An Eco-feminist Interpretation of Sister Carrie Abstract Sister Carrie, as one of Theodore Dreiser’s most famous works, drawing its material from the real society, presents the American life during the period from the late 19th century to early 20th century when America shifted fast from an agricultural society to an industrial society. 

This thesis analyses nature and females in the novel. Both of them are in a submissive position in the patriarchal society, but the two are not defenseless. The relationships between male, nature and female are also made clear. A conclusion that androcentrism and anthropocentrism are the resource of ecological and female crisis is thus made. And the root of androcentrism and anthropocentrism is the man-made hierarchy and hegemony system. To reach for a better society, the three elements should be complementary mutually. The importance of nature and female should be reevaluated.48260

Keywords: Eco-feminism; androcentrism; anthropocentrism; male; female; nature

《嘉莉妹妹》的生态女性主义解读

摘要《嘉莉妹妹》作为美国现实主义作家西奥多·德莱塞的代表作之一，以日常生活为素材，呈现出19世纪末到20世纪初快速从农业社会转变为工业社会的美国生活。

本文将分析作品中的自然和女性。两者在父权社会都处于从属地位，但是并非毫无反抗之力。本文明确了小说中男性，自然和女性三者间的关系。最后得出结论，男性中心主义和人类中心主义是生态危机和女性危机的根源。而男性中心主义和人类中心主义源于人类社会的等级制度和霸权主义。要达到一个更好的社会，三者应是相辅相成，互补互惠的。因此，人类需要重新审视自然和女性的意义。

毕业论文关键词：生态女性主义；男性中心主义；人类中心主义；男性；女性；自然

Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction 5

1.1 Literature Reviews 5

1.2 Thesis Statement 7

1.3 Thesis Structure 8

Chapter 2 Eco-feminism 9

2.1 Definition of Eco-feminism 9

2.2 Eco-feminism in Literature 9

Chapter 3 Nature in Sister Carrie 10

3.1 Deterioration of Nature 10

3.2 The Violation of Nature 10

Chapter 4 Female in Sister Carrie 12

4.1 Female as a Commodity 12

4.1.1 Carrie: A Trophy of Male’s World 12

4.1.2 Minnie: A Maid of Family 13

4.1.3 Mrs. Hurstwood: A Sign of Male’s Decency 13

4.2 Carrie’s Dependence on Three Men 14

4.3 The Rebellion of Female 15

4.3.1 The Rise of Carrie 15

4.3.2 The Decline of Hurstwood 17

Chapter 5 Eco-feminism in Sister Carrie 18

5.1 Similar Status in the Patriarchal Society 18

5.2 Harmony of Nature and Female 18

5.2.1 The Symbolic Links between Nature and Female 18

5.2.2 The Experiential Links between Nature and Female 19

Chapter 6 Conclusion