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
Carrie is now installed in her “comfortable room.” She fears bumping into Hurstwood, but “as day after day [passes]” without his appearance, Carrie forgets him and becomes fully absorbed in her work. With Lola’s help, Carrie becomes “wise in theatrical lore.” As she reads “newspaper notices” about the opera, Carrie begins to wish for fame: “She longed to be renowned like others.” At this time, newspapers and magazines begin to print pictures of “the faces and forms of well-known theatrical celebrities.” Carrie wonders if “some paper [would] think her photo worth while.” One day, Carrie sees that the papers have printed a notice about her part as a country maid and is thrilled. Lola encourages her and Carrie begins “to think the world was taking note of her.”
Carrie throws herself into work as she once threw herself into the arms of Drouet and, later, Hurstwood. Work becomes the main object of her life. Under the tutelage of Lola, Carrie gains the worldly wisdom she lacked while being taken care of by her lover. Carrie achieves what she had dreamed of when she acted in the amateur play in Chicago: she is now a professional actress. However, rather than rejoicing, Carrie begins to desire the next best thing: namely, more renown. Once again, readers can perceive Carrie’s constant craving for recognition.
Themes
Carrie’s new salary is more than she can spend: she “found her purse bursting with good green bills of comfortable denominations.” Carrie buys many “pretty clothes and pleasing trinkets,” in addition to eating well and decorating her room. She meets a few young men, one who takes an interest in her, but Carrie does not return his interest. The young man notices that Carrie is “not so inexperienced as she looks.” Nevertheless, Carrie “could not help sharing in Lola’s love for a good time” and immerses herself in “the metropolitan whirl of pleasure.”
Carrie also achieves another dream that she had dreamed of back in Chicago: wealth. Although her pay is still modest, it is far more than Carrie can spend. She can buy all the fine clothes and eat in all the luxurious restaurants that she desires. Although Carrie is young, her experience with Drouet and Hurstwood has led her to become jaded when it comes to romance. Carrie finds more pleasure as an independent woman than she does as someone’s lover.
Themes
One day, Carrie’s picture appears in the newspaper. Carrie is thrilled and thinks of “going down and buying a few copies of the paper, but [remembers] that there [is] no one she [knows] well enough to send them to.” Carrie notes that “only Lola, apparently, in all the world [is] interested.” She finds the metropolis “a cold place socially” and that a little money brings her no happiness: “the world of wealth and distinction [is] quite as far away as ever.”
Carrie is still lonely—she lacks a family. Lola is the only friend that she has. Carrie realizes that though the city is full of luxury and opportunity to gain recognition, it is also a place without warmth and love. Furthermore, now that she is financially comfortable, Carrie begins to desire the next best thing: to be genuinely rich and celebrated.
Themes
Carrie learns that her opera plans to go on the road and decides to audition for a summer play at the casino. The manager at the casino has “never heard of Carrie,” but upon learning of her notices in the papers, offers her a silent part at $30 a week. Carrie’s looks earn her another photo in the newspaper announcement regarding the play.
Now that Carrie has work experience, her job search is vastly different. It is now relatively easy for her to obtain a position, as she has not only experience but also some connections. She is now being paid roughly seven times the amount that she was paid as a factory laborer in Chicago.
Themes
Get the entire Sister Carrie LitChart as a printable PDF.
Unbeknownst to Carrie, the author of the play “had fancied a great deal could be made of such a part, given to the right actress, but now, since it had been doled out to Carrie, he would as leave have had it cut out.” Carrie’s feels that she was “effectually shelved” and is disconsolate at rehearsal. However, the stage manager finds this pleasing and tells her to frown more, as it looks “quaint and droll.”
Carrie is still not recognized enough to be known by the general public. As a result, she suffers from the author’s neglect—he, no doubt, wants the part to played by a celebrated actress. However, her talent once again earns her notice from the manager. Carrie’s facial expressions are theatrical and pleasing.
Themes
On opening night, the audience notices Carrie by the second act and begins to laugh. The chief comedian is annoyed that Carrie has taken attention away from him; however, the manager likes Carrie’s performance and decides that she should continue frowning. Carrie becomes a “hit” and the newspapers praise her endlessly. The author of the play writes a part for Carrie to sing. The manager then raises her salary to $150 a week and extends her contract for twelve months. For Carrie this development opens the door to “a world of possibilities.”
Carrie’s talent is enough to take attention away from the chief comedian, demonstrating that she is naturally star material. The fact that Carrie becomes an instant sensation shows the importance media in the cosmopolitan world—it is the way that people communicate, and the masses learn things. Carrie earns the recognition that she was looking for. Furthermore, her salary also increases by a sizeable amount. Everything is going according to Carrie’s dream.
Themes
Hurstwood reads about Carrie’s success from “a third-rate Bleecker Street hotel,” “without at first realising who was meant.” After realizing that the newspaper is covering Carrie, Hurstwood reads the item “over again” and broods. Carrie seems to Hurstwood “a creature afar off—like every other celebrity he had known.” Hurstwood resolves not to contact Carrie, out of “a bent, bedraggled, but unbroken pride.”
Hurstwood and Carrie now live in separate worlds. She is a famous star while he is practically a vagrant. Carrie now has everything—stability, wealth, and recognition—while Hurstwood has nothing, save for his pride. However, both individuals seem equally lonely, for although Carrie has Lola, she, like Hurstwood, lacks a family.
Themes
