Sister Carrie Lesson Plan

Chapter Nine gives us a second look at a domestic situation in Sister Carrie, that of George Hurstwood. Compare and contrast the Hurstwood home to that of the Hansons. How do the two families relate to one another? How do they express their values? What is significant about their material possessions?

The narrator’s description of the Hurstwoods reveals Dreiser's contempt for the family, which might make students look more favorably on the Hansons. Chapter Nine presents the Hurstwoods as utterly shallow and craven in their lust for more, despite the well-appointed home in which they live. However, students should recall that the Hansons weren’t particularly happy either and...