Sister Carrie
Steph Rich Sister Carrie Social Critique of Sister Carrie Life can go on without money even though it might be hard. ... In the novel Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser, there are many references to social economics, class differences, industrialization and city growth, and American values. ... In the beginning of the novel, the main character, Carrie Meeber is moving from the modest rural town of Columbia to the large metropolitan city of Chicago (Dreiser, Chapter 1). She is doing so to stay with her sister, Minnie, and look for work. ... Compared to her life in Columbia, Carrie notices that there is a group of elite people in the bigger city that she never was able to interact with before. Carrie tries to be a part of this elite group at all costs. ... She recognizes that “he was, for the order of intellect represented, attractive, and whatever he had to recommend him, you may be sure was not lost upon Carrie, in this, her first glance” (page 4). Charlie Drouet and Carrie Meeber become good friends. Before Carrie met Drouet “her total outfit consisted of a small trunk, a cheap imitation alligator skin satchel, a small lunch in a paper box, and a yellow leather snap purse, containing her ticket, a scrap of paper with her sister’s address in Van Buren Street, and four dollars in money” (page 1). ... He feels more like a man when he does these things for Carrie. ... However, before they can become good friends Carrie has to move in and settle down with her sister, Minnie, and brother-in-law, Hanson. ... They do not make enough to live lavishly and this upsets Carrie. ... Since Minnie and Hanson are from the lower class, Carrie is forced to find a job to pay for the rent and food. After looking for a while Carrie finds a job working as a shoelace hole puncher in a local shoe factory. ... It causes her back to ache, the men are rude to the women, and Carrie feels the women are shabby looking. ... Meanwhile, while Carrie is working, Drouet is out rubbing elbows with the important businessmen, politicians, and actors of Chicago at places like Fitzgerald and Moy’s and Rector’s. This just shows that Drouet is also striving to gain status in life, it is not just Carrie. ... After losing her job from an aliment, Carrie reluctantly accepted twenty dollars from Drouet to buy herself some warmer clothing (page 60).