NATURALISM AND IDENTITY IN "SISTER CARRIE"

This article examines the theme of identity in Theodore Dreiser’s novel Sister Carrie through the lens of literary naturalism. It argues that Dreiser presents identity not as a fixed or inherent trait but as a product of environmental forces, social conditions, and unconscious desires. By tracing Carrie Meeber’s transformation from a naïve country girl to a stage actress, the article explores how her sense of self is shaped—and fragmented—by the urban landscape, economic pressures, and emotional disillusionment. The study reveals how Dreiser’s naturalist vision deconstructs the myth of individual autonomy, illustrating instead a model of identity that is contingent, unstable, and deeply intertwined with the forces of modernity.