New Essays on Sister Carrie [Hardcover]

The four essays in this 1991 volume discuss approaches to Sister Carrie.Four original essays examine major areas of interest in the novel, including the impact of Dreiser's own life on the creation of Carrie and Hurstwood, the relationship of Carrie and the theater, and Dreiser's naturalism and narrative technique.Four original essays examine major areas of interest in the novel, including the impact of Dreiser's own life on the creation of Carrie and Hurstwood, the relationship of Carrie and the theater, and Dreiser's naturalism and narrative technique.The introduction by Donald Pizer describes in detail the biographical and historical background of the novel and its critical reputation. The four original essays in the volume not only touch on long-established approaches to Sister Carrie but also reflect a number of the concerns of recent scholarly and critical movements. Each of the essays is a self-standing examination of a major area of interest in the novel, including such topics as the impact of Dreiser's own life on the creation of Carrie and Hurstwood, the relationship of Carrie and the theater, and Dreiser's naturalism and his narrative technique.Preface; Notes; 1. Introduction Donald Pizer; 2. Carrie's blues Thomas P. Riggio; 3. A portrait of the artist as a young actress: the rewards of representation in Sister Carrie Barbara Hochman; 4. Sister Carrie: the city, the self, and the modes of narrative discourse Richard Lehan; 5. Who narrates? Dreiser's presence in Sister Carrie Alan Trachtenberg; Notes; Bibliography.