《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉的性格分析.docx

《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉的性格分析.docx

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《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉的性格分析

AnAnalysisofthePersonalitiesofSisterCarrieinSisterCarrie

《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉的性格分析

摘要

《嘉莉妹妹》是美国小说家西奥多·德莱塞的第一部长篇小说,嘉莉妹妹是文中的主角，作品揭露出一位在现实社会生活中温柔，善良，美丽的社会乡村少女在资本主义社会环境中转变成为独立，自信，聪明，优雅，有内涵的新女性，刚开始嘉莉妹妹把自己的希望寄托在男性身上，结果自己遭受了两次欺骗，到后来她认识到只有通过自己的努力才能改变自己的命运。

最终她通过自己努力和才能登上百老汇红五星舞台，成为一名大都市独立的新型女性。

本文旨在通过对嘉莉妹妹的性格分析，使读者清楚地认识到成为一名新时代的独立的女性，不能把希望依赖于别人，只有通过自己的努力才可以实现自我的价值，并最终取得成功。

同时新时代的女性首先应该在经济上独立，从而获得人格上的独立，赢得别人的尊重，而嘉莉妹妹正是通过依靠自己才成为了一名经济独立，而又有自信和内涵的新女性。

关键词：

嘉莉妹妹；性格分析；性格形成原因；作者写作目的

本文共分为五个章节。

第一章写嘉莉的性格，并分析了嘉莉在乡村时的前期性格和嘉莉入城以后的后期性格；第二章，嘉莉后期性格形成的原因，第三章，有关嘉莉妹妹的性格缺陷；第四章，对作者写作意图的分析；在最后一章中总结一下嘉莉妹妹的性格。

本文共分为五个章节。

第一章写嘉莉的性格，并分析了嘉莉在乡村时的前期性格和嘉莉入城以后的后期性格；第二章，嘉莉后期性格形成的原因，第三章，有关嘉莉妹妹的性格缺陷；第四章，对作者写作意图的分析；在最后一章中总结一下嘉莉妹妹的性格。

Abstract

SisterCarrieiswrittenbyAmericanTheodoreDreiser.SisterCarrieisleadingrole.Intheworks,SisterCarrieisdescribedasagentle,kind-hearted,beautiful,countrygirl,eventually;sheturnsintobeaindependent,confident,smart,elegant,newmetropolisfemale.Inthebeginning,sheputsherhopeonmale.Unfortunatelysheisdeceivedtwicebymen.IntheendsheappearsonBroadwayredthronethroughherhardeffortsandbecomesanewindependentmetropolisfemale.

Thisarticle,aimingattheanalysisofsisterCarrie’scharacters,introducesreadersanewindependentfemalewhocan’trelyhopeonanybodyonlythroughherowneffortstoachieveself-valueandsuccess.Atfirst,anewfemalemustobtaineconomicalindependencetogainpersonalindependence,andwintherespectofothers.Owningtoherefforts,SisterCarriebecomesafemalewithfinancialindependence,confidenceandinnerbeauty.

KeyWords:

SisterCarrie;characteranalysis;causeofformation;thewriter’swritingpurpose

Contents

1.Introduction

SisterCarrieisthefirstnovelwrittenbytheAmericannovelistTheodoreDreiserWhentheindustrialandcommercialcitieshavebeenrising,alargenumberofruralpopulationhavepouredintothecity.Carrie,eighteenyearsold,asmartandsimplegirl,inordertogetridofpoverty,boardsonatraintoChicagowithonlyfourU.S.,hopingtohaveabetterlife.However,theharshrealitybreaksherdreambecauseofherunemploymentanddisease.Indesperation,shebecomesthemistressofthesalesmanChas.H.Drouet,andthenshecomesacrossahotelmanager,G.W.Hurstwoodwhowasattractedbyhersimplebeauty.HurstwoodluresCarrietoNewYork,stealingthemoneyofthehotel.InNewYork,becauseofHurstwood’sdeterioratingeconomyandunemployment,Carrieisforcedtofindjob.Thensheearnstheirlivingbyhardwork.Finally,owingtochance,shebecomesapopularactress,squeezingintothehighsocietyandabandonspoorHurstwood.Carrieisfamousforherpersistenceandeffort.Butsheisnothappy,evenfeelslonely.

Thispaperisdividedintosixsections.ThefirstchapterintroducesthebackgroundofSisterCarrie.ThesecondchapterreviewsthecharactersofSisterCarrie.AtfirstthepersonalitiesofSisterCarrieisanalyzedintheruralareas,andthenthecharactersofSisterCarrieisanalyzedinthecity.ThethirdchapteranalysesthereasonsofSisterCarrie’spersonality’sformation.ThefourthchaptertellsSisterCarrie’sdefectsofpersonality.Thefifthchapteranalysesthewriter’sintention.InthelastchaptertheSisterCarrie’scharactersaresummarized.

Duingtohercomplicatedcharacteristic,afewquestionsneedtobeasked.Whatkindofpersonsheis?

Whatarethecausingfactorstotheformationofhercharacters?

Whataredefectsinherpersonalityandwhydoestheauthorcreatesuchacharacter?

2.TheCharactersofSisterCarrie

2.1InnocenceandSimplicity

Inthefirstplace,sheisabravegirl.“WhenSisterCarrieboardedtheafternoontrainforChicago,hertotaloutfitconsistedofasmalltrunk,acheapimitationalligator-skinsatchel,asmalllunchinapaperbox,andayellowleathersnappurse,containingherticket,scrapofpaperwithhersister’saddressinVanBurenStreet,andfourdollarsinmoney,”（TheodoreDreiser,1981:

1-2）fromtheparagraph,wecanseesheisacourageousgirl.WhenSisterCarriegoesoutalonewithlittlemoney,sheisonlyeighteenyearsold.Inthesecondplace,sheiseasytobemovedbyheterosexualcomplaisanceandsweetwordsatthetrainforChicago.SheencountersDrouetonthetrainforChicagoandaftergettingoffthetrain,DrouetasksfortakingthepackageforCarrie,shesays,“Verykindofyou.”andfeelsthatitisreallyluckytogetsuchacomplaisantcareinastrangeland.Besides,atthetrainshegivesaheterosexualstrangerheraddressaftertheycommunicatewitheachotherafterawhilewithoutthevigilance

Inconclusion,itcanbeseenthatSisterCarrieisbrave,innocentandsimple.

2.2TheCharacterofSisterCarrieafterHerComingintocity

2.2.1HerDiligenceandGumption

Carrie’sdiligencesarefoundexpressioninthework.ShegoesouttofindajobthenextdayshearrivesinChicago.Forrunningallday,shefinallyfindsajobinashoesfactorywithapaymentoffivepointfourdollarseveryweek.Thoughhavingtoworklonghoursinapoorworkingconditionwithalowpay,longworkinghours,poorworkingconditions,sheenduresthat.Laterbecauseshewearsthinclothes,shegetsacoldandlosesherjob.Ifshedoesnotfindajob,hersisterwantstoaskhertogohome.ButshedoesnotgiveuplivinginChicago;finallyshebecomesthemistressofDrouet.Andatthattime,theMasonicwhichDrouetbelongedtoisperforminga“fund-raisingPlay”.Atthemeantime,theplaylacksofheroine.DrouetasksCarrietohaveatry,soCarrierepliestotry.FromthatmomentCarriepracticespainstakinglyathomeeverydayandthenitisagoodchoicetogetridofprivation.Sosheknowsthatifshewantstosucceed,shehastoworkhardandfinallyCarrieperformsthisrolesuccessfully.ThisexperiencelaysasolidfoundationforhertosuccessintheBroadway.HurstwoodluresCarrietoNewYorkandtheylivestogether.Carrieisahousewifeinherfirsttime,beforeHurstwoodloseshisjobandstaysathome.Theenvironmentisgettingincreasinglyembarrassment;Carriehastogoouttolookforajobtodo.Althoughsheisonlyahumblechorusactorinachoir,thenshedoesnotgiveuphopeandmakesaneffort,eventuallyshebecomesmoreandmorepopular,enjoyingaprosperouslife.Withoutherhardwork,Carriecouldnothavebeensuccessfulatlast.Hergumptionisexpressedinthewayhowsheimprovesherself.InChicago,Carrielearnstheconversationsandmannersofthepeopleingradedsociety.

2.2.2HerRomantismandRealism

Herromanceisreflectedinherillusion.Herromanticfantasyisthatshewilleventuallygetbackaslongassheworkshard.Onlyinthiswayherhardworkwillnotbewasted.Aftershefindsaevenlow-paidjob,sheimaginesthatshewillbehappy.Herfantasyisthatshehasanicefuturethanbefore—liveahappylifewaitingforher“ForthenextdayCarrieindulgedinthemosthigh-flowspeculation.Herfancyplungedrecklesslyintoprivilegesandamusementswhichwouldhavebeenmuchmorebecominghadshebeencradledachildoffortune.Withreadywillandquickmentalselectionshescatteredherillusionfour-fiftyperweekwithaswiftandgracefulhand.Indeed,asshesatinherrocking-chairtheseseveraleveningsbeforegoingtobedandlookedoutuponthepleasantlylightedstreet,thismoneyclearedforitsprospectivepossessorthewaytoeveryjoyandeverybaublewhichtheheartofwomanmaydesire.Iwillhaveafinetime,shethought”（TheodoreDreiser,1981:

1-3）.Butherfantasyissoonshattered,andinthiscompetitivemetropolis,itisverydifficultforonewithoutanyexperiencetofindawork.Earningfourpointfivedollarssalaryperweekandworkinginpoorconditionarealmostunbearableforher.Besidesshealsoneedstopayhersisterandbrother-in-lawforfood.Therestofsalaryisnotenoughtoofferhernecessaries.Moreoverherjobislost,becausesheisillforthreedays.Herromanceisalsoreflectedinheremotionalfantasies.HerfirstfantasyisthatChas.H.Drouetwillmarryheraftershebecomeshismistress.WhenshecomescrossMr.G.W.Hurstwoodandlivestogetherwithhim.HersecondfancyisthatsheandHurstwoodwillhaveanidealcombination.ButtheDrouetdoesnotreallywanttomarryher,andthentheHurstwoodjustavoidshiswife’soutrageandrudenesstofindasafehaven.Finallyheremotionalillusionshavebeenshatteredtotally.Althoughachievingfameandfortune,shestillisnothappy,evenHurstwoodhasreturnedhisoriginalbeautyandglory,hecouldnotallureher.Sheknowsthatthesematerialsubstancesarenothappinessinherownpresentstate.Fameisnoteverything.Shehastwicebeendeceivedbymen,sothatshenolongerholdsthemagicaboutlifeandlove.Herromanceisbecauseshedoesnotunderstandthatsocialcompetitionisbrutal,sinister.What’smoreshedoesnotgetthepeople’shearts.Herrealityisbecauselifehoneschurchshenolongereasilybelievesaman.Onlybyowneffortstolivethelifeyouwant.

2.2.3HerIndependenceandPersistence

Carrie’sindependenceisnotspontaneous,butisforcedout.ShecomestoChicagotostaywithhersisterandbrother-in-law’shomeandhastolookforajobbyherself,andthenwhenshegetsajob,shemustpaythemealsforhersister.Aftersheisunemployed,sheisnotwelcomed;theyproposehertoreturnhome.AtthattimeCarrieencountersDrouetwhensheisindistress,andshetakeshimasthelaststraw,whichmakesherabandonrelationstogoalone.AndbreakingupwithDrouet,shehastofindajobagain.LatersheisluredtoNewYorkbyHurstwood,Carriecannotstandwithpoorlife,andHurstwoodcannotfindjobs.Theirlifehasapro