Abstract:Sister Carrie is the first novel written by American writer Theodore Dreiser. It reflects the dark side of unemployment, poverty and hunger under the surface prosperity of American capitalist society in the late 19th century. The great literature is one of the most famous works in the history of American literature and holds a very important position in the history of world literature. Sister Carrie was one of the great literary works that were born during the American dream. It can be said that the American dream runs through the whole work. Carrie, the hero of the novel, came to Chicago to find happiness. Under the oppression of the real society, she betrayed her chastity and lived with the salesman and the hotel manager. Later she became an actress and gained wealth but she was not happy. Sister Carrie reveals the persecution of the American capitalist system to the petty bourgeoisie and the inevitability of the collapse of the American dream. This paper explains the meaning of the American dream and analyzes the reasons for the disillusionment of Carrie's dream from the perspective of the American dream.

Key words: Theodore Dreiser; Sister Carrie; American Dream; disillusionment 

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

Introduction-1

I. A Brief Introduction to the American Dream-3

A. The Definition of American Dream-3

B. The Origin of the American Dream-4

C. The Development of the American Dream-5

II. The Embodiment of American Dream in Carrie-7

A. The Formation of Carrie's American Dream-8

B. The Sublimation of Carrie's American Dream-9

C. The Disillusionment of Carrie's American Dream-10

III. The Reason of the Disillusionment of Carrie's American Dream-12

A. The Impact of American Society at the Time-12

B. The Influence of Carrie's Character-12

Conclusion-14

Bibliography-16

Acknowledgements-17