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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
This is a novel that depends solely on the reader's personal philosophy.
For the determinist, this novel is a triumph. Life has no meaning, true happiness can never be achieved, and the "choices" of each individual are not choices, and each character's rather bleak situation upon the novel's denouement is not due to their decisions, but to the cruel dealings of the impersonal fate. The characters are victims.
For another who posits freewill and consequence, this book is a mere drag. Seeking success in this life is dependent upon one's choices, one's values, and one's execution of the Latin adage, carpe diem. These factors combined portray the characters as they are: corrupt and irresponsible adults.
I had little sympathy with the characters due to my seeing things as the latter of the two perspectives herein presented. Carrie, Hurstwood, and Drouet were careless, selfish, lazy, and individuals who simply "don't do what's right" in the least. As most people would, no one would see them as victims.
Carrie goes from being a sympathetic character in the beginning to being an annoying posh girl at the end. Same goes with Drouet. After all they've been through (which is a lot), they're both so stuck on money, pleasure, and fame—all of which are unattainable.
Overall, I'm giving this one a 3/5 because I simply could not make myself like the characters. I felt sorry for Hurstwood, but I never actually liked him. *shrugs*
Now let's go write an essay on it for American Naturalism Lit. *sighs*
For the determinist, this novel is a triumph. Life has no meaning, true happiness can never be achieved, and the "choices" of each individual are not choices, and each character's rather bleak situation upon the novel's denouement is not due to their decisions, but to the cruel dealings of the impersonal fate. The characters are victims.
For another who posits freewill and consequence, this book is a mere drag. Seeking success in this life is dependent upon one's choices, one's values, and one's execution of the Latin adage, carpe diem. These factors combined portray the characters as they are: corrupt and irresponsible adults.
I had little sympathy with the characters due to my seeing things as the latter of the two perspectives herein presented. Carrie, Hurstwood, and Drouet were careless, selfish, lazy, and individuals who simply "don't do what's right" in the least. As most people would, no one would see them as victims.
Spoiler
I will say that I sympathized mainly with Hurstwood. His impoverished state by the novel's end and his death by suicide was mind-bogglingly depressing, but again, it was his own laziness that put him there. That doesn't mean I didn't feel sorry for him, though.Carrie goes from being a sympathetic character in the beginning to being an annoying posh girl at the end. Same goes with Drouet. After all they've been through (which is a lot), they're both so stuck on money, pleasure, and fame—all of which are unattainable.
Overall, I'm giving this one a 3/5 because I simply could not make myself like the characters. I felt sorry for Hurstwood, but I never actually liked him. *shrugs*
Now let's go write an essay on it for American Naturalism Lit. *sighs*
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-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
emotional
mysterious
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:
Complicated
Another one of those classic novels where the main woman is sad at the end. Yay.
2.5/5 stars
This was an assigned read, and it felt exactly like that. The writing was delightful, and the philosophical questions and musings of the author on whether it is logic or instincts that controls and influences human behaviour were interesting, but the plot lacked basically everything, and I unfortunately felt unnerved and annoyed by every single one of the characters. If it wasn't for my university, I would have probably DNFed it. All in all, I kinda love discussing it in class though.
This was an assigned read, and it felt exactly like that. The writing was delightful, and the philosophical questions and musings of the author on whether it is logic or instincts that controls and influences human behaviour were interesting, but the plot lacked basically everything, and I unfortunately felt unnerved and annoyed by every single one of the characters. If it wasn't for my university, I would have probably DNFed it. All in all, I kinda love discussing it in class though.
I love how this novel questions the accepted paths for success. At the time of its publication the book might've been known for its frank discussion of infidelity and unmarried couples living together, but I like how Carrie rejects the idea of menial labor, and of returning home to Mom when things don't go well. So much was unavailable to young women 125 years ago, that it makes me think of how much is still unavailable to women and, to an extent, men, today. I didn't always love the writing style of this novel, but I think it's still pretty relevant and that's a real triumph.
DNF. I had to read it for a class but ended up dropping it, and I have no interest in finishing this book.
Read on Serial Reader, 61 issues. I read this for my classic lit book club. I can't say I enjoyed this. The characters were all so flat with no personality. I found the dialog between them quite strange, like they didn't even know each other. None of the characters were likable. I feel like a better title would have been "Very Long String of Bad Decisions by People with No Personality".
im honestly only about 75% done with this book but my brain cannot take anything further. for our purposes, i'm counting this as read as I practically know the ending and cannot justify reading further.
sister carrie is a whirlwind of a story. im reading this for a seminar class where we're focusing on poverty in literature and this was the second text on our syllabus. Dreiser is not exactly the best writer around and i think he even got flack for it as it was seen as way too simple for the size of its publication.
i'd probably have never read this if i wasn't assigned this for class but atlas i have. there's a lot to unpack in this story from the rise of the consumer culture, snippets of marxist sentiment and critique of the capitalist hierarchy. this is shown through carrie, our main protagonist's journey from a shoe maker to a famous actresses flourishing with wealth.
in Carrie’s world of late capitalism, production and consumption are separated. As a worker in a shoe factory she only knows how to punch one piece of shoe leather; so carrie lacks any understanding of the process of the manufacturing she is involved in. She only longs for shoes but does not find any connection between the shoes she made and those she wishes to buy.
for a seminar classroom, this is honestly a great piece to discuss as i find myself enjoying talking about this book way more then ive actually spent reading it.
sister carrie is a whirlwind of a story. im reading this for a seminar class where we're focusing on poverty in literature and this was the second text on our syllabus. Dreiser is not exactly the best writer around and i think he even got flack for it as it was seen as way too simple for the size of its publication.
i'd probably have never read this if i wasn't assigned this for class but atlas i have. there's a lot to unpack in this story from the rise of the consumer culture, snippets of marxist sentiment and critique of the capitalist hierarchy. this is shown through carrie, our main protagonist's journey from a shoe maker to a famous actresses flourishing with wealth.
in Carrie’s world of late capitalism, production and consumption are separated. As a worker in a shoe factory she only knows how to punch one piece of shoe leather; so carrie lacks any understanding of the process of the manufacturing she is involved in. She only longs for shoes but does not find any connection between the shoes she made and those she wishes to buy.
for a seminar classroom, this is honestly a great piece to discuss as i find myself enjoying talking about this book way more then ive actually spent reading it.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes