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
One day, while Carrie is playing in New York, Drouet comes to visit her backstage. He still exhibits an “exuberant good-nature” and the two chat pleasantly. Carrie sees that Drouet “[expects] to restore their old friendship at once and without modification.” She turns down his invitation for dinner that day and “as sort of penance for error” invites him to dinner for the following day at the hotel.
Drouet no longer holds any resentment toward Carrie. Indeed, he seems to like her all the more because she is famous. Indeed, he is similar to the men who write Carrie passionate love letters—Carrie is all the more attractive to him because of her vocation. Carrie does not want to renew her acquaintance with Drouet; she invites him to dinner out of a sense of guilt, as she was the one who wronged him years ago.
Themes
The two enjoy a pleasant dinner the next day. After Drouet asks, Carrie relates to him that she no longer knows where Hurstwood is. Drouet tells a shocked Carrie regarding Hurstwood’s thievery back in Chicago. Drouet begins to imagine that he is “winning Carrie to her old-time good-natured regard for him.” Carrie, noticing this, becomes cold and excuses herself from the dinner, much to Drouet’s dismay.
Carrie realizes the full extent of Hurstwood’s nature through Drouet’s revelation: Hurstwood never trusted her, not even when he claimed to love her. Drouet’s delusion with regards to Carrie shows that he is optimistic yet foolish and inconsiderate as ever. He does not realize that he has no qualities that would make him appeal to Carrie as a partner.
Themes
The following night, Carrie encounters Hurstwood while walking to the theater, “[frightening] her” with his “shabby, baggy figure.” He asks for money which Carrie readily gives. Hurstwood assures Carrie that he will return the money. Carrie makes “kindly inquiries,” which Hurstwood “[resents].” Hurstwood then “[shuffles] off.” For days, Hurstwood’s appearance is a “drag on [Carrie’s] soul.”
Hurstwood frightens Carrie, indicating that his appearance has drastically changed since they last saw each other. The fact that Hurstwood resents Carrie’s kind inquiries shows that he does not enjoy being condescended upon by the woman who was once his mistress, whom he financially and emotionally supported. Hurstwood’s appearance is unsettling to Carrie because she still feels guilty about abandoning him—she did, after all, once believe herself to be in love with him.
Themes
Drouet calls on Carrie again, “but now he was not even seen by her.” The show then transfers to London and Drouet realizes that “the old days [are] gone for good.” Hurstwood spends his summer and fall working as a janitor, begging, and applying to charities. Carrie comes back in the winter but neither men go to see her.
Carrie has no wish to even be acquaintances with Drouet—she feels sorry for him but does not care for him in the least. Neither Hurstwood nor Drouet go to see Carrie because both have realized that she is beyond their reach.
Themes
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Ames returns to New York, having “made a little success in the West.” He meets with Carrie but “there was nothing responsive between them.” Ames still thinks of Carrie as “united to Hurstwood.” He sees Carrie’s new play with Mrs. Vance and “[expresses] himself accordingly,” saying that Carrie can “do better” than comedy.
Ames remains just as honorable as the first time that Carrie met him—believing her to be a married woman, he treats her with only platonic friendliness. Furthermore, unlike Drouet and Carrie’s other suitors, he does not fawn over her simply because she is an actress. Indeed, he even has suggestions for Carrie regarding ways that she can improve her career.
Themes
Carrie and Ames meet one afternoon at the Vances’. Carrie feels that she is “now blessed with much of which he would approve.” However, Ames’s questions about Carrie’s initial interest in “comedy-drama” leads her to realize that she “had failed” in his eyes. Later, the two meet again and share a moment listening to a “pathetic strain.” Ames advises Carrie to go into “comedy-drama” and relates to her that because she has potential, she “must do something with it.” That night, Carrie relates to Lola a desire to take a part in “a serious play.”
Carrie initially thinks that by being an actress, she is worthy of admiration from superior men; however, she realizes that superior men are not interested in her fame and fortune. Ames still feels that she is artistically lacking, as Carrie performs in only popular works rather than meaningful works. Carrie is as attentive to Ames’s suggestions as ever, indicating that she still views him as superior to herself. Carrie begins to look to the next best thing: to be a critically-acclaimed actress approved by men like Ames.
Themes
