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
For two days after receiving her job offer, Carrie dreams about spending her money on “every joy and bauble which the heart of woman may desire.” Minnie is unaware of these thoughts. Indeed, in contrast to Carrie, Minnie spends her days doing housework and finding ways to save money. Hanson follows the same routine every day, and Carrie observes that his solemnity affects the atmosphere of the flat.
Carrie and Minnie, though sisters, are as different as can be. Carrie lives on dreams and ideals while Minnie lives pragmatically—so much so that she cannot even imagine the thoughts running through Carrie’s head. Hanson is only a more severe version of Minnie. Indeed, he makes the atmosphere difficult for Carrie to bear.
Themes
Hanson brightens a bit after Carrie tells him about her job offer. As Carrie cheerfully talks about her company at dinner, Minnie grows happier as well and tells Carrie to explore Michigan Avenue. However, Carrie relays a desire to see plays at H. R. Jacobs, a theater showing melodramas. The atmosphere immediately chills: Hanson and Minnie disapprove of engaging in activities that require spending money. The subject is avoided, and Hanson leaves the room to read the paper.
Hanson and Minnie never go out—it appears their lives consist of unending labor. Their frugality clashes with Carrie’s desire to spend money on entertainment. Furthermore, Hanson is cold to Carrie. Rather than explaining why he disapproves of her spending money, Hanson puts off Carrie’s request and leaves. Minnie does not defend Carrie and appears to be completely under the influence of Hanson.
Themes
Alone, the two sisters enjoy “a somewhat freer conversation” and Carrie once again brings up the theater, asking Minnie to accompany her. Minnie is apprehensive, saying Hanson would not like it. Carrie offers to pay for Minnie and Hanson, but Minnie continues to refuse her invitation. Carrie pleads a reluctant Minnie to ask Hanson. Minnie goes to the next room to ask, but Hanson refuses with a shake of the head. She comes back and tells Carrie. Disappointed, Carrie exclaims to Minnie that she will stand at the foot of the stairs to observe city life. After Carrie leaves, Hanson expresses disapproval to Minnie regarding Carrie’s desire to spend money at the theater.
Minnie appears to never think for herself. In everything, she simple adopts Hanson’s beliefs and seems to need his approval regarding anything Carrie asks of her. Minnie treats her husband with complete deference while he appears to treat her as a subordinate rather than a partner. Upon closer investigation, Minnie does not herself disapprove of Carrie’s desire to go to the theater at all; rather, all her disapproval stems from fear of what Hanson would think. The atmosphere in the flat can only be oppressive to Carrie—her own sister never stands up for Carrie or herself.
Themes
Literary Devices
Carrie walks along Jackson Street, observing “the evidences of wealth,” though the narrator notes that “there was, perhaps, not one person on the street worth more than a hundred thousand dollars.” She also thinks of Drouet. Carrie feels liberated outside of the small, drab flat and hopes, with a certain apprehension, that Drouet would call on her on Monday.
Everything outside forms a stark contrast with Hanson’s apartment: Jackson street is spacious and decorated with shows of wealth while the apartment is cramped and poorly decorated. Carrie’s desire for Drouet to visit shows that she wants to be liberated from the grim atmosphere in the apartment.
Themes
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On Monday, Carrie rises early for work. At breakfast, she thinks nervously about her new job and the “strange and untried duties confront[ing] her.” She is, nevertheless, hopeful and vaguely feels that she will come in contact with great business owners and stylishly dressed men. As the car fare is 60 cents per week, Carrie walks to work under the reassuring sunlight. Seeing contemptuous girls her own age on the street makes Carrie nervous once again as “dread at her own inefficiency [creeps] upon her.” She arrives at her new workplace feeling terrified.
Carrie is painfully unaware of what her job as a laborer entails—she believes that rather than slaving away in factory, she will be working next to rich businessmen. On the other hand, Carrie is painfully aware that her appearance is not up to par compared to many of the well-dressed women on the street. Her shame can only be exacerbated by the contempt that these girls show her.
Themes
Literary Devices
After briefly reminding him of their encounter last week, Carrie follows Mr. Brown to the work room on the sixth floor. Mr. Brown hands her off to a foreman, who then hands her off to a girl. The girl teaches Carrie to punch eye-holes for shoes. Carrie is anxious and tries to keep up with the speed of the other workers, so as to not slow the assembly line. The other girls sense her feelings and try to help her by working slower. At one point, Carrie fumbles and the foreman immediately tells her to not “keep the line waiting.” Carrie grows increasingly uncomfortable and observes the behavior of the youth around her. She finds the work extremely distasteful, but at lunch, she finds the behavior of the other workers so “hard and low” that she is relieved when work begins again.
Carrie’s lack of experience shows during her performance at work, as she cannot keep up with the other workers. These workers are nice to her and even attempt to work slower to help Carrie. However, Carrie is not eager to make friends with these girls and the other male workers, as they appear unsophisticated and common. Carrie’s disdain towards her coworkers highlight her instinctual preference for the manners and wealth of the upper classes. She is, by all standards, the same as the workers around her; however, she feels that she is better and not so “hard and low.” Carrie is too idealistic to be content as a factory worker.
Themes
The rest of the workday feels impossibly long, and Carrie grows increasingly certain that she does not want to be friends with any of her coworkers. As Carrie leaves, several young men flirt with her, but she finds their advances vulgar. On the way home, she feels “ashamed in the face of better dressed girls who [go] by.” Carrie “[feels] as though she should be better served,” with “her heart [revolting].”
Work proves to be a disappointment to Carrie: the labor is difficult and boring, her coworkers are common, the men are vulgar, and her pay is low. Carrie has a sense of entitlement—for no reason at all, she believes that she deserves better, that she should be one to walk with the finely dressed women on the street.
Themes
