Wisps In The Wind-on Dreiser's Pessimistic View Of Life

Theodore Dreiser is one of the most important naturalistic writers in the 20th century. Writing from his own life experience and his keen observation, Dreiser portrays all kinds of people who, led by their desire for money, fame, power and sex, try to fulfill their dreams by all means possible. However, controlled by internal as well as external factors, these people become victims of the forces of heredity and environment, which reflects Dreiser's pessimistic view of life. This thesis reveals such a theme through interpretation of Dreiser's two novels: Sister Carrie and Jennie Gerhardt within the framework of naturalism.The tragedies of Dreiser's heroes and heroines indicate that Dreiser holds a pessimistic view of life. In his opinion, man's action is governed by his own hereditary traits and environment is more powerful than man. Under such circumstances, man has little free will and cannot decide his own future. The author of this thesis thinks that Dreiser's pessimistic view of life is revealed in his first novel Sister Carrie, and is fully illustrated in his second novel Jennie Gerhardt. In his later works such as Desire Trilogy, The Genius and An American Tragedy such a theme gets extended and deepened. So this thesis takes Dreiser's first two works as its subject to study Dreiser's pessimistic view of life.This thesis is divided into three chapters plus an introduction and a conclusion. The introduction includes a brief introduction to Dreiser's life, literature review of his works, and literary naturalism.Chapter One explores the role heredity plays in the fates of the characters in the two novels. The thesis mainly focuses on two kinds of hereditary factors: desire for material things and sexual desire. Through analysis of the cases of Carrie, Drouet and Hurstwood, this thesis reveals the role hereditary factors play in the characters' tragedies.Chapter Two analyzes the role chance---good luck and bad luck--- plays in Carrie's material rise and Hurstwood's downfall.Chapter Three examines the role environment plays in the character's fates. It mainly explores the relationship between poverty and Jennie's "fall", unfavorable New York environment and Hurstwood's ruin, social pressures and Lester's love tragedy.The thesis comes to such a conclusion that Dreiser holds that man is governed by heredity, environment and chance; in face of these forces, man is powerless and often becomes a victim. In the end, the author of this thesis points out the limitations of Dreiser's pessimistic view of life.