DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How does Carrie’s identity evolve throughout the course of the novel? Look at her relationships with her sister and brother-in-law, Drouet, Hurstwood, the Vances, Ames, and the theater. In what way does she change after each experience? How does her sense of her own power evolve?

2. What is the function of money and economic class in the novel? How does Carrie come to understand the limitations of her own position?

3. Chicago and New York become characters in the novel. In what way does the American city reveal the author’s ideas about poverty, labor, leisure, and social status?

4. What is the theme of the novel? Is Dreiser conveying moral lessons? Are they unique to this time period?

5. What is the significance of the title?

6. Why is Sister Carrie considered a classic? Are the themes universal and relevant in the 21st century?