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Overview
Sister Carrie, published in 1900, is the first novel by Theodore Dreiser, a major figure in American literary naturalism. It traces the journey of Carrie Meeber, a young woman who leaves her rural life for the opportunities of the big city
. The novel's publication was the source of regret for its publisher, who belated had decided that it was immoral, but who were contractually obligated to publish it. After a decade of relative obscurity, however, its reputation grew as critics and American as a whole became more receptive to Dreiser's naturalist approach. Set in late 19th-century Chicago, New York, and Montreal, Sister Carrie explores Carrie's rise from a factory worker to a successful actress as it explores themes of ambition, desire, and the corrupting influence of wealth and success. In 1952, the novel was adapted into a film called Carrie that focuses as much on Dreiser's skillfully-drawn character of George Hurstwood as it does on Carrie Meeber.Read the free full text, the full book summary and a complete list of character descriptions from Sister Carrie.
