"Sister Carrie" is the story of a beautiful Midwestern girl who makes it big in New York City. The novel gained a reputation as a shocker, for Dreiser had dared to give the public a heroine whose "cosmopolitan standard of virtue" brings her from Wisconsin, with four dollars in her purse, to a suite at the Waldorf and glittering fame as an actress. Dreiser told a tale not "sufficiently delicate" for many of its first readers and critics, but which is now universally recognized as one of the greatest and most influential ...
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"Sister Carrie" is the story of a beautiful Midwestern girl who makes it big in New York City. The novel gained a reputation as a shocker, for Dreiser had dared to give the public a heroine whose "cosmopolitan standard of virtue" brings her from Wisconsin, with four dollars in her purse, to a suite at the Waldorf and glittering fame as an actress. Dreiser told a tale not "sufficiently delicate" for many of its first readers and critics, but which is now universally recognized as one of the greatest and most influential American novels.
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Add this copy of Sister Carrie to cart. $15.29, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2015 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.
Add this copy of Sister Carrie to cart. $39.80, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2015 by CreateSpace Independent Publis.
Dreiser's insight and understanding of human behavior becomes the bones of this profound look at the social / political machine churning under Capitalism. Extraordinary, powerful, demanding, attitude altering.
ninthchord
Aug 17, 2010
Masterful
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this work--for me, the first time to read Dreiser besides one short story. I fond myself caring very much for Carrie (the poor lamb in the stone jungle) and wanting her to succeed. With her story, Dresier points out that success in Chicago or New York may mean alienation.
As for Hurstwood, as Carrie's star rockets, his fizzles out. The man, already in possession of the success that Carrie desires, seeks exactly what Carrie winds up losing, the affection of another. In seeking affection, he loses his family and his wealth.
Drouet, the typical dandy, escapes unscathed. Everything is appearance and show to him, and feelings are something one can don or discard.
Dreiser's only shortcoming is his tendency to become long-winded. He could have left out a few scenes that I found redundant.