Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Sister Carrie, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Urban Life and Decay
Morality and Instinct
Wealth and Class
Summary
Analysis
After his last visit with Carrie, Hurstwood thinks about her constantly. His interest in Carrie is “a flowering out of feelings which had been withering in dry and almost barren soil for many years.” Mrs. Hurstwood and all the “selfish, ignorant, flashy” women he courted before their marriage lowered Hurstwood’s regard for women. In meeting Carrie, “a young, unsophisticated, innocent soul,” Hurstwood cannot help but be fascinated. Carrie has surpassed Hurstwood’s expectations for women. Now, Hurstwood wants “to win Carrie because he thought her fate mingled with his was better than if it were united with Drouet’s,” as she is superior to Drouet.
Carrie’s relative provincialism proves to be an attractive point for Hurstwood. He is sick of the vain women of the city who appear brazen and garish next to the innocent Carrie. It is evident that Hurstwood held little regard for womankind prior to meeting Carrie, as all the women he courted before Carrie have been gaudy and superficial. This attraction is ironic, as the Carrie that Hurstwood encounters at this point in the novel is far from the truly provincial woman she was before.
Themes
After Hurstwood’s departure, Carrie is confused and cannot make sense of her feelings. Carrie is grateful to Drouet for helping her but does not feel particularly bound to him. The narrator relates that given his “lightsome manner and unstable fancy,” Drouet is unlikely to commit long term to any woman, including Carrie. On the other hand, Hurstwood is determined to have Carrie confess her feelings for him.
Carrie, beyond being attracted to wealth and fine manners, is also attracted to the idea of commitment. Drouet’s noncommittal nature appears distasteful next to what seems to be Hurstwood’s desire to commit. Carrie is not yet experienced enough to understand that words alone are not enough to demonstrate commitment.
Themes
Hurstwood’s position gives him ample opportunity to take evenings off. He is a faithful worker and follows the owners’ directions with regards to taking care of his saloon. On Friday afternoon, two days after his last visit, Hurstwood visits Carrie again. Carrie, startled, cannot tell if she is upset or delighted to see Hurstwood, and only feels that she must be careful. Hurstwood is nervous but becomes confident upon seeing Carrie’s nervousness. The two go on a walk.
Hurstwood, despite having a job, appears to be a man of leisure. This reinforces the idea that he is quite well-off, much more so than Drouet who is always travelling on business. He begins to pursue Carrie in a way that he has pursued no woman after marriage. In other words, he is falling fast into immorality.
Themes
Hurstwood feels nervous regarding the “publicity” of their walk and finds a more private setting by renting a horse and cart. He teaches Carrie to drive and looks for “a break in the conversation when he could give it a serious turn.” Hurstwood begins by relating to Carrie that he has “spent the happiest evenings in years” since meeting her. Carrie is excited but maintains an “assumed airiness.” Hurstwood then confesses his love, which Carrie weakly rejects. Hurstwood proceeds to relate his current pitiable state: he is alone, surrounded by people and concerns that mean nothing to him. He tells Carrie that he needs her love, and Carrie begins to feel sympathetic.
Hurstwood realizes that being caught with Carrie would entail a scandal; consequently, he tries to carefully keep the relationship under wraps. Carrie’s utter ignorance with regards to his caution demonstrates her innocence and lack of experience with mature men. Carrie reasons that she should reject Hurstwood, as having an affair would be unfair to Drouet. However, her instinct prevails—Hurstwood is simply too kind, too sensitive, and too fine a gentleman to resist. Carrie has no defense mechanism when it comes to men, especially men who claim to “need” her. Carrie enjoys the feeling of being recognized as a necessity and not an accessory.
Themes
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Hurstwood strikes a chord with Carrie when he expresses his desire for sympathy, since she knows what it’s like to be with people who don’t care about her. Hurstwood relates that he would be content if he had Carrie’s love, and she is moved by his expression of loneliness. The two share a kiss, and Carrie wordlessly admits that Hurstwood has won her affections by laying her head on his shoulder.
Hurstwood’s claim to loneliness also awakens Carrie’s empathy, for she knows very well the feeling of what it is to be alone. Hurstwood great rhetorical capacity heightens Carrie’s image of his loneliness. Carrie’s wordless acceptance of Hurstwood’s advances shows that she does not really have a say in the matter—everything influencing her decision is out of her control.
Themes
