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Chapter 22
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Sister Carrie, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Urban Life and Decay
Morality and Instinct
Wealth and Class
Summary
Analysis
Carrie begins to doubt her decision to leave with Hurstwood. She feels sorry about leaving Drouet, as he had helped her during a difficult time. Furthermore, she is now living a comfortable life, and is afraid of being poor again. She has not yet fully “[agreed]” to Hurstwood’s plan, though she “[is] listening, smiling, approving.” The narrator relates that Carrie is not actually in love with Hurstwood; she is only “imagining herself in love.”
Stability and comfort are still new for Carrie. Consequently, she is not eager to make drastic changes that may take them away. Carrie is reasonable enough to realize that running away with Hurstwood does not entail a luxurious, fairytale life. Furthermore, she also has enough of a conscience to feel guilty regarding leaving Drouet. As inconsiderate as he might be, he is still the one who brought her out of a life of relative poverty.
Themes
Carrie remains absorbed in her thoughts until Drouet’s return. Drouet is “flushed and excited and full of determination to know all about her relations with Hurstwood.” Drouet begins to question Carrie and, after a while, Carrie “[begins] to see now that he knew something.” However, “she saw that he himself was hesitating, and with a woman’s intuition realised that there was no occasion for great alarm.”
Drouet’s excitement while confronting Carrie contrasts with Mrs. Hurstwood’s cool wrath while confronting her husband. His passion shows that he still likes—perhaps loves—Carrie, and is unwilling to let her go so easily. Because he still likes her and hesitates while confronting her, Carrie realizes that she is in control of the situation.
Themes
Carrie and Drouet begin to talk about Hurstwood. Carrie denies Hurstwood’s visits; however, she grows increasingly guilty, “flushing scarlet to the roots of her hair.” Drouet then relays that Hurstwood is married, shocking Carrie. Carrie “[makes] a most miserable showing” but the “feelings […] generating within her were anything but crumbling cowardice.” Carrie feels indignant that Drouet had not informed her earlier regarding Hurstwood’s marriage and proclaims that Drouet hasn’t done anything for her.
Carrie blames Drouet for not telling her about Hurstwood’s marriage, as unreasonable as that is. Carrie displays a sort of entitlement. In her passionate disappointment, she loses her capacity for reason: she declares that Drouet has done nothing for her despite contemplating just moments before about how he brought her out of a hard life. Although she is in the wrong, she declares Drouet as the guilty party.
Themes
Drouet, though irritated, is “fascinated” by Carrie’s show of feeling. He protests against Carrie’s anger by saying that he’s given her clothes and taken her everywhere. He also begins to feel angry “at the sense of his own approaching loss,” accusing Carrie of “[using]” him and then leaving.
Drouet proves himself a good sport. He reasons with Carrie and does not lose his temper with her. His accusations are lucid and reasonable. The fact that he feels angry at his impending loss shows that unlike Mrs. Hurstwood, he still likes his partner.
Themes
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Carrie, mortified, tries to leave the house. Drouet is still sympathetic and tries to prevent her from leaving, as the thought of losing her makes him emotional despite his anger. Carrie is overwhelmed by the situation, and she tries to leave again before bursting into tears. Drouet declared that he will leave instead. He tells Carrie that she can stay until the end of the month and attempts to persuade her not to immediately leave. Carrie “[can] not bring herself to answer reasonably.”
Despite Carrie’s wrongdoing and unreasonable accusations, Drouet remains kind to her—her prevents her from leaving, knowing that she does not have a home and has no place to go. Furthermore, given the situation, his offer to allow Carrie to stay until the end of the month is more than gentlemanly. The fact that Carrie has no answer shows that she realizes she has no other option save the one Drouet just presented.
Themes
Drouet pretends to pack while Carrie watches him. Carrie realizes that “throughout this argument [Drouet] had said nothing very harsh.” She resents Hurstwood’s deception more than that of Drouet. While pretending to pack, Drouet thinks of ways “to patch up a peace and shut out Hurstwood forever,” as he still “felt an attraction to Carrie which would not down.” Drouet asks Carrie if she plans to become an actress and, for “his own peace of mind,” if she had “much to do with [Hurstwood].”
Carrie is reasonable enough to realize that Hurstwood is much more in the wrong than Drouet, though she does not vocalize this thought. The fact that Drouet is thinking of ways to make up with Carrie shows that he has already forgiven her infidelity—now all he wants is to win her back. In asking Carrie about her interactions with Hurstwood, Drouet shows that he still likes Carrie enough to be jealous.
Themes
Carrie remains tightlipped and continues to blame Drouet, telling him “whatever has happened is your own fault.” Drouet becomes angry and leaves. Carrie is “astonished” at his impassioned reaction. The narrator states that “too often jealousy is the quality upon which [love] feeds.”
Despite knowing in her head that Drouet has committed no wrong, Carrie continues to blame him. These unfair accusations stem from a sense of pride—Carrie feels that if she admits that she is wrong, then Drouet will hold power over her. By leaving in a storm, Drouet shows that despite his kindness, his patience is also limited.
Themes
