Theodore Dreiser published his first novel, Sister Carrie, in 1900. His most famous work, An American Tragedy, was printed in 1925.
Reading criticism on Theodore Dreiser’s novels, one can get the impression that Dreiser’s style is atrocious and chaotic. “It is questionable whether he ever wrote a single sentence capable of giving pleasure to itself” (qtd. in Allen 81). Stoll quotes critics that maintain that Theodore Dreiser was never able to obtain a technique of narrative writing. They argue that his writings are poor or that he writes without structure and that his style influences his novels’ quality in a bad way (cf. Stoll 4-12). “Dreiser’s writing inevitably suffered from his poor taste, inadequate attention to the niceties of diction and an ear insufficiently attuned to style and tone” (qtd. in Flanagan 289).
However, these critics are not completely true. The following paper will show that Dreiser’s writing is not entirely bad and that his diction was not completely arbitrary. Therefore, the novels Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy will be analyzed with respect to imagery, symbolism, and some rhetorical devices.
Table of Contents
- Short Introduction on Dreiser's Style
- Imagery, Symbolism, and Rhetorical Devices
- Imagery, Symbolism, and Rhetorical Devices in Sister Carrie
- Imagery and Symbolism
- Water and Sea
- Animals
- Fairytales
- Physics
- Theater
- Rhetorical Devices
- Anaphoras
- Alliterations
- Catalogues
- Imagery and Symbolism
- Imagery, Symbolism, and Rhetorical Devices in An American Tragedy
- Imagery and Symbolism
- Water and Lake
- Animals
- Fairytales
- Physics and Chemistry
- Rhetorical Devices
- Repetition
- Alliterations
- Catalogues
- Imagery and Symbolism
- Short Comparative Analysis of Imagery, Symbolism, and Rhetorical Devices in Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to challenge the critical consensus that Theodore Dreiser's writing style is chaotic and without merit. It will demonstrate that his stylistic choices, particularly his use of imagery, symbolism, and rhetorical devices, are deliberate and contribute meaningfully to his narratives. The analysis will focus on a comparative study of Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy.
- The effectiveness of Dreiser's use of imagery and symbolism.
- The role of rhetorical devices in conveying meaning and emphasis.
- A comparative analysis of stylistic techniques across Dreiser's two novels.
- Re-evaluation of critical assessments of Dreiser's writing style.
- The thematic exploration of societal pressures and individual struggles within the context of the chosen stylistic elements.
Chapter Summaries
Short Introduction on Dreiser's Style: This introductory chapter challenges the prevailing negative critical reception of Dreiser's writing style, which often labels it as "atrocious" and "chaotic." It sets the stage for the paper by arguing that Dreiser's style, while unconventional, is not arbitrary and contributes significantly to the narrative impact of his novels. The introduction posits that a close analysis of imagery, symbolism, and rhetorical devices will reveal the deliberate nature of Dreiser's stylistic choices. This chapter establishes the paper's central argument and methodology.
Imagery, Symbolism, and Rhetorical Devices: This chapter provides definitions of key literary terms: imagery, symbolism, and rhetorical devices. It clarifies the multifaceted nature of imagery, encompassing the representation of objects, actions, feelings, and sensory experiences. The chapter defines symbolism as the use of objects to represent abstract ideas, using the example of scales representing justice. Finally, it explains rhetorical devices as artful arrangements of words for specific emphasis, citing anaphoras, repetitions, alliterations, and catalogues as examples relevant to Dreiser's works. This lays the groundwork for the subsequent chapters' analyses.
Imagery, Symbolism, and Rhetorical Devices in Sister Carrie: This chapter begins the analysis of Sister Carrie, focusing on the combined use of imagery and symbolism. It explores several key symbolic motifs, including water and the sea, which represent the turbulent nature of modern city life and Carrie's precarious journey. The use of animal imagery to portray the struggles of survival and the comparison of Carrie's situation to the vulnerability of animals in the face of harsh conditions are further analyzed. The chapter also examines the use of fairytales to contrast the illusory nature of aspirations against the harsh realities of life, highlighting the juxtaposition of fantasy and reality.
Keywords
Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie, An American Tragedy, imagery, symbolism, rhetorical devices, anaphora, alliteration, catalogue, literary style, narrative technique, comparative analysis, American realism, urban life, social commentary.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Theodore Dreiser's Literary Style
What is the main topic of this academic paper?
This paper analyzes the literary style of Theodore Dreiser, focusing on his use of imagery, symbolism, and rhetorical devices in Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy. It challenges the common critical view that Dreiser's style is chaotic and instead argues that his stylistic choices are deliberate and contribute significantly to his narratives.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis?
The analysis explores the effectiveness of Dreiser's imagery and symbolism, the role of rhetorical devices in conveying meaning and emphasis, and a comparative analysis of stylistic techniques across his two novels. It also aims to re-evaluate critical assessments of Dreiser's writing style and examines the thematic exploration of societal pressures and individual struggles within the context of the chosen stylistic elements.
Which novels are analyzed in this paper?
The paper focuses on a comparative analysis of Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy.
What specific literary devices are examined?
The analysis specifically examines imagery, symbolism, and various rhetorical devices, including anaphoras, alliterations, and catalogues. The paper explores how these devices function within the narrative structures of both novels.
How does the paper approach the analysis of Dreiser's style?
The paper employs a comparative approach, analyzing the use of imagery, symbolism, and rhetorical devices in both Sister Carrie and An American Tragedy to highlight similarities and differences in Dreiser's stylistic choices across his works.
What are some examples of the imagery and symbolism used in the novels?
In Sister Carrie, the analysis explores the symbolism of water and the sea, animal imagery, fairytales, and references to physics and theater. An American Tragedy similarly uses water (specifically lakes), animals, fairytales, and physics and chemistry as symbolic motifs.
What is the overall argument of the paper?
The paper argues against the prevailing negative critical reception of Dreiser's style. It posits that his style, while unconventional, is not arbitrary but rather a deliberate and effective tool used to enhance his narrative impact and thematic exploration.
What are the chapter summaries provided in the preview?
The preview includes summaries of an introductory chapter challenging the negative critical reception of Dreiser's style; a chapter defining key literary terms; a chapter analyzing imagery and symbolism in Sister Carrie; and a concluding chapter offering a comparative analysis of both novels.
What keywords are associated with this academic paper?
Keywords include: Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie, An American Tragedy, imagery, symbolism, rhetorical devices, anaphora, alliteration, catalogue, literary style, narrative technique, comparative analysis, American realism, urban life, and social commentary.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2009, Imagery, Symbolism, and Rhetorical Devices in "Sister Carrie" and "An American Tragedy" by Theodore Dreiser, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/127331
