Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser.

“When a girl leaves her home at eighteen, she does one of two things. Either she falls into saving hands and becomes better, or she rapidly assumes the cosmopolitan standard of virtue and becomes worse."

After finishing 2 books off my TBR Challenge list relatively early in the year, I wasn't sure if I was ready to tackle another just yet. So, I stood and stared at my shelves for a bit in hopes that something would jump out at me. And while Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie didn't jump at me, I felt compelled to pick it up and flip through it. It was after looking at it that I decided there would be no better book for me in that moment.

And how right I was.

In short, Sister Carrie seems like a relatively simple story.  A young girl, Carrie Meeber, finds her way to Chicago to live with her sister and her husband in hopes of finding some work. On her journey into the city, she meets the handsome Charles Drouet, who will change her life and fortune in the future. Once in Chicago, she finds herself in a small apartment with her poor relatives. She finds a job working int a shoe factory, but after falling ill and losing her position, she determines to leave for home...and then Drouet enters, offers to buy her new clothes, find her rooms, and her life changes. Because while Drouet does many things for her, and has pulled her from poverty, it isn't enough for Carrie. She continually wants more from life-more wealth, more possessions, more happiness. So when other opportunities present themselves, she goes along with it. In the end, Carrie is left with the fortune and fame she always wanted, but her one real wish-to be happy and content with herself-isn't there.

This is the kind of novel that I always seem to gravitate towards. A woman out in search of something greater, but she never quite manages the happiness that she craves (The House of Mirth and The Portrait of a Lady share many of these qualities). Carrie, however, is a bit different than the other women. Whereas many "fallen" women force themselves into their circumstances, Carrie just kind of...goes with it. She protests going along with Drouet when he wants to buy her clothes and rent her rooms (she insists on returning home for quite some time), but after trying on a beautiful coat, she consents to hear him out. She does as he bids and allows him to dress her up and give her money to fulfill her whims. Eventually, that isn't enough and an even wealthier man, Hurstwood, enters the picture. Unlike Drouet, Hurstwood is married and as his own fascination with Carrie elevates, he loses all reason to be with her.

Again, Carrie doesn't necessarily force her own hand. She is hesitant to give into Hurstwood, but once she does, she goes along with it. At no point does Carrie actively make decisions to change her future. And after Hurstwood makes poor decisions and must flee, Carrie is "tricked" into fleeing to New York with him to avoid the problems.

It is only once the two of them are in New York that the novel really begins. It is here that the reader sees Hurstwood's fall from great heights. In Chicago, he was wealthy, well-known and respected, but after throwing that away to chase after Carrie, he's no one. He struggles to find work and loses it. And soon he spirals down into nothing but a man who sits at home readings the papers and pestering Carrie. It is also in New York that Carrie finally makes the one decision to change her fate. After Hurstwood loses everything and begins his downward spiral, she must search for work for herself, landing a small role on Broadway. It is only when her career begins to rise that she makes the decision to abandon Hurstwood in his poverty and seek out wealth for herself.

In the end, she has what she so desperately went to Chicago for-wealth, pretty clothes, fame-but no happiness. In the end, she's unhappier than she ever was before, having used and set aside the men who helped her get there.

That ended for Carrie was certainly sad, but nothing in comparison to what happens to the men in her life. After leaving Drouet in Chicago for Hurstwood, nothing changes in him. In fact, he is very much the same person he used to be, only more in love with Carrie when they reunite in New York because she is everything he cannot have.

And Hurstwood? For me, he was truly the "fallen" character in this novel. His whole life spiraled downward after meeting Carrie and falling for her beauty. He lost his wealth and his connections and near the end, is homeless and begging on the streets of New York. There is one scene where he corners Carrie outside the theater to beg for money to eat because she "owed it to him." There is also the tragic scene where he finds a room in a hotel very near the end of the novel...yes, he falls from great heights into something truly tragic. He, unlike Carrie, truly loses everything.

Yes, this was a novel that suited me perfectly and had me anxious for more time to read. It reminded me greatly of some of my other favorites and is a book I will certainly reread again at some point in the future.

“How true it is that words are but the vague shadows of the volumes we mean. Little audible links, they are, chaining together great inaudible feelings and purposes.”

Book 53: On Part 3 and Finished.

I can say two things about Dreiser's An American Tragedy: It was very, very long, and I really, really, loved it.

The third part, which is well over 300 pages as well, seemed to go by much faster than the first two. Clyde has committed his crime and the police are putting together the clues for his trial. I was absolutely fascinated by these proceedings and compared them in my head to what I know of present-day cases that are under investigation.

Dreiser maintains the ability to keep his reader on the fence about the extent of Clyde's guilt. We have lived with Clyde, loved with Clyde, and possibly murdered with Clyde, so the real judgment comes on our part. It doesn't matter what the jury may have decided-that wasn't the point. Dreiser's main goal was to get me thinking about the entire mess and what drove Clyde to desperation.

We all grow up hearing stories about the "American Dream" and what we can hope to be if we try hard enough and work enough. No one ever tells us what kinds of sacrifices we must make in order to gain that level of success. Some people are willing to risk anything and everything to reach that level. It certainly made me think differently about success and what I would be willing to do to get there.

When I finished the novel, I wasn't sure at first how to feel about it. In many ways, I feel that the first part-explaining Clyde's childhood-was drawn out and unnecessary. We really don't need all of those details, and perhaps an overview would have been enough. But upon closing it and thinking, I realized that Dreiser was merely explaining how a normal boy from very humble beginnings can turn into a ruthless killer. It really made me think about the back stories of many of the faces I see on TV. How many of them felt they had no other choice?

I'm not sure if that even matters.

But I enjoyed it and loved. It is a novel that made me think deeply about what we teach our children in schools about success and what success means. I questioned my own need to rise the ladder to the American Dream. Would I still like myself if I got to the top? Based on this, probably not.

Anyway, this is something I think everyone needs to think about reading. Yes, it is long, and sometimes drawn out, but well worth the moral dilemma it instills.

Book 53: On Part Two.

Dreiser is definitely a mouthy sort of fellow. I mean, he likes to take his sweet time saying what he needs to say, and kind of rambles in a long and complicated way, repeating the same idea that he mentioned in the last chapter. But it works for him, I guess, since I'm still reading and I finished the second of three parts in this massive tome.

At 370 pages long, the second part is more than double the length of the first part, and only slightly more exciting. At the end of the first part, Clyde escapes Kansas City after an accident of sorts. We find him at the beginning of the second part working in a hotel in Chicago. By chance, he runs into his wealthy uncle (his father's brother). Clyde impresses his uncle and manages to land a job in his uncle's factory. Clyde believes this to be his saving grace and his way to finally move upwards in society.

He moves and begins work. His uncle and family seem to ignore Clyde-mostly likely because they are embarrassed by Clyde's humble status and his family. However, Clyde works hard and is eventually promoted to working in a room where he supervises a group of young girls. His one rule is not to get involved with any of the women in his room.

I'll give you one guess what he does.

Roberta is a beautiful girl from a very poor family. She is living with a friend in town and seems slightly naive. Clyde and her begin an affair. While she is loving and willing to commit to Clyde, he is more fickle. At first, everything seems fine. He falls in love with Roberta and she with him. They see each other in secret so that no one will catch them and report him to his boss. He even convinces her to get a new place to stay so he can go to her room at night (scandal!).

Then, he is scooped up by society. A group of young men and women who are in the elite in town realize who he is related to and start taking him around. Clyde goes to dinners and parties and gradually leaves Roberta behind. He falls for another girl and rather than being honest with Roberta about his feelings...he just lies to her. It all comes to a head when she realizes she is pregnant.

This is where the novel really began to grab hold of me. On one hand, you have a young, innocent girl who didn't ask to be knocked up, and knew better. Clyde pressured her and promised her marriage. She wants him to help her and cannot understand why he won't.

Clyde, on the other hand, has always wanted money and society standing. This is his opportunity to make something of himself and become more than his parents. He fell out of love with Roberta, which happens, and doesn't know what to do. If he marries Roberta, everything he has worked for will disappear. If he continues to ignore her, then she'll take action.

It is certainly a sticky situation and it was hard to decide where to lay my empathy. I mean, Roberta is a sweet girl, who knew better and let a man's "needs" take over. But I do feel for Clyde and now I understand why Dreiser took his time developing who Clyde was and where he came from. You, as a reader, have to sympathize with him a bit, since he is struggling, and trying. But, at the same time, Clyde is infuriating. You want to shake him, or at least smack some sense in him for making such stupid mistakes.

Then, the book takes this dark and twisted turn into the crime and Clyde's decision to "take care of" the problem by murdering Roberta (again, not a spoiler-it says it on the back cover). You have to wonder about the desperation that must have taken hold of Clyde when he made that decision. The last 30 pages of this section flew by to that inevitable climax when Clyde throws away his life...as well as Roberta's.

The third section looks like it is going to focus on the aftermath, and I am sure that once I finish it I will have more to say about the drama of Clyde Griffiths. I only hope it moves along faster than the first two parts.

Someone really needed to edit this monster before publication. 100 pages of courting Roberta was not necessary to establish their relationship, you know?

Anyway, onward!

Book 53: On Part One.

This book is massive. I feel like I could actually knock myself out with it. It is a heavy brick that I have been lugging around, and it reads like a heavy brick in parts.

I have completed the first, and shortest, part of 146 pages. Finishing that felt like reading a whole book. It almost made me cry when I realized that not only do I have two more parts to read, but I also have over 700 pages LEFT. Yes, this is massive.

With that being said, I actually really like Dreiser's writing, and this interesting story. The novel is based on a real murder and Dreiser explores in this behemoth how a man could be driven to such murder. From how I am understanding it, the first part explores some of the main character's background (I'll touch on that more in a minute). The second part is on his relationship with the woman he ultimately murders (not a plot spoiler, promise. You know he's going to do it just from reading the back over). And the third part is the aftermath-the trial, etc.

And I like that little play on words in the title. Instead of "dream," it is a tragedy, since Clyde doesn't seem to always get what he wants. In the first part where the novel explores his youth, we gain a lot of background information on him and his family. I don't exactly see how this is necessary in detail, but I can understand why Dreiser spends the time to paint a vivid picture of Clyde.

Growing up, Clyde moved around a great deal as his parents were street-preachers and often worked in missions. At the time the novel begins, they have settled in Kansas City and Clyde really hates his life. He wants more than what his parents can offer him and dreams of something more. He ends up working at a soda fountain before being employed as a bellboy at a ritzy hotel.

This is where the picture of Clyde really begins to develop. He lies to his parents about his wages so he can keep more for himself to buy nice clothes and go out with his friends. He makes up excuses to be with different girls and friends. He yearns for a life that is a lot grander than what he has and attempts to get there by any means possible.

It is an interesting depiction of how the class system in the United States works. We all have that "American dream" of reaching far above and hoping to move up. And it is entirely possible for almost anyone to do so. But you have to wonder, as I did reading Clyde's story, is it actually worth it? Because, judging by the title, I don't think Clyde is going to get his dream.

Anyway, this first comes to a shocking end as Clyde seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am curious to see how the massive middle section bridges this early portrait of a young man with lofty goals into a murderer.

Book 53: An American Tragedy and Book Stats.

Title: An American Tragedy

Author: Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945)

First Published: 1925

My Edition: Signet Classic (seen at left)

Pages: 859

Other Works Include: Sister Carrie (1900), Jennie Gerhardt (1911), The Titan (1914), Twelve Men (1919), A Gallery of Women (1929)

This book intimidates me. I mean, it is a massive brick of a book with super small print. It scares me because of its sheer size and weight. Besides, it is by an author I have no experience with. So yes, I might have a reason to be frightened.

However, the premise of the novel intrigues me and even before I embarked on my challenge, this book was on my TBR list. I owe that to a young adult novel, A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly, that I read last year. In the YA novel, the crime committed in An American Tragedy comes into play. Since reading that Donnelly was inspired by Dreiser's work, I knew that I eventually wanted to read this massive brick of a book (and I fully recommend Donnelly's novel as well).

I know that the "Crime" in the crime in the story is about a murder, but if this was just a story about a single murder, I know the author could have shortened it from the 859 pages of tiny text. I am looking forward to how this develops and plays out. And if it can keep me entertained for as long as it will take for me to read it!

I will also be reading Sister Carrie in the future, provided that Dreiser doesn't make me pull all of my hair out.

Weekly Wrap-up for August 8, 2010: A Day Late.

I really logged in some hours working this weekend. I worked a nine hour day Friday, 14 and a half on Saturday, and another nine hours yesterday. Needless to say when I got home and discovered my husband had a movie rented ("The Road") I caved in and watched it with him.

I read the book by Cormac McCarthy last summer and thoroughly loved it. The movie was just as dreary as the book, but I felt it was a great interpretation. Viggo Mortenson did an excellent job and I was moved by his performance. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it, but read the book first.

After finished our movie, we crashed in bed, so here is my update for the week.

I finally managed to finish the last half of An American Tragedy, which I have been toting around with me for the better part of a month. I have a lot to say about the book and I am looking forward to writing about all 860 pages.

I also took the time this week to sign up for Amanda's read-along of Bleak House by Charles Dickens. It coincided with my need to get another of his novels off my list perfectly. And since it is the longest of the ones of my list, I can't wait to be done with it.

I'm not really sure what I will be reading next this week. I was leaning towards Brave New World, but I think I might just stare at the bookshelf for a bit and see what jumps out at me.

Happy Reading!

Weekly Wrap-up for August 1, 2010.

This week started out super promising. I had some posts written and every intention of getting a few more done throughout the week. Then work happened.

One of our jobs this week was to rip out an old fence at a playground and put in a new one. The tearing down of the old rails was fine. I went a little crazy with an axe and tore those babies down pretty quickly, but when it came time to ripping out the old posts, well, we failed. We took the sledgehammer to them, as well as digging around them. Eventually we managed to get them all out before putting in new posts and new rails. At the end of the day, it looked marvelous.

But, by the time I got home, my body was aching and I was exhausted. It took me over two hours to fall asleep that night since I was in so much pain. I am still not back to 100% and I feel like the mono is back to kicking my butt again.

Now that it is officially August, I am getting more and more nervous about job prospects for this coming year. I have had a handful of interviews this summer, but I seem to be out of luck. I have been passed over for lack of experience, which really just bothers me. I cannot GET experience if no one will hire me. But, the rejection is okay. I am growing and learning from it. I am a stronger person for it and I know that eventually someone will realize what a great find I am and give me a chance to prove that I am an excellent teacher.

In the meantime, I'll just keep reading and writing and searching for meaning in words. It has saved me this past year, so I will keep at it.

In reading news, I did get some of the posts I promised up. I also finished One Hundred Years of Solitude, which I really loved and enjoyed. I have Love in the Time of Cholera sitting on my shelf as well, but I'll have to get to it in another couple of years (eek).

I also accepted my first ever book for review. I am still a little wary of this. When I started this almost a year ago, I told myself to reject books for review until I am finished with my list. And I was doing a great job of that until a query came into my inbox. Unlike some of the others, it was a personal letter that showed a lot of thought on part of the publishing house and writer. I was curious and checked out the book and decided I needed to read it.

I'm not sure if this means I'll accept any more for review, but I am going to try this book out. I still want to read from my list solely until I get all 250 completed, but another book here or there isn't going to kill me or my project.

Anyway, I plan on reading the book sometime this month, so look forward to a non-classic review, and a review of something published within the last year (woooo!). Oh, and the book in question is In the Fullness of Time by Vincent Nicolosi.

Since I have a few days off this week, I have some big plans. I really need to finish An American Tragedy. I started it before I went on vacation, then took a two week break from it to finish up some other things. Now I am reading it again and while it certainly offers a lot to think about, it is a LONG book. I am about 400 pages in...and I am barely at the halfway point. It is a big, dense book.

I've also been craving some Greek tragedy, so I think I may give my pal Sophocles a read this week. I haven't decided between Antigone or Oedipus Rex, but both are old friends. Either one will be a good read.

I'm not sure what else this week will bring reading wise, but if I can get those two things checked off, I'll be doing okay.

Happy Reading Everyone!