The pacing of Sister Carrie is deliberate and slow, mirroring Carrie's own journey from childhood to adulthood. Dreiser’s highly specific and detailed style and the plot’s unhurried pace allow readers to immerse themselves in Carrie’s experiences, feelings, and perceptions. It gives them a comprehensive understanding of her evolution into womanhood and the environment that shapes it. It also gives them an idea of the complications and prejudices that impacted how women were able to effect change in this period.
Dreiser's word choice and his formal diction also starkly reveals the gender inequality and the class differences present in the society of the time. As Carrie moves through different echelons of society, her own speech and the dialogue of those around her changes. Dreiser’s language evokes the distinct ambiance and rhythms of the 19th-century urban environments Carrie occupies. The narrative is full of Chicago and New York dialect and idioms of the time, giving readers a strong sense of the era’s local flavor.
The complex sentence structures in the novel also often reflect Carrie, Drouet, and Hurstwood's tendency toward self-examination and introspection. The sentences themselves mirror the inner turmoil, contradictions, and reflections of the characters—especially Carrie, as she navigates the challenges thrown her way. This intricate syntax offers readers a glimpse of the characters' psyches, suggesting that their internal lives are nuanced and multifaceted.
Dreiser’s writing is embellished throughout with rich metaphors. The language of Sister Carrie is serious and heavy, sometimes almost sermonic in nature. There are long passages that seem almost like philosophical tracts, which are punctuated with passages of snappy, dry dialogue and historical description.
