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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
I hate this book. Carrie is terrible and lazy. I hate her so much I wrote a poem about how much I hate her, but I'll spare you my terrible poetry.
This might just be the book I was assigned to read the most times in college and graduate school (also in contention: The Autobiography of Ben Franklin, [b:Looking Backward|296977|Looking Backward (Signet Classics)|Edward Bellamy|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173488024s/296977.jpg|803], The Great Gatsby, and Heart of Darkness - and I was a history major).
But, who can argue when clothing talks to you and everyone is "weightless"?
But, who can argue when clothing talks to you and everyone is "weightless"?
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this is a masterpiece. i can't give it 5 stars because it's just not as momentous as American Tragedy, but the way Dreiser captures and critiques capitalism and the shift to an industrialized society is, for me, so far unmatched. We can genuinely see and understand in Carrie, and then in ourselves, the "magic" appeal of capitalism as Weber describes. Maybe my favorite aspect is how Dreiser writes women and Carrie's story in particular: she isn't punished for her caprices, as is common in older literature as well as modern.. she doesn't even particularly struggle internally with it, and in the end she has a kind of success, even if the writer leaves us with an extraordinarily haunting last sentence implying that she won't ever really be happy - it has nothing to do with her would-be "moral failures" and all to do with simple human condition.
Another message masterfully conveyed is the arbitrary cruelty of our capitalist system, and how easily it can seal fates, based on the superficial. Dreiser captures so well how outward symbols and signifiers and even just beauty are imputed onto us and become us, through the gaze of our peers, who use them to assess worth and assign value. It's so real, so true to life, 123 years later.
Another message masterfully conveyed is the arbitrary cruelty of our capitalist system, and how easily it can seal fates, based on the superficial. Dreiser captures so well how outward symbols and signifiers and even just beauty are imputed onto us and become us, through the gaze of our peers, who use them to assess worth and assign value. It's so real, so true to life, 123 years later.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Classism
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As a Christmas gift to myself, I decided to pick a Dreiser off of my bookshelf. I have four more to read so I figure I will save one for each decade to make them last because reading all of my Dreisers in one sitting would be gluttony.
As is normal for this author, he builds a main character, completes the settings, and then you can snuggle down in for a long journey that feels warm and completes you entirely. Every time you pick the book up, it’s like having a warm blanket and hot tea.
As is normal for this author, he builds a main character, completes the settings, and then you can snuggle down in for a long journey that feels warm and completes you entirely. Every time you pick the book up, it’s like having a warm blanket and hot tea.
Carrie's theme song: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones.
This book reminded me of Custom of the Country, except that Undine made things happen while things just happened to Carrie. I suppose it's the Naturalist C of the C. Some excellent stuff on New York. A tad long winded and I can never totally get in to a book that doesn't have any likable characters. Not that any of these people were bad per se, I just didn't care much about any of them.
This book reminded me of Custom of the Country, except that Undine made things happen while things just happened to Carrie. I suppose it's the Naturalist C of the C. Some excellent stuff on New York. A tad long winded and I can never totally get in to a book that doesn't have any likable characters. Not that any of these people were bad per se, I just didn't care much about any of them.
I read the "restored" version. Written about 1900... waaaaay ahead of it's time. As a comtemporary woman, often aggravated.
If for no other reason, read this whole book for the last two pages!!!!
If for no other reason, read this whole book for the last two pages!!!!
Pretty big downer, which I knew going into it--but damn, that ending is bleak. I can't say I loved this, but didn't hate it-- Dreiser really tried to make big points about human nature, but wasn't always up to executing that intention. I expected it to be more centered on the titular Carrie, but I think George Hurstwood is actually the main character. That's probably just as well--Dreiser seemed less able to fully draw Carrie. But we get a very uncomfortable front-row seat to Hurstwood's depression and descent, and it hurts to watch--even though I wouldn't say he's especially likeable (no one in the novel really is.)
I'd read the synopsis of this book before, so I had a general idea of what happens before starting, and I was a bit surprised at how tough a lot of the summaries out there are on Carrie. I came into this expecting a very cold, selfish, calculating, and maybe even cruel character. She's certainly self-interested, but definitely not the villain I was expecting. They're all sort of victims of the same delusion, that money and social standing will bring them happiness--it's very much a reflection of late Gilded Age America (or many different eras of America, really), though I don't think Dreiser takes many pains to show his readers what one should be pursuing instead--none of his characters really figure it out.
Also, it would have been better at 350 pages rather than 500. I know I sound like a disgruntled student with comments like that, but so it is.
This is my first book in my Century Project--kicking things off in 1900!
I'd read the synopsis of this book before, so I had a general idea of what happens before starting, and I was a bit surprised at how tough a lot of the summaries out there are on Carrie. I came into this expecting a very cold, selfish, calculating, and maybe even cruel character. She's certainly self-interested, but definitely not the villain I was expecting.
Spoiler
Many of the things I read talked about how she "left Hurstwood because he could not provide her a fancy lifestyle" and that's kind of true... but he wasn't supporting her at all! She really stayed with him until the bitter end--it wasn't like he was working hard and she left because she thought she could do better. Justice for Carrie!Also, it would have been better at 350 pages rather than 500. I know I sound like a disgruntled student with comments like that, but so it is.
This is my first book in my Century Project--kicking things off in 1900!
This was one of the 1001 books you have to read before you die and I had never heard of it before. There was a bit of an issue over publishing this novel as many thought the subject matter was immoral. The writing itself is fairly simple, and I was quite intrigued by the character of Carrie but did not find the story strong enough to fully enjoy it.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of my favorite classics I've read and I liked the exploration of Carrie througout.