Abstract
Theodore Dreiser is an outstanding writer of the twentieth century American literature, also a pioneer of modern American fiction. In the history of American literature, He was the first one, who described the new urban life in the United States without prejudice. Sister Carrie is a novel he wrote in the late 19th century, also his first work. It traces Carrie's rise from a country girl to a brilliant Broadway star, delicately shows her life experience. At that time, the United States is striding towards a modern industrial country from a traditional agriculture country, monopoly capitalism from free capitalism. Social transformation has made people become rich, changed their values as well. Industrious and frugal way of life is no longer popular, replaced by uncontrolled material enjoyment and recreation. The story reveals the tragic fact that people pursued American dream fanatically in the early 20th century based on vivid realism which demonstrates that people could not gain true happiness in American capitalism society for it takes the money as the center.
Based on the historical and cultural background, this thesis mainly focus on the rise of Carrie and the decline of Hurstwood. Also, it discussed the interactive relations between the mentality changes of the characters in the development process and the environment and psychology of the times. It reveals the economic transformation and the resulting changes in the values in the writing age. Mainly reflects the physical and mental influence of money-first values on the pursuers in nineteenth-century America. The thesis is more of a reminder to let the readers think how to treat money and fame.
Key words: money, values, morality, pursue, social transformation
，英语毕业论文，英语论文 |
