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Chapter 20
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 and Hurstwood meet. Hurstwood is enchanted by her beauty, while Carrie enjoys the “glow” of his affection and encouragement. The two begin casually chatting until Hurstwood asks Carrie to run away with him.
Hurstwood enjoys Carrie’s attractiveness while Carrie enjoys Hurstwood’s encouraging presence. It seems that both of them are enamored with certain qualities in the other person rather than in love with the person themselves. However, the two believe they’re in love, especially Hurstwood, who proposes they run away together.
Themes
Carrie is confused and does not know how to answer. She’s in a tight position: she likes Hurstwood but is afraid that Hurstwood will not marry her. Still, she delights in Hurstwood’s love and finds herself “on a borderless sea of speculation.” Hurstwood realizes that his proposal “was a wretched thing to have dragged in.”
Carrie’s experience with Drouet has taught her that men who express interest in marriage are not necessarily committed to following through on their word. However, she likes Hurstwood enough to consider his proposal. Hurstwood realizes that Carrie is hesitant, leading him to question her affection for him.
Themes
Hurstwood asks Carrie if she is willing to leave with him on Saturday. Carrie asks, “when will we be married?” Hurstwood is startled but replies “any time you say” with ease. He is unwilling to dampen the mood with these details. Looking at Carrie, he resolves to “accept the situation with all its difficulties” and effectively ignore the difficult reality of their relationship.
Hurstwood tests Carrie’s commitment by proposing a solid date to run away. Carrie’s reply shows Hurstwood that she is no longer willing to be a mistress—if she runs away, she intends to be a respectable woman. Consequently, Hurstwood realizes that if he is to win Carrie, he must seriously consider marrying her.
Themes
Carrie tells Hurstwood that she will try to prepare herself. They make plans to meet the following day to solidify plans. Carrie is incredibly enthusiastic, “believing herself to be deeply in love” and that she and Hurstwood will “be happy.”
Carrie believes Hurstwood’s agreement to marriage, showing that she is still rather innocent and unsuspecting. The narrator’s comment that Carrie believes herself to be in love hints that she is not truly in love with Hurstwood. Carrie returns to her familiar line of thought that the next thing to happen will finally bring her happiness.
Themes
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