Naturalism in Sister Carrie

Naturalism in Sister Carriethither was much debate to whether Dreiser was a naturalist after the model of Zola. solely if this denomination is reflected by the acceptance of the sordid side of e motional state and a more faithful registration of personalized experience, hence it can be a characteristic of his work. He was an objective realist who remotely brought together his facts exclusively at the same time he was more. ( Spiller et all, 1963 1039)In the reference of Dreisers Sister Carrie a romance that has been repeatedly classified in dis near(a) accounts as a work of literary realism and literary reality the exact opposite seems to hold true. Featuring elements of two of the most prominent literary movements of the time in which it was written, the truly consistency of Sister Carrie seems to be reinforced on the confederacy of discrepant parts. Dreiser attains much(prenominal) combinatorial proficiency by operating with a rather distinct method of characterization , correlating the traits of grouchy characters (primarily Carrie) with a variety of forms of imagery employed to describe the foreign circumstances that rival them. By joining naturalistic commentarys with representational intentions in dealing with his characters, Dreiser is qualified to connect the vastness mingled with literary genres, not unadulteratedly everyplacecoming literary divisions. ( Decker, 1997, 2)Being the subject of various critics, Dreiser stated his intention with Sister Carrie in integrity interview in June 1907Here is a book that is close to life. It is intended not as a piece of literary craftsmanship, precisely as a picture of conditions d atomic number 53 as simply and effectively as the English language will permit. To set up and criticise me for saying vest instead of waistcoat, to talk about my splitting the infinitive and utilize vulgar commonplaces here and in that location, when the tragedy of a mans life is represent, is silly ( qtd. In Pizer, 1991 13) Sister Carrie is oft referred to as a pattern of realist literature because of its truly d testify-to-earth descriptive technique. By presenting a behind-the-scenes view of nonchalant life in Chicago and New York often from the two very different placements of Carrie and Hurstwood Dreiser illustrates what actually happens in places the reader qualification know only tangentially. Such objectivity permitted Dreiser to concentrate on the funda psychogenic qualities of ordinary serviceman experience while at the same time representing larger socio heathen notions and values. A context as this serves to tin the novel in customary with two of its most characteristic themes the individual seeking his fortune in the big metropolis and perhaps only achieving tragic failure, so often described by the French and American Realists and, frequently in necktie with this, the milieu studies of such writers as Dreiser (qtd. in Decker, 1997 ). Integrating accurate in terpretations of routine experience in a collection of apparently vast American settings, the fiction of Theodore Dreiser has thus been easily recognized in light of realist descriptive technique (Phillips 572). Literary naive realism developed out of realism and Darwins biologic theories Those in favour of a naturalistic approach to and interpretation of life concentrated on depicting the social environment and dwelt oddly on its deficiencies and on the shortcomings of human beings. The naturalists vision of the estate of man tended to be inbred and was very often somber (Naturalism 537-8). Naturalist authors refocused the objective of the realist novel by examining the unintelligible influences of biology and culture on man to expose the failing of the human condition. By detecting the impossibility of human under rest, naturalist authors depicted experience as a assemblage of events generated by innate cultural and biological inheritances. Rather than hard to bring to ligh t and describe the constitution of specific social and cultural truths, naturalists proved readers that the facts themselves were in reality drive by greater and often incomprehensible sociobiological forces (qtd. in Decker, 1997, 2)). smelling(p) of a rather deterministic message, Sister Carrie has also been often referred to as a work of literary naturalism (qtd in Decker,). In this view, the city settings in which the plot develops are means for the various social and biological forces that drive the action of this novel. Both Carrie and Hurstwood are stimulated by external and intimate forces that are beyond their individual powers of control. The descriptions of the characters, then in particular those involving external visual aspects and settings to internal traits illustrate how deeply these individuals are influenced by factors deep to them. The original message of Sister Carrie the futility and mystery of life-guiding forces considering the intriguing vagaries of f ortune is thusly a readily naturalistic one (Walcutt 266-9). Even though literary realism and naturalism are often seen as different and at variance(p) modes of representation in the American literary canon, the movements in theme as swell as in description are not reciprocally absolute. The appearance of American naturalism in the late 19th coulomb did not mark any last rupture with literary realism. In fact, some critics see naturalism as a logical citation of realism, building upon the knowledge of the time and expressing thought in an updated fashion (qtd. in Decker). Bearing such ideas in mind, it would seem deductively unsupported to assume that authoritative authors writing at the turn of the 20th century did not cultivate particular aspects of divergent literary movements to reflect overarching ideologies of the time. Writing in 1900, Dreiser for sure would have been aware of the stylistic elements of both literary movements. With the tools of each of these modes of greet at his disposal, Dreiser was able to portray true to life(predicate) settings and descriptions while maintaining an underlying naturalistic message one revealing the powerlessness of the individual in a morally confused decree. The mind accomplishment of such a combination that of literary realism and naturalism in Sister Carrie occurs through the correlation of Carries natural appearance with what one might consider inherent genius traits. The various living character descriptions in Sister Carrie render a very naturalistic message by their correlation with internal traits and motivations. Although the novel continually and quite dispassionately observes the conditions of ordinary life, Sister Carrie also centers the attendance on the total absence of ethical plot conflict (the social movement of which would be notable in a strictly realist novel). Even if its motion is depicted realistically, Sister Carrie is not reliant on determined acts by any of its main characters (Walcutt 270-2). One of the greatest sources of such external / internal conflict occurs in repeated instances of sea imagery within the novels context. This is particularly relevant to the initial characterization of Carrie. With the wane of the afternoon went her hopes, her courage, and her strength. On all hand, to her fatigued senses, the great business portion grew larger, harder, more stolid in its indifference. Men and women hurried by in long geological fault lines. She felt the f busted of the tide of effort and interest felt her throw impuissance without quite realizing the wisp of the tide that she was (21).The novel begins with Carrie finding herself in an unacquainted(predicate) and unstable environment, she feels that she is utterly subject to a force greater than that of her own personal agency. Carries job-seeking efforts are described is extremely realistic ones. The circumstances of trying to obtain a working position in a low social place are fait hfully portrayed, including their possible effects such a hardship might have on the individual somebody (.Decker) Yet, when one judges the primary motivation in this quotation mark, it becomes obvious that thither is a naturalistic message emphasizing the abovementioned realistic descriptions. This message of whose implications Carrie is not aware is one that paints man as a helpless beingness in a sea of forces above and beyond his control and understanding. determination a job seen as an internal motivation, one marked by realistic description is merged with an external nature that evades any determining(prenominal) human control. A debate on internal motivation might be interpreted as one of the ways in which Dreiser combines realistic description with naturalistic intention in order to triumph over the strict difference between literary realism and naturalism.Such commensurateness between realistic descriptions and naturalistic intention can also be found in the concr ete characterization of Carrie. Dreiser frequently compares Carries physical and psychical composition, utilizing the forces of literary realism to look at actual descriptions while employing naturalistic techniques to provide an underlying message. Caroline, or Sister Carrie, as she had been half affectionately termed by the family, was possessed of a mind rudimentary in its power of note and analysis. Warm with the fancies of youth, beauteous with the insipid prettiness of the formative period, possessed of a figure promising eventual shapeliness and an eye alight with certain native intelligence (Dreiser 2).This way, Carrie is made a preface, her character is depicted in two ways first, through the description of her mental traits, and second, through the description of her physical appearance. By the realistic portrayal of Carries looks, Dreiser hints at who Carrie is. By then placing both physical and mental characteristics within the bounds of a iodine phrase, Dreiser ma kes a very naturalistic argument. This claim that the forces of biology have not contoured the way Carrie looks but also the way she thinks and acts is one that strengthens the concept of the tenuity of human understanding. This is significant considering the overall attitude to Sister Carrie can be regarded as a reflection of biological determinism convoyed by a credit that the course of narrated events has neither order nor direct accessibility to mans intellect (Walcutt 277). By revealing the reader that Carries mental qualities are established exclusively on features beyond her control, Dreiser formulates the naturalistic reason that human agency is driven by a greater force than that of the consideration of individual characters as well as novels final motion. In this way, the early presentation of Carries personality combines realistic description with naturalistic meaning that of biological stimulus and mans limited judiciousness to exceed the bounds of literary genre .moreover,Dreiser employs similar physical descriptions to show how Carries mental and emotional traits are viewed by new(prenominal)s in this novel.He looked at her pretty face and it vivified his mental resources. She was a sweet little mortal to him there was not doubt of that. She seemed to have some power back of her actions. She was not like the common rivulet of store-girls. She wasnt silly (53).By this quote, Dreiser familiarizes his reader with Drouets perspective, who sees Carrie from the perspective of her beauty. By realistically comparing her physical appearance with the common run of store-girls,(53) Owing to his vast knowledge with women Drouet concludes that Carrie is not only more physically attractive than the average-looking woman of the period, but also gifted with more agency. This quote speaks about the realistic description of Carries physical qualities to the sphere of the naturalistic by disclosing the biological basis of mental traits. The description of Carries physical traits in this overtaking suggests the tone of naturalism through realistic depiction, demonstrating that Carries personality is no subject another(prenominal) than an increase of her biological composition. By presenting Carrie through the eyes of a apprehender (Drouet), Dreiser shows that even other individuals morally corrupted society in where the memoir is set, are blinded by the expression of physical traits. Dreiser therefore mingles realistic descriptions of Carrie with a naturalistic implication to show the limitations of rigorously defining literary realism and naturalism.Dreiser also conveys the combination of literary realism with naturalism by directly addressing physical influences on mental and emotional qualities. To the untraveled, territory other than their own familiar hearth is invariably fascinating. Next to love, it is the one thing which solaces and delights. Things new are too important to be neglected, and mind, which is a mere reflecti on of sensory impressions, succumbs to the flood of objects (217).This quote is meant directly for the reader. In Dreisers fiction, there is often an explicit correlation between the narrator and the author himself. By temporarily assuming the role of the narrator, Dreiser is able to insert his own personal opinions directly into the text without assuming an overly authoritative tone (qtd in Decker, 6). By addressing the reader directly, Dreiser is able to express his naturalistic message bluffly by making the most of realistic descriptions, thus bridging the disparity between literary realism and literary naturalism.A final example that demonstrates the carrefour between literary realism and naturalism in Dreisers Sister Carrie occurs at the novels conclusion. At this point in the plots progression, the relationship between realistic description and naturalistic intent has become fairly evident. The combination of literary movements is progress enhanced when Dreiser directly att ributes Carries success as an actress ( base on naturalistic motivation) to the mention of her very realistically described physical beauty. Now because Carrie was pretty, the gentlemen who made up the advance illustrations of shows about to appear for the Sunday papers selected Carries photo along with others to illustrate the announcement. Because she was very pretty, they gave it excellent space and drew scrolls around it. At the same time there seemed very little in her part. It consisted of standing around in all sorts of scenes, a silent little Quakeress. Carrie was the chief feature of the play. The audience, the more it studied her, the more it indicated its delight. Every other feature paled beside the quaint, teasing, delightful atmosphere which Carrie appendd while on stage (Dreiser 351-3). At the novels conclusion, Dreiser shows the reader that Carrie has risen above her former station in life one initially marked by a feeling of almost overpower helplessness. Dreise r also points out, however, that Carrie has achieved her position as a well-known actress only through others recognition of her physical beauty a trait that was marked as causing her heightened mental and emotional prowess from the novels very inception. Carries part as an actress consists only of standing around and frowning acting which fails to lend itself to her potential mental fortitude. In effect, then, Carrie has risen above and beyond her initial roll in life by ends outside her control and understanding. By realistically describing the announcement of her part in the papers as well as the actual role itself, Dreiser shows the reader how Carrie has advanced naturalistically on the basis of her physical attractiveness to members of the opposite sex. In this conclusion, then, Dreiser utilizes realistic descriptions in order to convey the naturalistic notion that it is only Carries beauty that contributes to her inner being and her ultimate success. With this idea in mind , Dreiser definitively binds realistic description to the naturalistic notion of helplessness and misunderstanding to dispel the boundaries between literary movements.Although traditionally referenced as a work of either strict literary realism or naturalism, Theodore Dreisers Sister Carrie is a novel that incorporates certain aspects of each of these movements to overcome the demarcation line seemingly inherent between the two. Through the pervasive combination of realistic description with the naturalistic dismissal of individual power and understanding, Dreiser, writing at the turn of the 20th century, bridges the expanse between these two literary movements. Utilizing realistic descriptions of internal motivations and physical descriptions, Dreiser gives the reader an accurate sense of who Carrie is and what her ball is like. Dreiser also conveys a naturalistic message in his novel one marked by the misunderstanding of a morally oblivious society regarding various underlying behavior-governing forces. By frequently comparing Carries physical appearance to her emotional and mental composition, Dreiser shows the reader that seemingly personal qualities are found on strictly sociobiological foundations. By utilizing realistic descriptions of Carries physical attributes to contribute to his naturalistic message, Dreiser bridges the gap between literary realism and naturalism and proves that strict holistic coherence need not be based on readily compatible parts.