Later in 1892, Theodore Dreiser began his career as a reporter, first with the Chicago Globe and then with several other newspapers。 In 1898, he married Sara White but his roving affections lead to their separation。 After that, he began writing his first novel, Sister Carrie in 1899。 It was published in early November 1900, Jennie Gerhardt in 1911, The Financier in 1912, The Giant in 1913, The Geniuse in 1915, American Tragedy in 1925, The Rampart in 1946 , The Stoic in 1947 and so on。文献综述
Dreiser’s writing has some features。 First of all, he stress determinism in his novels and his characters can’t assert their will against natural and economic forces。 Moreover, people in his novels are not entirely to blame for what they are and what they do and they are based on real people。 Finally, he developed the capacity for photographic and relentless observation, thereby reflecting the society and people of that time 。 Dreiser’s books contain vivid description of environmental settings and social background。
The language of his writing is very awkward, crude and on the bordering of line of grammar。 The tone is serious, which is never satirical or comic。 What’s more, the narrative is based on quantities of materials and detailed descriptions。
At the turn of the 19th century and 20th century, consumer culture was emerging in America。 ‘‘The dominant force in social life doesn’t lies in politics but in economy。’’( Donald 416) People were crazy about material life and luxury lifestyle and eagering for immoderate material comforts and amusement。 They have the distorted values。
Sister Carrie is widely recognized as the first novel in 20th century that is the reflection of people’s ups and downs in modern commercialized society。 Theodore Dreiser was a controversial writer in American literary history。 Due to the immorality in the book, publishers limited the advertising of Sister Carrie at that time but the influence of the book is still extremely profound。 It’s a story about Caroline Meeber who gets material success by being the mistress of two wealthy men, Drouet and Hurstwood and then being a celebrated Broadway star。 The smart and innocent country girl go to the big city, Chicago alone with her dream and longing。 Chicago is a materialistic city。 Those poor people who start at the bottom get together in the city to look for any opportunities。 But they will unlimitedly pursue luxury consumption and enjoyment when they experience big city life。
The experience of Carrie reflects several consumer cultures, material consumption, emotional consumption and body consumption。 Carrie’s consumption is a kind of conspicuous consumption。 The paper mainly analyzes the view of consumption of Carrie and reveals the features of the age of conspicuous consumption。 Then we can draw a conclusion that we should establish correct consumption view。
2。 Literature Review
Sister Carrie has been studied widely by many scholars from all over the world since it has been published。 Different scholars hold different views and understandings about the book。 When the book was created, many publishers rejected it because it is “immoral”。 来,自,优.尔:论;文*网www.youerw.com +QQ752018766-
In foreign countries , many scholars interpret it from different aspects 。 Fo来,自,优.尔:论;文*网www.youerw.com +QQ752018766-r example, O Volkova’s A Socialist Realist Perspective on “Sister Carrie”（Dreiser Studies 2003) presents a socialist-realist perspective on Sister Carrie and the different factors that contributed to the popularity of the book。 Then, CR Lewis’s Desire and Indifference in Sister Carrie: Neoclassical Economic Anticipations (Dreiser Studies 1998) discusses desire and indifference in the novel and economic identities and relations in Dreiser's representations of desire and indifference。 《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉·米贝尔的消费观(2):http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_88333.html