Sister Carrie: Chapter 38 Summary & Analysis

Carrie visits the Casino the next day and “[finds] that in the opera chorus, as in other fields, employment is difficult to secure”: “Girls who can stand in a line and look pretty are as numerous as labourers who can swing a pick.” There is nothing about Carrie that immediately stands out from the other applicants to the naked eye.

Carrie asks the doorman for Mr. Gray, but the doorman responds that Mr. Gray is busy, and Carrie needs to call his office to make an appointment. Carrie decides “to employ the intermediate hours in search.” She finds that other managers are also busy. So goes “the dismal story of ventures in other places.”

Carrie then goes to the Empire Theater, where she finds “a hive of peculiarly listless and indifferent individuals.” At the Lyceum, she “[feels] the greatness of all positions of authority” and leaves “wearily, somewhat more abashed for her pains.” Carrie tells Hurstwood about her unsuccessful search; Hurstwood “only [looks] at her.”

The next day, Carrie sees the manager at the Casino, who tells her to “come around […] the first of next week.” The manager sees that because “Carrie [is] pretty and graceful […] she might be put in [the chorus] even if she did not have any experience.” Carrie returns home but worries, as “the first day of next week [is] some days off yet” and rent is due soon.

Carrie asks Hurstwood if he “really [looks] for anything when [he goes] out.” Hurstwood responds that he does, “troubling only a little over the disgrace of the insinuation.” Carrie looks “the picture of despair” and Hurstwood decides to look for a job again and take any position he can get. Unfortunately, the next day, he receives only “two slight rebuffs” and loses hope.

Carrie tells Hurstwood that she could not find a position with the variety managers, and Hurstwood lies that he may gain in a position “in two or three weeks.” Hurstwood’s lie stems from his sense that “he had to make some showing” considering Carrie’s distress.

On Monday Carrie returns to the Casino. The manager has forgotten her, but after a reminder from Carrie, tells her to “come around to the theatre to-morrow morning.” Carrie feels hopeful as “she could see he wanted her.” The manager tells her to be there “promptly,” as she will “be dropped if [she is] not.” Carrie is elated, and at first is “almost anxious to tell Hurstwood,” but then “[begins] to think of the anomaly of her finding work in several weeks and his lounging in idleness for a number of months.” The narrator relates that Carrie has forgotten “the handicap of age.”

Still, Carrie tells Hurstwood that she has a place at the Casino. That night, there is “a good dinner,” due to “the mere lifting of the terrible strain.” The next day, Carrie heads to the Casino and is “given a place in the line.” Under the influence of the “wondrous reality” of the stage, Carrie feels that she can be happy. Carrie gives her name as “Carrie Madenda.” The manager is harsh, but Carrie feels excited and is determined to practice her dancing, for “she would not err in any way, if she could help it.”

Carrie returns home and Hurstwood is not there. She eats only “a mouthful” before practicing, “sustained by visions of freedom from financial distress.” After Hurstwood returns, Carrie is “obliged to drop practice and get dinner.” Carrie is irritated and decides that Hurstwood is to “take his meals out” from now on.

Carrie finds that “it [is] not such a wonderful thing to be in the chorus.” Furthermore, she only gets paid twelve dollars a week. Carrie feels that next to the “leading ladies,” she is “absolutely nothing at all.” Hurstwood’s idleness also irritates Carrie more and more. Carrie still finds that “she could not talk to him as she had to Drouet,” as “there was something in the man’s manner of which she had always stood in awe.”

One day, Hurstwood tells Carrie that he only has “rent and thirteen dollars more.” They would have to scrimp even more than they already are, something Carrie disdains. Carrie also remembers that she wants to buy some clothes for herself. She thinks to herself that she cannot “keep up” the apartment and buy clothes for herself at the same time. Carrie feels indignant that Hurstwood still has not found a job.

Carrie does not invite Hurstwood to her first performance, as she has only a small part and “it would only be money wasted.” During this performance, Carrie has stage fright at first, but quickly calms down after realizing the “painful insignificance of [her] part.” As she watches the leading ladies, she cannot help “noting how poorly some of the women of alleged ability did.” Carrie feels that she could do better. After the performance, the manager scolds some of the chorus girls but does not scold Carrie. After the show, many “correct youths in attractive clothing” are waiting outside. Carrie realizes that “the flutter of an eyelash would have brought her a companion” but chooses to head home.

At the end of the week, Carrie asks Hurstwood if he has heard back from the supposed job at the brewery. Hurstwood says he hasn’t. Seeing that Carrie is unhappy yet “good-natured,” Hurstwood decides to further appeal to her for financial help. On the day the rent is due, Hurstwood asks Carrie to help him until his friend opens a hotel in September. Carrie acquiesces, feeling “handicapped by fate.” Hurstwood reassure Carrie that he will find something to do, just about “anything,” including “[digging] on the streets.”