Generally speaking, there are three periods of criticism on Sister Carrie。 During the first half of the 20th century, in term of methodology, criticism belongs to biographical and historical criticism。 The text is equaled to the social background and the author’s life。 Obviously, it attaches too much importance to the novel’s historical background, as a result of which it neglects the independence of the work and the relationship between it and the main stream consciousness。 The second period covers the 1960s and 1970s。 Criticism in this period focuses on the text-analysis employing the structuralism to analyze the text。 However, it goes to another extreme。 The text is treated as a fine jar isolated from the society。 And after 1980s, the third period comes。 New approaches of criticism to the fiction emerge, such as the feminism, the psychoanalysis and the post-structure。 But there is also lack of general sightseeing to the text。 文献综述

Sister Carries has been made many studies about from different perspectives。 Usually, scholars study it from the angle of naturalism and Darwinism in the people’s world。 Of course, the perception of Carrie is deviated。 Critics have condemned Carrie, labeling her as a fallen woman because of her immorality and constant material lusts。 Until now few of studies focus on the theme of Carrie’s pursuit of the self –rebuilding。 Carrie is a paradox of failure and success。 And this thesis will study on her success  on rebuilding self, which makes her a successful woman。

It is worth studying the psychological activities, moral depth and personality orientation of the characters in Sister Carrie。 For example, there are plenty of temptations to Carrie in the luxuriant city, by which she is confused a lot because of infinite desires and blind pursuits of material life as well as passivity and losses of affection。 However, it is amazing that she has not been obsessed with them all the time。 Time witnesses Carrie’s doughtiness as she struggles for life。 And traditional moral consciousness has made profound impact on Carrie so that she is often caught in a tangled inner world when she lives with Drouet。 As to her career, Carrie loves it and devotes herself a lot。 When she succeeds, she becomes detached with temptations with a peaceful heart。 With a new self, Carrie steps on the path to success。