Hi, I just finished reading ‘ sister Carrie’ by Theodore Dreiser. And I found myself totally committed to this novel.

It’s a story of young girl Carrie moving to Chicago where she meets the two other main characters i. e Drouet and Mr hurstwood. It’s a journey of these three people from different socio- economic scenarios who come across each other. How Carrie becomes from a simple manual worker to an actress. And the lessons she learns in this journey.

Theodore Dreiser was the first major American novelist and naturalist in 19th century. He represented the reality as it existed. This book is considered to be inspired by many of his personal experiences. H. G wells once said that he was the greatest of his times. However due to radical ideas in a traditional fictional society he was not accepted well. He gained a lot of recognition after his death in 1945.

The major themes in this book are:-

1. Feminism- How Carrie with time becomes assertive and raise to social standards from a fallen woman.

2. The changes in American society in 19th century.

3. Social disparities- show the lives of beggars, managers, salesman , actors etc .

4. Materialism – clothes imagery is the finest example of this. How people care about just appearances rather than the true nature of a man.

5. Capitalism- It shows the sad reality of capitalism, how it has left a person as autonomous indualistic identity in today’s world and the loneliness that accompanies it.

This book comes under classic literature. I would highly recommend reading it.

Please leave me your favourite book recommendations too.