Happiness In Sister Carrie Essay, Research Paper

Sister Carrie, written by Theodore Dreiser, portrays the life of

a young, innocent girl whose lifestyle is drastically changed when she moves

into the city. Carrie, the main character, is very optimistic and imaginative. She views life as a dream with its many luxuries and pleasures. At first, she lacks all the things she sees in her dream, but through acquaintances and relationships, she hopes to satisfy her needs and be happy in life.

Carrie is only eighteen years old and is allured by the opportunities and glimmer of city life when she boards a train headed for Chicago. She believes it will be much more fun, elegant, and exciting than living on a farm. This can be seen when the author says, She felt . out of place, but the great view of the room soothed her and the view of the well dressed throng outside seemed a splendid thing. Carrie is very much indeed out of place. She has no money and can only find a meager job. She also finds the situation at home with her sister very frustrating and depressing. Carrie now feels that the city is not all that it seems to be.

Drouet is a very important figure in Carrie s life. He meets her on the train to Chicago and amazes and entices her with his looks, smooth manner, and sharp appearance. For example, the author states that Carrie felt There was something satisfactory in the attention of this individual with his good clothes. Drouet is almost like a savior, helping Carrie get back on her feet when she was just about at the end of her rope. When Carrie is with Drouet, she feels secure and jolly because she has a guardian who will buy things for her and take care of her. However, she does not understand true love and does not see Drouet for who he really is. Instead, she looks upon him as a source of money and wealth.

Hurstwood is another significant chapter in the life of Carrie. He is a well to do businessman, who runs an affluent resort called Fitzgerald and Moy s. Hurstwood meets Carrie through Drouet, a close friend of his. When Carrie and Hurstwood meet, sparks fly and they both realize that they have feelings for each other. Unlike Drouet, who is apathetic, Hurstwood is emotional and understands women. He is also more refined and reserved in his manner. The author describes Hurstwood as someone who paid that particular deference to women which every member of the sex appreciates. Carrie finds this very attractive and soon leaves Drouet to live with Hurstwood, who in turn leaves his wife and two children. The relationship between this couple is a little more intimate and meaningful than the last one. Maybe this time, Carrie loves Hurstwood for his personality and character, not his money or status.

It seems that Carrie has finally found a match and is finally settled, possessing all the things she dreamed of. However, when Hurstwood is fired and runs out of money, Carrie, with her increasingly larger and successful role in the theater, looks upon Hurstwood as a burden and leaves him in order to fulfill her destiny as an actress. No later does Carrie realize that her whole life is a mess and that she is not truly happy, but has brought down sadness and loneliness upon herself.