ABSTRACT

Novels cannot be studied apart from plots, whereas plots cannot be separated from various conflicts. Conflicts are often the main methods to create plot, through the creation of contradictions and clashes, a writer can enrich the plot of a novel, intensifying the conflicts between characters, implanting suspenses or adding thematic concerns. The contents and manners of the formation of conflicts and clashes in the novel are multidimensional, such as life and death. Theodore Dreiser is a pioneer of American modern novels and one of the representative writers of naturalism. One of his representative works is Carrie Sister, which clearly illustrated how in the early 20th century, people pursued transient material enjoyment. Which is also the point of building conflicts in literature.

  This paper analyzes the clashes and conflicts in Carrie Sister under the influence of naturalism, and deeply explores the conflicts and struggles between people and their own desires, their environment and social reality under. In this paper, psychological approaches, archetypal analysis and other methods are employed to analyze the construction of the conflicts in Carrie sister.

Key words：plot; clash; naturalism; desire; environment

CONTENTS

摘要

ABSTRACT

1.introduction-1

2.The Types of Clashes in Sister Carrie-2

2.1 The Clashes Between Human Beings and Their Environments-2

2.1.1 Natural Environment vs. Man Made Environment.-3

2.1.2 The Influence of Minor Characters on Carrie-4

2.2The Clashes Between Human Beings and Their Desires-6

2.2.1 The Four Minor Characters Who Brought Changes to the View on Materials of Carrie-6

2.2.2 The Desire of Hurstwood for Beautiful Girls-8

2.2.3 The impact of temptations-9

2.3 The clashes between social principles and social realities.-10

2.3.1The degeneration of Carrie’s morality-11

2.3.2 The Degeneration of Hurstwood-12

3.The Skills of Constructing Clashes in Carrie Sister-13

3.1 The Analysis of Carrie’s Psychological Changes-13

3.2 The Analysis of Carrie Using Archetypal Analysis-15

3.2.1.Both of Them are Driven by Their Desires.-15

3.2.2 How They Fell from Their Pure State-15

4.Conclusion-16

Acknowledgements-18