In his novel Sister Carrie, Theodore Dreiser’s portrait of yankee materialism coincides with his characters’ values because they strive to showcase their photos. Critics of Sister Barbara often point out the not enough human relationships Dreiser forms, nevertheless , perhaps Dreiser chooses to never focus on people directly talking to one another, although instead, he devotes focus on how people talk about the other person. Dreiser’s personas constantly construct biases toward other character types based on speculative gossip, accentuated by course discrepancies. For instance , Julia Hurstwood, insecure about her falling apart marriage, most likely finds solace in gossiping with her daughter about families with less money than her personal. Even a small character like Drouet’s chambermaid attempts to socially improvement as the girl recognizes Drouet’s support to get Carrie and dismantles their relationship through gossip. Moreover, Dreiser shows the raising importance of newspaper publishers and free press in the us, specifically, Hurstwood takes substantive measures in order to avoid scandal whereas Carrie obsesses about the publicity your woman receives for her acting profession. Yet, the gossip that characters pushed upon others stems from the deluded thinking that an individual’s popularity outweighs everything else in determining class structure, enforcing Many materialist principles.
Dreiser’s portrayal of the Hurstwood family meal suggests the treatment of reputation like a materialist concept as the family covers other families’ fortunes and misfortunes. George Hurstwood Jr. announces his intention to check out a nearby resort and discover his pal’s new heavy steam launch. His statement requests economic discussion raised by his father and mother who übung the Fahrway’s financial situation and offer insights. George says the new steam release costs “over two thousands of dollars” (79), and this individual learns by his friend Jack which the Fahrway’s medicinal shipping sector now expands to Quotes and Hat Town. George’s gossipy hearsay promotes the Fahrway’s image. In work to spite the Fahrway’s social climb, Mrs. Hurstwood bitterly reveals the Fahrway’s past since she exclaims, “Just think of that! And only four yrs ago they had that basement in Madison Street” (79). Mrs. Hurstwood’s remark has no essentially applicability about what George talks about, yet the lady introduces it as a means of condemning the Fahrway family and elevating her own. While the Fahrway’s overseas expansion incites awe coming from George’s shock, it likely incites jealousy coming from Mrs. Hurstwood since the Fahrways are obviously wealthier compared to the Hurstwoods.
Naturally , Mrs. Hurstwood also seizes the chance to undervalue the less wealthy Griswold family as soon as her child Jessica increases concerns more than Martha Griswold’s dramatic expertise. Mrs. Hurstwood questions, “Her family will not amount to anything at all, does it? They haven’t anything, have they? inches (80). Mrs. Hurstwood’s rude questions tip not only at Martha’s so-called lack of expertise but even more significantly, in the Griswolds finances. In turn, Jessica compares the Griswolds to church rats, complementing Mrs. Hurstwood’s intentions of slander. Mrs. Hurstwood’s tendency likely stems from her unconscious thinking that writing others by simply gossiping information will for some reason make her feel more secure about her own family and materialist lifestyle. Perhaps your woman deludes their self into thinking that she may protect her reputation by gossiping about other people, but Dreiser later overturns this frame of mind as her husband makes a scandal, marring her popularity.
As Dreiser’s protagonist Carrie makes her way in society, she, too, begins to recognize the value of one’s popularity. Also, Carrie’s outlook in gossip advances quickly throughout the novel, intended for she initial rejects the banter that happens amongst the stock girls. On her behalf first day, she hears the different girls gossiping lightly regarding men, although Carrie concentrates only onto her work and feels “there [is] some thing hard and low about it all” (38). She also paperwork feeling even more imaginative compared to the girls’ because of their lighthearted gossip as if the lady elevates very little above these people. Ironically, Carrie cannot escape the material really worth of one’s graphic and the gossip that follows this, affirming Dreiser’s critique in America. The girl moves in to an apartment with Drouet and befriends her neighbor Mrs. Hale in whose “gossip[forms] the medium through which [Carrie] recognizes the world” (94). Barbara evidently today joins Mrs. Hurstwood in perceiving other folks and making biases based upon the gossip she hears. Dreiser at this point exposes gossip as a means of discussing others’ behaviors as well as the need to either condemn or copy all those behaviors as he writes, “Such trivialities, such praises of wealth, this kind of conventional manifestation of morals [sift] through [Carrie’s] mind” (94). And, in this regard, Carrie learns to imitate others so as to know what is standard and task such conferences onto others, advocating her image. Carrie may seek to feel safeguarded about her image, as Mrs. Hurstwood wishes never to be discussed in a bad light, but Carrie’s position as the fallen woman of the book certainly invitations gossip. For example , Mrs. Blooming watches Barbara come home 1 evening by her higher window and thinks to herself, inches[Carrie] goes operating with one other man the moment her spouse is out of metropolis. He had better keep an eye on her” (119). Naturally , Dreiser foreshadows Drouet’s neglect in that Drouet will lose Carrie, but Mrs. Hale adds to the critique of reputational hobbies in that the lady previously gossips with Carrie and now could potentially gossip about her.
Mrs. Blooming witnesses Carrie’s affair inclusively, however , with Drouet’s housemaid who, optimistic for Drouet’s affection, utilizes her prejudice against Carrie in an effort to socially progress. The housemaid is without name, Dreiser argues that even an unnamed persona within his story can harm another’s popularity and attempt to elevate her or his own. However, she gossips to the make about Carrie’s affair since she despises Carrie and pities Drouet, and consequently, “a hum of gossip [is] set going which [moves] about the house in that key manner common to gossip” (119). Several chapters later, Dreiser exposes the ill-mannered motives of the housemaid who considers Carrie and Drouet will be married. Barbara leaves to fulfill Hurstwood, and Drouet returns to the house looking for her. He questions the housemaid and then flirtingly chats with her, admiring her engagement ring. She delicately asks regarding Hurstwood and then reveals that he stopped at Carrie “a dozen times” (177) although Drouet traveled. She even delights in gossiping, grinning as she says, “That’s all you could know about it” after Drouet counters her claim. Dreiser describes the housemaid as being a “mischievous newsmonger, ” indicating her motives as a cultural climber. Again, the housemaid puts down Carrie and feels more more comfortable with her standing as she grows closer to Drouet by simply disclosing details. Drouet continues to deny her gossip right up until she fools with “with an air of one who also [does] not really intentionally suggest to create trouble” and says, “He came up lots of moments. I thought you knew” (178). The housemaid’s motives after create a rife in Drouet and Carrie’s relationship, Dreiser shows that although Carrie’s organization does not matter the morally questionable housemaid, the housemaid seizes the chance to appeal to Drouet, possibly gaining his affection and a place in society.
Hurstwood articulates the consequences of unfavorable advertising as evidenced by his efforts to cover up his scandals. Even before initiating the affair with Carrie, Hurstwood knows that he might lose his jobs above any scandal, and he takes actions to keep his matters “circumspect” by visiting “conventional places [and] doing conventional things” in public (81). Dreiser says that, “[Hurstwood loses] sympathy to get the man that made a blunder and was found out” (82), which in turn foreshadows Hurstwood’s commitment to keeping aside negative press coverage. Once his wife seriously poises to hire the divorce attorney and a private investigator, Hurstwood’s principal concern is usually, “How [will] the documents talk about it? ” (207). He knows that he will lose his work if the paper mentions his wrongdoing, therefore he complies with his wife’s demands. In addition, after this individual flees to Montreal while using stolen cash and Carrie, he anxiously checks a period of time papers to look for that “very little [is] given to his crime, however it [is] generally there, several ‘sticks’ in all, among all the riffraff of telegraphed murders, accidents, marriages, and also other news” (253). The fear penalized caught and having call him by his name tarnished by press pushes Hurstwood to send the money back to Fitzgerald and Moy. Hurstwood keeps his scandals from newspaper, demonstrating that he thinks of his popularity as a materialistic possession.
While Hurstwood avoids press attention, Carrie indulges it after breaking from Hurstwood and becoming an actress onto her own. The lady knows that a good representation by the press can easily strengthen her position since an occasional actress, and through this prejudice she desperately seeks to get written about. Her friend Lola introduces her to several gossipy theatre tabloids, and steadily, Carrie “[longs] to be well known like other folks, and examine with animation all the free of charge or crucial comments [make] concerning others high in her profession” (390). Carrie gets a speaking part in a play following your original celebrity quits, and soon after, your woman finds her expectation happy as one paper describes her as “one of the smartest members in the chorus” (391). Soon after, Barbara earns even more media limelight, and one particular newspaper also publishes her picture. In a way, Carrie comes full circle with chat in that your woman recovers by being discussed by the housemaid and profits a favorable status by movie theater critics. Naturally , Dreiser brings irony to the dynamic in that the documents know Carrie by her stage identity Carrie Madenda. Carrie Meeber never comes with the attention she seeks. Certainly, while Barbara Drouet’s tendencies unsettles the housemaid and Mrs. Blooming, Carrie Madenda’s performance delights the press, and Carrie’s reputational interests disable her from enjoying her accurate name and fulfilling her dream.
As chat pervades Sis Carrie, Dreiser examines the force that drives persons. Americans from the era appear to consider status in a materialistic fashion, regularly seeking to either bolster or perhaps defend their names. Dreiser’s characters whom engage in gossip have differing intentions, but they all share the view that their reputation is a principle determinant in Many class program. Dreiser demonstrates that the hinsicht about school hierarchy advances gossip and fuels biases, keeping personas from knowing their own interiorities and achieving all their American dreams.
