An Analysis of Naturalism in Sister Carrie-未改An Analysis of Naturalism in Sister Carrie-未改.docVIP

An Analysis of Naturalism in Sister Carrie The background of the subject research In the 1890s and the first two decades of the 20th-century, the naturalism in American literature appeared to be prosperous. Although the period is short, it is one of the most important stages in American history. As recorded, it promotes the innovation of the realism, prepares the way for the writing of the 1920s’“lost generation” and provides the adequate material and spiritual preparation for the creation of the modernism literature. What is more, it has great practical significance in the world. Therefore, it is very meaningful to have a study at the naturalism in American literature, especially the naturalism in Sister Carrie, which can be regarded as the representative work when coming to naturalism. As the pioneer of the modern novel representative writer, Theodore Dreiser was called “the wheelhouse of American naturalism”. He is considered to be one of the big three in modern novel field while another two persons are Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner. His famous novel Sister Carrie is the most significant work of naturalism in English. Although when the novel was published in 1900, it suffered the long-term banned issue for the so called “destructivity” at first, some distributed complimentary copies catch some important writers’ eyes. Since Sister Carrie is seen as the most significant work of naturalism, until now it is studied by many famous people. The content of the subject research Thus, this paper taking Sister Carrie as an example, attempts to study it from naturalistic point of view. It gives a brief introduction to naturalism from two aspects and explains how environmental and hereditary factors influence Carrie’s fate. Besides, since it is well known that naturalism have several limitations, the paper also aims to discuss naturalism in Sister Carrie with critical eyes, criticizing pessimistic determinism and the concept of human beast as reflected in the novel.