，Determinism, American Naturalism and Consumerism. Meanwhile the thesis analyzes three features of naturalism. At last, we can draw the conclusion that the leading character of the novel-Carrie’s destiny has a great connection with Dreiser himself and the d ecline of Hurst wood is a result of Dreiser’s fear of failure, but Dreiser attributes Carrie and Hurst wood’s unhappiness to their insatiable desire for life or they are doomed to be unhappy, and from which we can see Dreiser’s naturalism easily.About Sister Carrie, there were many researches about it, once about naturalism, about the American dream, about ethics，at the same time, there were researches about Carrie’s life and the revelations of it for people in modern life, such as The interpretation of female characters and the tragic origin in "Sister Carrie" , Sister Carrie, driven by the desire, Dreiser’s Naturalism in Sister Carrie. They all revealed the conflict of life and self, leaving us a deep thought.Carrie had always thought that if she ever got wealth and position, which she now has, that she would be completely happy. A friend introduces her to Bob Ames, unlike any manthat she met before. Ames notices that Carrie is sad. He tells her, "Your happiness iswithin yourself wholly if you will only believe it." Here was a man not offering her money, clothes, or applause, all the things that Drouet and Hurstwood had given her. The secret to her happiness was to give off herself to those less fortunate.Carrie was young, innocent, and scared when she first arrived in Chicago. With no skills, she can't find a job. Going against the social rules of her generation, she lives with two men as their mistress. They give her the material things she desires. Her judgment in selecting men is based on their appearance and not on their character. Finally, she is without support and forced to make it on her own. Becoming a success in the theater, she is able to get all the things she desires. Her wealth doesn't give her the happiness and satisfaction she thought it would. With age and experience, Carrie comes to understand that contentment comes from giving to those less fortunate than herself, and that character is more important than how a person looks.Nowadays, people live in a multifaceted modern life, there are too many temptations challenging our natural characters. Just as in Sister Carrie: Blind strivings of the human heart!Onward onward, it satin, and where beauty leads, there it follows. Whether it be the tinkle of a lone sheep bell over some quiet landscape or the glimmer of beauty in sylvan places, or the shadow of soul in some passing eye, the heart knows and makes answer, following. It is when the feet weary and hope seems vain that the heartaches and the longing arise. Know, then, that for you is neither surfeit nor content. 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? I hope through the study of Carrie’s life, we can get some revelations from it and make a better understand of our modern life and our lives. Life is a long journey, instead of purchasing the superficial glamour making our body weary; we’d better enjoy a satisfied happiness life to our heart’s content. Once you like, happiness is simple. Too m any desires make the life heavy with burden. The choice depends on you.3.Methodology:1) Do a questionnaire about modern life, including lifestyles, money, ethics, people’sattitudes, life -satisfaction and so on;2) Surfing the internet for more text materials and reviews;3) Reading books about Sister Carrier and Theodore Dreiser4) Analyzing the resources and doing the report4.Possible difficulties and solutions1) The materials are too many to choose and the qualities are quiet different. It needs a hardwork to make a decision.The questionnaire needs volunteers and they must know something about Dreiser and Carrie. I have to choose the right person.2) Although there are so many difficulties, the author has solutions. I will refer to relatedmaterials as much as possible. What’s more, I will put an eye with the new study on the subject. If possible, I will consult the scholar and instructor of this field. I will try my best to complete the research with high quality.5.Potential conclusions:1) When one steps into the society, she does one of two things. Either she falls into savinghands and becomes better, or she rapidly assumes the cosmopolitan standard of virtue and becomes worse. Of an intermediate balance, under the circumstances, there is no possibility.Carrie sees this fact in her life.2) Environment is a tremendous thing and often leads human to a wrong direction. We knowthat Drouet tells Carrie that Chicago is a wonder, and that she will find lots to see there. Even her meager sister Minn ie tells her, “You'll want to see the city.” Under the influence of the environment, Carrie changed her life and moved forward to her success.3) People’s desire has no end. Even though Carrie stepped into the upper society, she stillnever satisfied with her life. Happiness seems too far away from life. We’d better give up too much desire to live a happy life.6.Previous preparations:[1] Bantam. Sister Carrie [M]. New York: Bantam Classics, 1992. p.61[2] Luedtke, Luther S. ed. Making America: The Society and Culture of the United State,Washington DC: United States Information Ag ency.[3] Rosenblatt, Roger. Consuming Desirer: Consumption, Culture, and the Pursuit ofhappiness. Washington, DC: Island Press, 1999.[4] Theodore Dreiser: 'Sister Carrie', Qiu column length translation, Shanghai TranslationPublishing House, 1990 edition.[5] Jiang Tao Chao: 'Dreiser Studies', Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.[6] /w/index.php?title=Sister_Carrie&oldid=4553756067.Outline of the Paper1. Introduction1.1 The introduction of the author1.2 The plot of the novel with a list of characters1.3 The historical and cultural background for Sister Carrie2. The analysis of Sister Carrie2.1 American naturalism2.2 the relationship among the characters2.3 The relationship among reason, free will and instinct3. The truthful reflection of Carrie’s desire in life3.1 Carrie's desire for a glamour city life3.2 Carrie's desire for a wealthy life and a true love3.3 The revelation of Carrie for modern life and happiness4. Conclusion5. Bibliography。

Literature review of Sister Carrie外国语学院09级英语 2 班安妮Annie2009051385Literature review of Sister Carrie[Abstract]：Sister Carrie is written by Theodore Dreiser ,and this novel was his maiden work which was delayed published for years. However, once published, it received wild attention. And critics holds different attitude toward this work which could be found in this literature review. Anyway, this book is acknowledged as one of the great naturalism works.1.Brief introduction:Theodore Dreiser' s Sister Carrie follows the story of a young woman involved in affairs with two different men as she pursues her dreams of success and fortune. The preview of Sister Carrie tells us that the theme of the novel is to deprecate materialism. But I think the main character, Carrie is also the typical repre-sentative of those women who want to step out of home and seek for economic independence in that era. Carrie wins what she strives for in the end. The author bestows a splendid future rather than a miserable fate on Carrie. It indicates that the author ap-preciates some strong points of Carrie' s character. In the story, Carrie is always a smart and industrious girl: She's never say " No" to the fate and keeps fighting for a better life.2.Literature reviewLike much of the feminist writing, Sister Carrie illustrates the thesis that a woman’s only means to beauty, elegance, and financial security is to “sell”her body, to enter into the most advantageous sexual liaison possible. However, according to Dreiser, it is the unfair male- dominated society, instead of Carrie, that contributes to the evils of such a situation.Unlike most American novelists, Dreiser accepts the aspirations of his heroines. Carrie Meeber is, of course, the first of Dreiser’s aspiringheroines. “His compassion for her and his ability, in the first half of the novel, to make the reader acknowledge the justness of her aspirations distinguishes his characterization from other conceptions of social careerists”. His description of her early weeks in Chicago is so convincing that it is cited in histories of the American working women. Dreiser has no ambivalence about Carrie’s ambitions. His acceptance of Carrie’s social ambitions and his conception of her sexual career undermine the American assumption that women are innately different from men.American natu ralism is an important literary trend an d it is in fluen tial torealism and also modernism. As a famous writer, Theodore Dreiser plays animportant part in th e naturalistic trend, and he made great contribution to the world's literary history. Dreiser touches u pon a wide range of themes and ex periences in Sister Carrie, from grinding poverty to upper-middle class comfort. The novel dwells on the moment as it is experienced; the characters are plunged into the n rrative without the reader being told much, if any of their histories. Their identities are constantly subject to change, reflecting the modern American experience that had been ushered in by the developing capitalist economy. In the proces s of this development, thousan ds of rural Americans rushed to the cities to find jobs and to build themselves new lives and identties .Sister Carrie captures the excitement of that experience.Theodore Dreiser 's artistry in his work Sister Carrie is difficult to discuss because so much of it must be attributed to his natural tendency to let his da k symbols float through an extended narrative. These symbols serve to establish the elements, reveal the reality and strengthen the themes, portray characters and buttress the concept , heig hten the impact, etc. For example,"water" images are used consistently to portray the forces which sweep men forward, out of control. For he, as a naturalist, depicts a deterministic world in which the individual is governed by nature and society, and he believes that individual lacks the ability to shape their own destinies. So Carrie is described variously as" getting into deep water. She was letting her few support s float away from her" and as "an anchorless, storm beaten little craft which could do absolutely nothing but drif t". From these description we also see partly the dark, indifferent society that whelms all the helplessness of the heroine, and we get deep impact about it.3.ConclusionSister Carrie stands the test of time when we can translate its meaning into our experiences in our own time and see that it remains significant and alive. Though more than one hundred years has passed, readers can still draw some lessons from the way of Carrie's success.Beside the feminism and naturalism were well reflected in this novel. And the symbolism is still researched in modern time.References:[1]Weir, Sybil B. “The Image of Women in Dreiser’s Fiction, 1900 - 1925.”[2] Fleischmann, Wolfgang Bernard. Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th Century[3] Theodore Dreiser. Sister Carrie[M].Bantam Classics,1982.[4] Sloane,David E.E.Theodore Dreiser's Sociological Tragedy.1992.。

本科生开题报告范文(2)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)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。

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.(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。

毕业论文任务书毕业论文题目：Analysis of the Image of Sister Carrie选题意义、创新性、科学性和可行性论证：本课题主要采用文献综述法来搜集中外相关文献并综合、消化资料；同时采用文本解读法及人物分析法等方法对作品进行深入分析及论证。

图书馆期刊及网络资源丰富的文献资料使材料收集途径可靠。

依据文艺批评理论和文本解读分析方法，对本论文课题适用。

充足的准备及撰写论文时间，在指导教师的悉心指导下，在预计安排期限内完成本论文是可行的。

主要内容：《嘉莉妹妹》是美国自然主义作家德莱塞的第一部长篇小说。

本文从人物分析入手，结合了自然主义理论，重点研究了嘉莉妹妹这一形象的独特性格特点，并阐释了女主人公的悲剧命运，也昭示着美国梦的幻灭。

目的要求：通过毕业论文的写作，利用所学理论，联系实际，进行总结分析。

不断提升自己的专业素养，使自己具备初步的科研能力。

将自身所学知识运用于实际，使自己的专业和学术能力均有提高。

通过此篇论文了解自然主义文学理论，并探讨德莱塞《嘉莉妹妹》中的自然主义风格和嘉莉妹妹形象特征，从而进一步揭示嘉莉最终的人生悲剧和美国梦的破灭。

拟解决的关键问题：探讨嘉莉妹妹的性格特点。

计划进度：1.2010年 12月 20 日前：指导教师与学生见面，指导收集资料，确定选题2．2011 年1月10日前：上交论文提纲、完成开题报告3. 2011年3月8日前：完成初稿4. 2011年4月8日前：完成修改稿5. 2011年4月10日：完成定稿指导教师签字：主管院长（系主任）签字：年月日任务书部分填写要求如下：题目用英语计划进度按所提供统一时间，无需自己填。

1．字号为宋体、小四、不加粗2．单倍行距3．版面请参照模版。

论《嘉莉妹妹》中美国女性意识的觉醒
Analysis of American Female Consciousness A wakening in Sister Carrie
（一）选题论证
随着社会的发展和科技的进步，社会生产的不断发展，女性在社会生产生活中的地位也不断提高。

不仅体现在人们的生产生活中，文学作品把这一现象表现的淋漓尽致。

美国自然主义作家Theodore Dreiser的Sister Carrie就是很好的诠释，嘉莉妹妹是作者精心刻画的一个美国梦的追寻者形象。

小说中美国梦文化的精髓赋予了《嘉莉妹妹》恒久的魅力，而美国梦所催生的美国女性意识则是小说产生轰动效应的关键。

我选择这一方面去研究，可以帮助解读嘉莉在独立与依附的矛盾斗争中所经历的曲折复杂的寻梦历程，并感触其时女性意识的艰难的觉醒。

本文将大部分使用理论分析的方法，其他研究方法为辅，从多个方面、不同层次去着手研究开发。

论文部分将以Sister Carrie 的主要内容回顾导入，接着将重点叙述作品现代美国女性意识觉醒的渊源（即美国梦）和其中主人公的形象所展示的女性意识，最后得出结论，总结全文。

（二）国内外现状研究及意义
（三）提纲
Working Bibliography。

《Sister Carrie》The author of the book is Theodore Dreiser, a famous realistic writer in Amaican literature history .Realism follows the rule of nature “survival of fittest”.《Sister Carrie》is a representative of realism which describes a poor countryside girl′s life change after her arrival to ,cruel reality makes Carrie feel lonely and she cohabited with Drouet,a young playboy ,Drouet offered her a easier life .Later,she married with Hrustwood ,who had didn′t have a better life in New York. after they spent the money Hurstwood stole from his ex-wife .At the end of the book, Hrustwood died in a shabby little hotel,and Carrie became a famous star and be in high social classes.Lost the job in shoe-making factory is just the turning point in Carrie′s life ,the turning point of her final success and survie she had to rely on someone .On the surface, writer is describing Carrie′s miserable suffering telling readers that is always very hard for woman .However ,to explore the deep meaning .Carrie is just a representative of the people from working-class who are oppressed by the capitalist .Dreiser shows sympathy to them and reveals the social ′s success is driven by dream and wants to change her destiny she is eager to climb into the high social matter how pimping you are ,dream is important and essential to future success because dream or ambution has the power to drive you forward.It is right to pursue for material life , but not everything,In fact it is never wrong to pursue for high standard and high class life.。