Abstract: Sister Carrie is a full-length novel written by Theodore Dreiser, the famous American author in 20th century. This book caused a sensation in the society and deepened the new concept of ‘new women’ at that time. Readers turned their attitudes from the beginning of curb block to recognition and praise. As the new image of “new woman”, Sister Carrie was the response to the requirement of feminism which was called by the American women. Additionally, the concept of “new women” was deeply consolidated on the basis of existence. This book became a shock to the traditional women’s morality which was deeply affected by the Puritanism, enabled the women to fight for economy independence and equal social status and free thinking. This paper, focusing on the research about the process of Sister Carrie’s struggle, emphasizes the positive effects of ‘new women’. And this study will enable modern women to have self-reliance, self-confidence and independent healthy sense of personality. 

Key words: new woman; feminism; personal independence

摘要:《嘉莉妹妹》是20世纪美国作家西奥多·德莱塞于1900年完成的长篇小说。此书出版以来，在社会上引起了轰动，并且加深了当时已有的新女性观念。读者由扼制封杀的态度逐渐转为了赞扬与肯定。嘉莉妹妹的新女性形象响应了当时美国妇女对于女权主义的要求。此书对当时深受清教主义影响的传统妇女道德是严重一击，鼓励了女性要求经济独立，社会地位平等以及思想自由。本文通过侧重研究了嘉莉妹妹逐步奋斗的历程，强调了新女性主义对于她取得功的积极作用，也希望通过本文的研究，让现代女性拥有自强、自立、自信的独立健康的人格意识。

关键词：新女性；女权主义；人格独立