Naturalism in Sister Carrie

Naturalism in baby CarrieThere was much debate to whether Dreiser was a naturalist after the model of Zola. But if this denomination is reflected by the adoption of the sordid side of c atomic number 18er and a to a greater extent faithful registration of personal experience, then it can be a characteristic of his work. He was an documental realist who remotely brought together his facts but at the same time he was more. ( Spiller et all, 1963 1039)In the case of Dreisers babe Carrie a novel that has been repeatedly sort out in separate accounts as a work of literary realism and literary naturalism the exact opposite seems to hold true. Featuring elements of two of the most great(p) literary movements of the time in which it was written, the very consistency of Sister Carrie seems to be built on the combination of discrepant parts. Dreiser attains such combinatorial proficiency by operating with a rather distinct method of characterization, correlating the traits of particul ar characters (primarily Carrie) with a variety of forms of imagery employed to describe the external circumstances that affect them. By joining down-to-earth interpretations with naturalistic intentions in dealing with his characters, Dreiser is able to connect the vastness among literary genres, non totally overcoming literary divisions. ( Decker, 1997, 2)Being the equal to(p) of confused critics, Dreiser stated his intention with Sister Carrie in unmatched inter cypher in June 1907Here is a book that is close to life. It is intended not as a piece of literary craftsmanship, but as a picture of conditions d adept as simply and effectively as the English language can permit. To set up and criticize me for saying vest instead of waistcoat, to talk almost my splitting the infinitive and using vulgar commonplaces here and in that respect, when the tragedy of a mans life is depicted, is silly ( qtd. In Pizer, 1991 13) Sister Carrie is often referred to as a pattern of reali st literature because of its very down-to-earth descriptive technique. By presenting a behind-the-scenes view of daily life in Chicago and New York often from the two very different perspectives of Carrie and Hurstwood Dreiser illustrates what actually happens in places the reader might know yet tangentially. Such objectivity permitted Dreiser to concentrate on the fundamental qualities of ordinary human experience while at the same time representing larger sociocultural notions and values. A context as this serves to provide the novel in general with two of its most characteristic themes the unmarried seeking his fortune in the big metropolis and perhaps however achieving tragic failure, so often described by the French and American Realists and, frequently in association with this, the milieu studies of such writers as Dreiser (qtd. in Decker, 1997 ). Integrating accurate descriptions of everyday experience in a collection of appargonntly vast American settings, the fiction o f Theodore Dreiser has thus been easily know in light of realist descriptive technique (Phillips 572). Literary naturalism developed out of realism and Darwins biologic theories Those in favour of a naturalistic come on to and interpretation of life concentrated on depicting the social environment and dwelt particularly on its deficiencies and on the shortcomings of human beings. The naturalists vision of the estate of man tended to be subjective 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 helplessness of the human condition. By detecting the impossibility of human understanding, naturalist authors depicted experience as a assemblage of events generated by innate cultural and biological inheritances. Rather than trying to bring to light and describe the nature of specific social and cultural truths, naturalists proved readers th at the facts themselves were in reality driven by great and often incomprehensible sociobiological forces (qtd. in Decker, 1997, 2)). Evocative of a rather deterministic message, Sister Carrie has alike 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 internal forces that are beyond their individual powers of control. The descriptions of the characters, then in particular those involving external appearances and settings to internal traits illustrate how deeply these individuals are influenced by factors inexplicable to them. The original message of Sister Carrie the futility and mystery of life-guiding forces considering the intriguing vagaries of fortune is therefore a readily naturalistic one (Walcutt 266-9). Even though literary realism and nat uralism are often seen as different and discordant modes of representation in the American literary canon, the movements in theme as well as in description are not mutually absolute. The appearance of American naturalism in the late 19th century did not mark any ultimate rupture with literary realism. In fact, some critics see naturalism as a logical extension of realism, building upon the acquaintance 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 certain authors piece of music at the reverse of the 20th century did not exploit particular aspects of divergent literary movements to reflect overarching ideologies of the time. Writing in 1900, Dreiser certainly would call for been aware of the stylistic elements of both literary movements. With the as well asls of distributively of these modes of address at his disposal, Dreiser was able to portray realistic settings an d descriptions while maintaining an underlying naturalistic message one revealing the powerlessness of the individual in a morally confused society. The chief accomplishment of such a combination that of literary realism and naturalism in Sister Carrie occurs by dint of the correlation of Carries sensible appearance with what one might consider inherent personality traits. The various realistic 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 attention on the total absence of ethical plot conflict (the presence of which would be notable in a stringently 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 con flict 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 every hand, to her fatigued senses, the great business distribute grew larger, harder, more stolid in its indifference. Men and women hurried by in long shifting lines. She felt the f commencement of the tide of effort and rice beer felt her own helplessness without quite realizing the wisp of the tide that she was (21).The novel begins with Carrie finding herself in an unfamiliar and unstable environment, she feels that she is utterly subject to a force great 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 faithfully portrayed, including their potential effects such a hardship might have on the individual psyc he (.Decker) Yet, when one judges the primary motivation in this quote, it becomes obvious that there 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 organism in a sea of forces above and beyond his control and understanding. Finding a job seen as an internal motivation, one marked by realistic description is merged with an external nature that evades any decisive 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 localize to triumph over the strict difference between literary realism and naturalism.Such correspondence between realistic descriptions and naturalistic intention can also be found in the concrete characterization of Carrie. Dreiser frequently compares Carries physiologic and mental composition, utilizing the forces of literary r ealism to convey 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 observation and analysis. adoring with the fancies of youth, pretty with the insipid prettiness of the formative period, possessed of a figure promising eventual shapeliness and an eye alight with certain native newsworthiness (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 single phrase, Dreiser makes a very naturalistic argument. This exact 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 frailty 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 conviction that the course of narrated events has neither order nor direct accessibility to mans sympathy (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 discernment to exceed the bounds of literary genre.moreover,Dreiser employs similar physical descriptions to show how Carries mental and emotional traits are viewed by others in this no vel.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 run 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 endow 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 passage suggests the tone of naturalism through realistic depiction, demonstrating that Carries personality is nothing other than an increase of her biological composition. By presenting Carrie through the eyes of a knower (Drouet), Dreiser shows that even other individuals morally corrupted society in where the narrative 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 reflection 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 betwee n the narrator and the author himself. By temporarily assuming the case of the narrator, Dreiser is able to insert his own personal opinions directly into the text without assuming an overly compulsory tone (qtd in Decker, 6). By addressing the reader directly, Dreiser is able to express his naturalistic message bluntly by making the most of realistic descriptions, thus bridging the disparity between literary realism and literary naturalism.A final example that demonstrates the overlap 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 further enhance when Dreiser directly attributes Carries success as an actress (based on naturalistic motivation) to the acknowledgment of her very realistically described physical beauty. Now because Carrie was pretty, the g entlemen 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 contributed 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 overwhelming helplessness. Dreiser 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 rank 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.Althoug h 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 boundary 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 mankind 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 a re based 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 cohesiveness need not be based on readily compatible parts.