Sister Carrie: Chapter 14 Summary & Analysis

That night, Carrie is “in a fine glow, physically and mentally.” She rejoices in her affection for Hurstwood and looks forward to meeting him Sunday night. Mrs. Hale and the chambermaid notice that Carrie has gone to meet another man when Drouet is out of town and people in the house begin to gossip. Carrie thinks little of Drouet. This afternoon “was the first time her sympathies had ever been thoroughly aroused,” and Carrie feels a sense of initiative. She considers Hurstwood to be “a way out” and “a drag in the direction of honour.”

On the other hand, Hurstwood only thinks of “pleasure without responsibility.” He does not think that a relationship with Carrie will disturb his home life. Hurstwood realizes that Carrie is more serious about his love than he expected, so he resists pursuing her too enthusiastically. He suggests they meet again on Tuesday, but Carrie rejects meeting “so soon.” The two decide to write to each other.

The next afternoon, Hurstwood sees Drouet at the resort. After exchanging cordial greetings, Hurstwood relays that he “called once” on Carrie and tells Drouet to visit her, as she is “rather anxious about [him].” Drouet leaves thinking Hurstwood is a “nice fellow,” while Hurstwood thinks to himself that Drouet is a “good fellow” but “no man for Carrie.”

Drouet returns to Carrie’s rooms and greets her as usual, but Carrie “[responds] to his kiss with a tremour of opposition.” They briefly talk about Drouet’s sales in La Crosse and his plans to get a raise in a few months. Drouet then claims that if his real estate deal goes through, he will marry Carrie. Carrie responds that she believes Drouet has no intentions to marry her, as he’s been making such claims for a long time. Drouet reassures Carrie that he will marry her, but Carrie perceives how naïve her initial hopes about Drouet had been. In contrast to Drouet, Hurstwood seems “strong and sincere.” Drouet’s “easy manner of putting her off” gives Carrie a sense of justification with regards to her affair with Hurstwood.

Drouet then relates that he met Hurstwood, who invited them to attend the theater. Carrie accepts this invitation with reserve, which Drouet attributes to their earlier conversation regarding marriage. Drouet states that he heard Hurstwood visited once. Carrie accidentally reveals that Hurstwood visited twice. Drouet displays some confusion but imagines that “he must have misunderstood his friend” and “[does] not attach particular importance to the information.” Indeed, upon learning from Carrie that Hurstwood was attempting to alleviate her loneliness and ask after her supposed husband, Drouet is “rather gratified by his conception of the manager’s interest.”

After seeing Drouet’s return, Hurstwood immediately writes to Carrie saying that he claimed to have visited once. Carrie writes back saying she accidentally revealed that Hurstwood visited twice, but Drouet seemed not to mind. Hurstwood tells Carrie not to worry and that they will arrange something so that she “won’t have to deceive any one.” Carrie thinks this means that Hurstwood means to marry her soon and decides to “make the best of the situation” until Drouet leaves again.

At the theater, Carrie and Hurstwood secretly flirt. Carrie almost forgets about Drouet, “who babble[s] on as if he were the host.” Hurstwood is careful and does not “give the slightest indication of a change.” The play proves rather “an ironical situation” that is “due to Drouet alone”: in the play, a wife is seduced by another man in the absence of her husband, and Drouet claims that he hasn’t “any pity for a man who would be such a chump as that.” On the way out, the three encounter a beggar who asks for. Hurstwood hardly notices this, but Drouet gives a dime “with an upwelling feeling of pity in his heart.” and Carrie “quickly [forgets]” the occurrence.