In UK, Sister Carrie is also praised by critics。 In spite of its shortcomings, it is a milestone in American literature。 As is said, it marks the beginning of Dreiser’s long -lasting and tough fight for freedom of artistic expression; it is a magnificent and unprecedented novel, certainly a landmark in the literature of the United States and a significant factor in the change of the moral attitude。 

In China, there are also varied attitudes towards Sister Carrie。 Some hold that Sister Carrie is a controversial book。 Others support that the moral tendency of Carrie is deeply affected by the social environment。 Sister Carrie is meaningful and naturalistic in exposing the social problems of that age。文献综述

Although there are still many different views about Sister Carrie, now most people both home and abroad start to research the book from new perspectives, such as alienation of interpersonal relationship, conflict between traditional value and reality, and eco-feminism。 In The Alienation of Interpersonal Relationship—An Analysis of Sister Carrie , Li Yang“attempts to explore the alienation of interpersonal relationship under the circumstance of consumer society in the novel from perspective of Marxism and text analysis” (Li Yang 194)。 In The Conflict Between The Traditional Value and Reality In Sister Carrie, the authors “prove that in the world ,only the fittest can survive and the standard and requirement of morality are challenged and morality and traditional value are weak and meaningless” (Gu Qingyuan, Chen Fei, Sun Shengqiang, Chang Lina, Zhang Luobin 77) In An Eco-feminist Comparison Between Sister Carrie and My Antonia, Liu Yi “makes a thorough comparison of two literary works -Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser and My Antonia by Willa Cather” (Liu Yi 190)。 This thesis will analyze Carrie’s main character and probe into the causes leading to her character。 It is hoped that this thesis can remind people in modern society to pay attention to their character and help build harmonious society。 

3。 The Character of Carrie

Through analyzing Carrie’s attitude and behavior towards her lovers neighbors, and family, it is considered in the essay that Carrie had four main character: simplicity and naiveness, ambitiousness, money worship and vanity, selfishness and coldness。

3。1 Simplicity and naiveness

Carrie was readily to be touched by men’s praise and sweet words。 On the train leaving for Chicago, she met Drouet and after getting off the train, Drouet offered to take the package for Carrie, she responded, “very kind of you。” and thought herself fortunately enough to get the such complaisant care in a strange land。 However , Carrie were not aware that Drouet was a person who had strong desire for entertaining and conquering women。 Due to illness, Carrie lost her job。 At that time, she was unable to find another job。 Then, she met Drouet who treated her to dinner and offered to give her money to buy new clothes and shoes。 Feeling ashamed, Carrie refused to accept the money。 But she compromised under the lure of money。 She began to think Drouet was lavishly generous instead of a man who sought fun by pursuing women。 Seeing Carrie unable to find a new job, her sister and brother-in-law saw her as a burden and decided to send her back home。 At that very time, Drouet advised Carrie to move in and live with him, promising to help her find a job。 Slowly, Carrie was conquered inside and willing to be his kept woman。 She hoped to get married with him, but Drouet didn’t。 Whenever Carrie talked of the topic of marriage, he avoided it by flirting with her。 Drouet couldn’t give up his love affairs and asked Carrie to wait patiently until he earned more money。 It seemed that Carrie did not hold the magic for him。来*自~优|尔^论:文+网www.chuibin.com +QQ752018766*

Later, due to simplicity, Carrie was cheated even worse by another man, Hurstwood。 Carrie was charmed by the Hurstwood’s manner and conversation and Hurstwood adored Carrie’s beauty。 Thus, the two dated frequently。 But Carrie didn’t realize that Hurstwood has already married 。When she learned from Drouet that Hurstwood was not single, she regretted being deceived and determined not to contact with him any more。 Until someday when Hurstwood suddenly came to visit her and told her that Drouet was badly sick in hospital, she followed him undoubtedly only to find that she was cheated again by Hurstwood。 Due to naiveness and simplicity, Carrie was cheated by men twice。