The Naturalist Known as Theodore Dresier Essay - 1214 Words

The Naturalist known as Theodore Dreiser Throughout history there has been many great authors that have created even greater works, and some people refer to these as classics. However, what truly makes an authors’ work a classic? â€Å"The idea of a classic implies something that has continuance and consistence, and which produces unity and tradition, and transmits itself, and endures.† â€Å"A true classic, is an author who has expressed his thought, and who has spoken to all in his own peculiar style† (Hutchins). Theodore Dreiser is the epitome of this very definition. Dreiser drew upon his upbringing, life experiences, and the situations of his family members and transformed these collective experiences into his very first novel, â€Å"Sister†¦show more content†¦Much like many of his other themes and symbols, this one also came as a result of his experiences, most notably his childhood. Before he was born, his father owned a mill that eventually burned down. This event caused him to turn into a cynical, bitter man who abused and tortured his family mentally. This led to Dreiser coming to the conclusion that â€Å"man is a pawn in the hands of a blind or malevolent fate† (Warren 11). This idea of fate can be further explained as Dreiser accepting that no one can change the future and whatever is meant to happen to them will happen, whether it be good or bad. This quote shows him coming to grips with the idea of human suffering, which he later in life proves to be true in his quest for achievement in the big industrial cities. Blind fate exists heavily in the â€Å"Sister Carrie† and can be a positive or negative thing. For example, the main character Carrie becomes an immensely successful person while trying simply because of fate (where she and others happen to be at certain times). Another example is George Hurstwood who cheated on his wife and subsequently abandoning her by having an affair with Carrie (Dreiser). Blind fate plays its han d here by eventually leading to Hurstwood’s suicide after being abandoned by Carrie, much like he abandoned his wife and child. This is an example of blind fate simply because it was by chance that he met Carrie and ultimately because of that same chance that