Carrie's Quest for Happiness (From Theodore Dreiser's “Sister Carrie”)

Essays on literary works - 2024

Carrie's Quest for Happiness (From Theodore Dreiser's “Sister Carrie”)

Sister Carrie is Theodore Dreiser's first major work and one of his most realistic. All the main characters in the novel are depicted by Dreiser with exceptional precision.

What can we say about the novel's protagonist? No other image holds as many mysteries as the image of Carrie. She is a victim of the society in which she exists. Is she happy? What distinguishes the Carrie who has gained the recognition of the audience and a peaceful life from the young girl who first left her hometown to seek her fortune in Chicago?

At eighteen, she is full of rosy hopes. But as soon as Carrie tries to start an independent life, disappointments begin: finding a job is very difficult. In the end, Carrie gets a job in a factory. She "...turned into a solid mass of aching muscles...". And only a meeting with Drouet, "a typical traveling salesman for a large trading house," opens up a different world for her. He became the only hope for something bright. The young man treats her like a friend. Drouet doesn't demand anything from her.

The world of longing, suffering, and need was unbearable, and this pushed her to become the mistress of a "worldly dandy." The girl allows him to rent an apartment for her. Thus, step by step, the heroine's "fall" takes place. After all, Carrie does not feel any real love for Drouet.

The second connection was also fragile. When Hurstwood and Carrie were together, his love for the woman for whom he had sacrificed so much began to fade quickly. Carrie's love for him was barely flickering from the very beginning. This feeling could not withstand the struggle for existence.

Yes, Carrie managed to save herself from the bitter fate of Hurstwood. And even gained success. But wasn't it at the expense of a loved one? After all, she sees how helpless Hurstwood is, and yet she dooms him to loneliness.

Tragic is not only everything that happened to Hurstwood. Carrie's fate is no less sad, having felt that her work is far from true creativity.

In real life, the main character is devoid of truly great human feelings: love, understanding.

At the end of the novel, she has not yet known the happiness of creative work. Despite the appearance of success, Carrie is no closer to a happy ending than Hurstwood.

The words of the writer's final monologue addressed to Carrie will remain in my soul: "In your rocking chair by the window, you will dream of a happiness that you will never know!"