嘉莉妹妹引言 原稿.docx

A Brief Analysis on the Characteristics of Sister CarrieI. IntroductionA. TheIntroductionofSisterCarrie1. TheIntroductionoftheAuthor Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945) was born in Terre Haute, Indiana. Part of a large German- American family, and the ninth of ten children, his childhood was marked by poverty. Before Dreiser became a famous writer, he did a lot of odd jobs, such as washing dishes, clerking a hardware store. He also did works as a journalist, a reporter, and an editor. Eventually, at the suggestion of his editor friend Author Henry, Dreiser began writing his first novel, the result of which was Sister Carrie. Dreisers other famous works include The Financier (1912), The Titan (1914), and An American Tragedy (1925).2. TheIntroductionofthe Plot Sister Carrie was Dreisers first long fiction. The protagonist of this novel, Carrie Meeber, pretty, eighteen, penniless, full of illusions, leaves her dull Wisconsin home in 1889 for Chicago. On the train Charles Drouet, a jaunty traveling salesman, impresses her with his worldliness and affluence. In Chicago, Carrie lives in a cramped flat with her sister and brother-in-law. Her job at a shoe factory is physically and spiritually crushing. After a period of unemployment, she becomes Drouets mistress. Then introduced by Drouet, Carrie meets George Hurstwood, the manager of a famous and deluxe salon. Eventually, Hurstwood deserts his family, robs his employers, and tricks Carrie into leaving Chicago with him. They first escape to Montreal and then, after returning most of the money, to New York, where they live together for several year. As Hurstwood declines, Carrie develops. To earn money, she becomes a star from a chorus girl to a famous musical comedy by her own efforts. Meanwhile, Hurstwood sinks into beggary and suicide. In spite of her freedom success, Carrie is lonely and unhappy.3. The Writing BackgroundforSisterCarrie The background of Sister Carrie is at the end of 19th century in America. Actually, The background is in Chicago and New York, in 1889. Just as the author depicted in the novel: “In 1889 Chicago had the peculiar qualifications of growth which made such adventure some pilgrimages even on the part of young girls plausible. Its many and growing commercial opportunities gave it widespread fame, which made of it a giant magnet, drawing to itself, from all quarters, the hopeful and hopelessthose who had their fortune yet to make and those whose fortunes and affairs had reached a disastrous climax elsewhere. It was a city of over500, 000, with the ambition. Its streets and houses were already scattered over an area of seventy-five miles. Its population was not so much thriving upon established commerce as upon the industries which prepared for the arrival of others. The sound of the hammer engaged upon the erection of new structures was everywhere heard. Great industries were moving in. The huge railroad corporations which had long before recognized the prospects of the place had seized upon vast tracts of land for transfer and shipping purposes. Street- car lines had been extended far out into the open country in anticipation of rapid growth.”1 The author employs a typical “arrived metropolis” narrative mode. From the 18th century realism to modernism in the 20th century, many authors often use this model to express the metropolitan luxury landscape, lifestyle, values and its powerful creation on individual reconstruction or rejection, accommodation or subjugation. These novels show the process of individual urbanization and modernization vividly through depicting the success or failure of provincial youth.B. Motivation of the present researchSister Carrie is an instructive book. The author of this thesis thinks thatDreiser uses his families as prototypes for the Sister Carrie, its very creative. Meanwhile, this book depicts the social state of America in the beginning of 20th century, its very authentic. (个人兴趣)Since its important status in literary history, scholars have made many different comments on it. The earliest comments could be divided into two branches: one approved this novel and thought Sister Carrie brought great surprise to American literature. The other criticized that Dreiser didnt criticize Carries immorality but describe her into a girl from a poor village to a famous Broadway actress. Modern comments have been diversified, including analyze of Carries value, for example, Zhangdan said in her thesis (张澹 Analyze of Sister Carrie 群文天地. 2012年第2期) that Carrie is a person with strong desires and material needs, meanwhile, she maintains that its Carries personal reasons resulting in her change. This comment is a little one-sided for its not only the personal reasons but also environmental elements influence Carries value.Some scholars analysis Carries changes in growth, such as Wumeng said in her thesis (武萌 从“灰姑娘”原型看嘉莉妹妹的成长变化. 辽宁师范大学.外国语学院. 辽宁 大连 116029) that Carrie is a “Cinderella” who changes from a poor countryside girl to a financially independent girl. In Wumengs view, Carries independent is very great although it is at the expense of her happiness. I think Wumeng only talking of Carries positive aspect but not referring to her negative aspect.（前人的研究） Comments as such have been many more, with comments above, I will mainly focus on the characteristics of sister Carrie as well as the reasons for the formation of Carries characteristics.（引出自己的论题） Carrie has multiple personalities, thus, I want to explore how Carrie changes from an innocent and naive girl to a hardhearted, unmerciful, vainglorious and realistic woman. I want to explain that its both the environment and Carries family background that influence Carries change. ( 目的) Environmentisatremendousthingandoftenleadshumantoawrongdirection.WeknowthatDrouettellsCarriethatChicagoisawonder,andthatshewillfindlotstoseethere.EvenhermeagersisterMinnietellsher,“Youllwanttoseethecity.”Undertheinfluenceoftheenvironment,Carriechangedherlifeandmovedforwardtohersuccess.IhopethroughthestudyofCarrieslife,wecangetsomerevelationsfromitandmakeabetterunderstandofourmodernlifeandourlives.Lifeisalongjourney,insteadofpurchasingthesuperficialglamourmakingourbodywear