Sister Carrie
Authors: Theodore Dreiser
Tags: #Criticism, #Chicago (Ill.), #Psychological fiction, #Action & Adventure, #Theodore, #New York (N.Y.), #Bildungsromans, #Dreiser, #General, #Literary, #20th Century American Novel And Short Story, #Literature: Classics, #1871-1945, #actresses, #Young women, #Literature - Classics, #Classics, #Didactic fiction, #Mistresses, #Fiction
Table of Contents
From the Pages of Sister Carrie
The World of Theodore Dreiser and Sister Carrie
A Note on Hotels, Homes, Restaurants, and the Theater
CHAPTER I - THE MAGNET ATTRACTING: A WAIF AMID FORCES
CHAPTER II - WHAT POVERTY THREATENED: OF GRANITE AND BRASS
CHAPTER III - WE QUESTION OF FORTUNE: FOUR-FIFTY A WEEK
CHAPTER IV - THE SPENDINGS OF FANCY: FACTS ANSWER WITH SNEERS
CHAPTER V - A GLITTERING NIGHT FLOWER: THE USE OF A NAME
CHAPTER VI - THE MACHINE AND THE MAIDEN: A KNIGHT OF TO-DAY
CHAPTER VII - THE LURE OF THE MATERIAL: BEAUTY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF
CHAPTER VIII - INTIMATIONS BY WINTER: AN AMBASSADOR SUMMONED
CHAPTER IX - CONVENTION’S OWN TINDER-BOX: THE EYE THAT IS GREEN
CHAPTER X - THE COUNSEL OF WINTER: FORTUNE’S AMBASSADOR CALLS
CHAPTER XI - THE PERSUASION OF FASHION: FEELING GUARDS O’ER ITS OWN
CHAPTER XII - OF THE LAMPS OF THE MANSIONS: THE AMBASSADOR’S PLEA
CHAPTER XIII - HIS CREDENTIALS ACCEPTED: A BABEL OF TONGUES
CHAPTER XIV - WITH EYES AND NOT SEEING: ONE INFLUENCE WANES
CHAPTER XV - THE IRK OF THE OLD TIES: THE MAGIC OF YOUTH
CHAPTER XVI - A WITLESS ALADDIN: THE GATE TO THE WORLD
CHAPTER XVII - A GLIMPSE THROUGH THE GATEWAY: HOPE LIGHTENS THE EYE
CHAPTER XVIII - JUST OVER THE BORDER: A HAIL AND FAREWELL
CHAPTER XIX - AN HOUR IN ELFLAND: A CLAMOUR HALF HEARD
CHAPTER XX - THE LURE OF THE SPIRIT: THE FLESH IN PURSUIT
CHAPTER XXI - THE LURE OF THE SPIRIT: THE FLESH IN PURSUIT
CHAPTER XXII - THE BLAZE OF THE TINDER: FLESH WARS WITH THE FLESH
CHAPTER XXIII - A SPIRIT IN TRAVAIL: ONE RUNG PUT BEHIND
CHAPTER XXIV - ASHES OF TINDER: A FACE AT THE WINDOW
CHAPTER XXV - ASHES OF TINDER: THE LOOSING OF STAYS
CHAPTER XXVI - THE AMBASSADOR FALLEN: A SEARCH FOR THE GATE
CHAPTER XXVII - WHEN WATERS ENGULF US WE REACH FOR A STAR
CHAPTER XXVIII - A PILGRIM, AN OUTLAW: THE SPIRIT DETAINED
CHAPTER XXIX - THE SOLACE OF TRAVEL: THE BOATS OF THE SEA
CHAPTER XXX - THE KINGDOM OF GREATNESS: THE PILGRIM ADREAM
CHAPTER XXXI - A PET OF GOOD FORTUNE: BROADWAY FLAUNTS ITS JOYS
CHAPTER XXXII - THE FEAST OF BELSHAZZAR: A SEER TO TRANSLATE
CHAPTER XXXIII - WITHOUT THE WALLED CITY: THE SLOPE OF THE YEARS
CHAPTER XXXIV - THE GRIND OF THE MILLSTONES: A SAMPLE OF CHAFF
CHAPTER XXXV - THE PASSING OF EFFORT: THE VISAGE OF CARE
CHAPTER XXXVI - A GRIM RETROGRESSION: THE PHANTOM OF CHANCE
CHAPTER XXXVII - THE SPIRIT AWAKENS: NEW SEARCH FOR THE GATE
CHAPTER XXXVIII - IN ELFLAND DISPORTING: THE GRIM WORLD WITHOUT
CHAPTER XXXIX - OF LIGHTS AND OF SHADOWS: THE PARTING OF WORLDS
CHAPTER XL - A PUBLIC DISSENSION: A FINAL APPEAL
CHAPTER XLII - A TOUCH OF SPRING: THE EMPTY SHELL
CHAPTER XLIII - THE WORLD TURNS FLATTERER: AN EYE IN THE DARK
CHAPTER XLIV - AND THIS IS NOT ELFLAND: WHAT GOLD WILL NOT BUY
CHAPTER XLV - CURIOUS SHIFTS OF THE POOR
CHAPTER XLVI - STIRRING TROUBLED WATERS
From the Pages of
Sister Carrie
When a girl leaves her home at eighteen, she does one of two things. Either she falls into saving hands and becomes better, or she rapidly assumes the cosmopolitan standard of virtue and becomes worse. Of an intermediate balance, under the circumstances, there is no possibility.
(page 3)
To Carrie, the one relief of the whole day would have been a jolly home, a sympathetic reception, a bright supper table, and some one to say: “Oh, well, stand it a little while. You will get something better,” but now this was ashes.
(page 47)
Here, then, was Carrie, established in a pleasant fashion, free of certain difficulties which most ominously confronted her, laden with many new ones which were of a mental order, and altogether so turned about in all of her earthly relationships that she might well have been a new and different individual. She looked into her glass and saw a prettier Carrie than she had seen before; she looked into her mind, a mirror prepared of her own and the world’s opinions, and saw a worse. Between these two images she wavered, hesitating which to believe.
(page 85)
Here was this greatest mystery, the man of money and affairs sitting beside her, appealing to her. Behold, he had ease and comfort, his strength was great, his position high, his clothing rich, and yet he was appealing to her.
(page 116)
“Of course, you’ll do,” said Drouet, who, in his efforts to enthuse Carrie, had interested himself. “Do you think I’d come home here and urge you to do something that I didn’t think you would make a success of? You can act all right. It’ll be good for you.”
(page 141)
“Use everything and abuse me and then walk off. That’s just like a woman. I take you when you haven’t got anything, and then when some one else comes along, why I’m no good. I always thought it’d come out that way.”
(page 201)
“Let me be everything to you from now on,” he said. “Don’t make me worry any more. I’ll be true to you. We’ll go to New York and get a nice flat. I’ll go into business again, and we’ll be happy. Won’t you be mine?”
(page 256)
The Vances could travel, they could do the things worth doing, and here she was. For what was she made, anyhow? More thought followed, and then tears—tears seemed justified, and the only relief in the world.
(page 294)
Carrie reported promptly and was given a place in the line. She saw a large, empty, shadowy play-house, still redolent of the perfumes and blazonry of the night, and notable for its rich, oriental appearance. The wonder of it awed and delighted her. Blessed be its wondrous reality. How hard she would try to be worthy of it. It was above the common mass, above idleness, above want, above insignificance. People came to it in finery and carriages to see. It was ever a center of light and mirth. And here she was of it. Oh, if she could only remain, how happy would be her days!
(page 340)
“I’m going away. I’m not coming back any more. It’s no use trying to keep up the flat; I can’t do it. I wouldn’t mind helping you, if I could, but I can’t support us both, and pay the rent. I need what little I make to pay for my clothes. I’m leaving twenty dollars. It’s all I have just now. You can do whatever you like with the furniture. I won’t want it.”
(page 388)
Sitting alone, she was now an illustration of the devious ways by which one who feels, rather than reasons, may be led in the pursuit of beauty. Though often disillusioned, she was still waiting for that halcyon day when she should be led forth among dreams become real.
(page 445)
Published by Barnes & Noble Books
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New York, NY 10011
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Sister Carrie
was first published in 1900 in an edition of
1,000 copies. It was reissued in 1907.
Published in 2005 by Barnes & Noble Classics with new Introduction; A Note on
Hotels, Homes, Restaurants, and the Theater; Notes; Biography; Chronology;
Inspired By; Comments & Questions; and For Further Reading.
Introduction; A Note on Hotels, Homes, Restaurants,
and the Theater; Notes; and For Further Reading
Copyright © 2005 by Herbert Leibowitz.
Note on Theodore Dreiser, The World of Theodore Dreiser and
Sister Carrie,
Inspired by
Sister Carrie,
and Comments & Questions
Copyright @ 2005 by Barnes & Noble, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted
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recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without the
prior written permission of the publisher.
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colophon are trademarks of Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Sister Carrie
ISBN-13: 978-1-59308-226-0 ISBN-10: 1-59308-226-6
eISBN : 978-1-411-43318-2
LC Control Number 2005927065
Produced and published in conjunction with:
Fine Creative Media, Inc.
322 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10001
Michael J. Fine, President and Publisher
Printed in the United States of America
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