Dreiser doesn’t limit his use of character foils to the novel’s protagonist and her sister. He also he extends it to the two most significant male characters in Sister Carrie. Charles Drouet and George Hurstwood are both prominent love interests of Carrie’s, and their differences and contrasting approaches to life provide useful context for one another.
Drouet is a social climber and a charismatic salesman. He pulsates with youthful energy and is constantly in motion. The narrator describes him in the following way:
Good clothes, of course, were the first essential, the things without which he was nothing. A strong physical nature, actuated by a keen desire for the feminine, was the next. A mind free of any consideration of the problems or forces of the world and actuated not by greed, but an insatiable love of variable pleasure.
Drouet’s own evaluation of his worth is somewhat superficial. He is always looking for the next success, and he highly values material possessions and physical appearances. His charm dances on the surface, and his aspirations seem very fleeting, as he's so full of spontaneity and exuberance. Drouet's relationship with Carrie brings this out. It lacks the depth and commitment that might anchor it for the long haul. Carrie sees this quite early, noting in Chapter 11 that:
She saw what Drouet liked; in a vague way she saw where he was weak. It lessens a woman’s opinion of a man when she learns that his admiration is so pointedly and generously distributed. She sees but one object of supreme compliment in this world, and that is herself.
Drouet is basically kind, but he's weak and lacks commitment. His attractions being so "generously distributed" is both a blessing and a curse. Hurstwood, on the other hand, stands in stark contrast to Drouet: he is—initially, at least—a figure of maturity, contemplation, and subtlety, "strong and sincere." As a stationary manager rooted in one place, the older man exudes an air of stability: even if he is cheating on his wife with Carrie. For Carrie, he is an anchoring point amidst the chaos of urban life. Where Drouet often sparkles with the carefree vigor of youth, Hurstwood seemingly has more of the wisdom that comes with age. His interactions, particularly his manipulations, stem not from surface charm but from deeper societal connections and understanding. Hurstwood's aspirations, in contrast to Drouet's, are initially grounded in the long term, mirroring his more mature and nuanced outlook on life. This quickly falls away, as his relationship with Carrie leads him to New York and the destruction of his career and prospects.
The difference between the two men becomes particularly poignant in the context of their respective relationships with Carrie. Both relationships start with deceit, with both men seeking to manipulate Carrie for their own purposes. Drouet’s relationship with Carrie is surface-level. By contrast, her relationship with Hurstwood takes on a deeper sense of connection. In New York, as they face challenges and their roles reverse (with Hurstwood declining and Carrie rising in the world of theater), Dreiser makes it clear that there's a depth of emotion and dependency in their relationship. Yet, whether Carrie's feelings for Hurstwood can be classified as love or are merely a complex mesh of gratitude, dependency, and pity is left for the reader to interpret. Hurstwood's connection with her is profound. However, that relationship destroys his life: he gives up his family and fortune in order to be with Carrie, eventually dying on the streets in a state of destitution.
Throughout Sister Carrie, the protagonist and her sister Minnie are painted as foils to each other. The juxtaposition of their opposing characters contributes to the novel’s central idea that one’s environment substantially affects the development of one’s personality. Carrie Meeber is highly ambitious and constantly seeks more from life. She's deeply attracted to the glamour and brightness of bigger cities, bigger stages, and brighter lights. When Minnie allows Carrie to move in with her and her husband, the older sister observes that:
It had been several years since Minnie had seen Carrie, and in that time the latter’s character had developed a few shades. Naturally timid in all things that related to her own advancement, and especially so when without power or resource, her craving for pleasure was so strong that it was the one stay of her nature.
Even at this early stage of the novel when she’s still shy and retiring, Carrie is a pleasure-seeker who wants more from life than she currently has. Dreiser depicts her as someone who—although initially naive— quickly develops adaptability and keen social skills. These qualities are useful tools in navigating the challenges of city life. Her desires and dreams are always future-oriented, pointing to her constant yearning for a “fairyland” where she has all the love and wealth she desires.
In contrast, Minnie is staid, solid, and practical. She lives a life of subsistence, working just to survive, mirroring many in the working class of that era. When describing Carrie’s growing discontentment with her living situation, the narrator says that:
Minnie was no companion for her sister—she was too old. Her thoughts were staid and solemnly adapted to a condition. [...] Carrie, on the other hand, had the blood of youth and some imagination. Her day of love and the mysteries of courtship were still ahead. She could think of things she would like to do, of clothes she would like to wear, and of places she would like to visit. These were the things upon which her mind ran, and it was like meeting with opposition at every turn to find no one here to call forth or respond to her feelings.
Minnie is unable to imagine a life for herself that’s better than the one she’s living. This is partially because she and her husband already work so hard for what they have. Her perspective is grounded, stemming from an acceptance of her current circumstances. Minnie’s fears, especially her trepidation towards change and her extreme deference to her gloomy, silent husband, further underscore the vast gulf between the sisters' worldviews. They represent two different attitudes to a very similar situation, illustrating how a person’s choices and surroundings can change their nature.
Throughout Sister Carrie, the protagonist and her sister Minnie are painted as foils to each other. The juxtaposition of their opposing characters contributes to the novel’s central idea that one’s environment substantially affects the development of one’s personality. Carrie Meeber is highly ambitious and constantly seeks more from life. She's deeply attracted to the glamour and brightness of bigger cities, bigger stages, and brighter lights. When Minnie allows Carrie to move in with her and her husband, the older sister observes that:
It had been several years since Minnie had seen Carrie, and in that time the latter’s character had developed a few shades. Naturally timid in all things that related to her own advancement, and especially so when without power or resource, her craving for pleasure was so strong that it was the one stay of her nature.
Even at this early stage of the novel when she’s still shy and retiring, Carrie is a pleasure-seeker who wants more from life than she currently has. Dreiser depicts her as someone who—although initially naive— quickly develops adaptability and keen social skills. These qualities are useful tools in navigating the challenges of city life. Her desires and dreams are always future-oriented, pointing to her constant yearning for a “fairyland” where she has all the love and wealth she desires.
In contrast, Minnie is staid, solid, and practical. She lives a life of subsistence, working just to survive, mirroring many in the working class of that era. When describing Carrie’s growing discontentment with her living situation, the narrator says that:
Minnie was no companion for her sister—she was too old. Her thoughts were staid and solemnly adapted to a condition. [...] Carrie, on the other hand, had the blood of youth and some imagination. Her day of love and the mysteries of courtship were still ahead. She could think of things she would like to do, of clothes she would like to wear, and of places she would like to visit. These were the things upon which her mind ran, and it was like meeting with opposition at every turn to find no one here to call forth or respond to her feelings.
Minnie is unable to imagine a life for herself that’s better than the one she’s living. This is partially because she and her husband already work so hard for what they have. Her perspective is grounded, stemming from an acceptance of her current circumstances. Minnie’s fears, especially her trepidation towards change and her extreme deference to her gloomy, silent husband, further underscore the vast gulf between the sisters' worldviews. They represent two different attitudes to a very similar situation, illustrating how a person’s choices and surroundings can change their nature.
Dreiser doesn’t limit his use of character foils to the novel’s protagonist and her sister. He also he extends it to the two most significant male characters in Sister Carrie. Charles Drouet and George Hurstwood are both prominent love interests of Carrie’s, and their differences and contrasting approaches to life provide useful context for one another.
Drouet is a social climber and a charismatic salesman. He pulsates with youthful energy and is constantly in motion. The narrator describes him in the following way:
Good clothes, of course, were the first essential, the things without which he was nothing. A strong physical nature, actuated by a keen desire for the feminine, was the next. A mind free of any consideration of the problems or forces of the world and actuated not by greed, but an insatiable love of variable pleasure.
Drouet’s own evaluation of his worth is somewhat superficial. He is always looking for the next success, and he highly values material possessions and physical appearances. His charm dances on the surface, and his aspirations seem very fleeting, as he's so full of spontaneity and exuberance. Drouet's relationship with Carrie brings this out. It lacks the depth and commitment that might anchor it for the long haul. Carrie sees this quite early, noting in Chapter 11 that:
She saw what Drouet liked; in a vague way she saw where he was weak. It lessens a woman’s opinion of a man when she learns that his admiration is so pointedly and generously distributed. She sees but one object of supreme compliment in this world, and that is herself.
Drouet is basically kind, but he's weak and lacks commitment. His attractions being so "generously distributed" is both a blessing and a curse. Hurstwood, on the other hand, stands in stark contrast to Drouet: he is—initially, at least—a figure of maturity, contemplation, and subtlety, "strong and sincere." As a stationary manager rooted in one place, the older man exudes an air of stability: even if he is cheating on his wife with Carrie. For Carrie, he is an anchoring point amidst the chaos of urban life. Where Drouet often sparkles with the carefree vigor of youth, Hurstwood seemingly has more of the wisdom that comes with age. His interactions, particularly his manipulations, stem not from surface charm but from deeper societal connections and understanding. Hurstwood's aspirations, in contrast to Drouet's, are initially grounded in the long term, mirroring his more mature and nuanced outlook on life. This quickly falls away, as his relationship with Carrie leads him to New York and the destruction of his career and prospects.
The difference between the two men becomes particularly poignant in the context of their respective relationships with Carrie. Both relationships start with deceit, with both men seeking to manipulate Carrie for their own purposes. Drouet’s relationship with Carrie is surface-level. By contrast, her relationship with Hurstwood takes on a deeper sense of connection. In New York, as they face challenges and their roles reverse (with Hurstwood declining and Carrie rising in the world of theater), Dreiser makes it clear that there's a depth of emotion and dependency in their relationship. Yet, whether Carrie's feelings for Hurstwood can be classified as love or are merely a complex mesh of gratitude, dependency, and pity is left for the reader to interpret. Hurstwood's connection with her is profound. However, that relationship destroys his life: he gives up his family and fortune in order to be with Carrie, eventually dying on the streets in a state of destitution.
