sister carrie

Chapter 2 (1)

Chapter 1 The role of electromagnetism in attracting: people who float in the power of nature (1)
Caroline Meebe caught the afternoon train to Chicago, and all her luggage consisted of was a small suitcase, a cheap imitation crocodile leather bag, a small cardboard box of snacks, and a yellow leather clip with a spring switch. It contained the ticket, a slip of paper with her sister's address in Van Buren Street, and four dollars.It was August 1889, and she was eighteen, bright, shy, and full of the ignorant fantasies of youth.Although there is some feeling of farewell, it is not reluctant.When she kissed her mother goodbye, she burst into tears; when the train passed by the flour mill where her father worked during the day, her throat choked; The soft silk that was lightly tied at home was broken forever.

Of course, there is always the next stop, and there will always be people going down and people going up.The big city is just ahead, and the cars that come and go connect it closely with various places.Columbia City isn't that far away.Let's say Chicago, she's been there once.It's only a few hours, and it's only a few hundred miles, so what? She glanced at the small piece of paper with her sister's address written on it, and became fascinated.She stared at the green fields passing by in front of her eyes, and after a while of reverie, she wondered about what kind of city Chicago should be.

When an 18-year-old girl leaves her family, there are often two possible encounters, one of which must be the other.Either they meet someone who attracts people to be kind and get better, or they are quickly assimilated by the prevailing moral standards in the world and become degenerate.In this environment, staying in the middle is impossible.The metropolis is full of treachery, and there are temptations to cater to human feelings in the smallest places.There are also great powers that seduce you in the most graceful and touching ways that the world has ever seen.The flickering of tens of thousands of lights is often as charming as the provocative eye wave.The innocent mind is often destroyed by forces that are purely superhuman.There is a noise in reality, a roar in life, a beehive-like crowd, with their hazy language, knocking on the frightened heartstrings, and there is no cautious persuasion in the ear, how many mistakes will not be poured into the unknown Listen to the vigilant ears! Because they don't know the truth, these gorgeous appearances are like music, enough to relax and dull the sensibility of simple people, and then lead them astray.

Caroline, or Sister Carrie, as the whole family nicknamed her, has an immature heart of observation and analysis.For her, self-interest is the main thing, but not very strong.However, this is where her main character traits lie.Full of youthful fantasies, it shows the character traits that have not yet glowed in the development period.Full of youthful fantasies, showing the beauty that has not yet been radiated in the puberty period, a figure that is expected to grow very beautiful in the future, and a pair of eyes revealing the innate intelligence: she is a typical girl of the middle class in the United States—— — Two generations have passed since the original immigrants.Books are not her favorite thing - learning, to her, is a holy book.In terms of beauty in dress and manner, she is still too immature.She still can't lift her head just right.She could not yet express her feelings with one hand.A pair of feet, even though they are still small, feel flat.But she was already very interested in her own charms, and soon learned about the various pleasures of life, and also longed for material enjoyment.She is a half-armed knight, ready to explore the mysterious city, dreaming vague dreams of ascending to heaven, so that the city will submit to her—as a prostrate worshiper, bowing down at the head of a woman Under the dancing shoes.

A voice said in her ear: "This is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Wisconsin."

"Really?" she replied a little flustered.

The train was leaving Walker Hall.She already felt that there was a man behind her.She felt him looking at her hair, the man fidgeting.Her intuition told her that this person had some kind of interest in her.Girlish reserve, and notions of custom in such cases, made her wary of this approach, but at last the savagery and the charm of the man, born of experience and success, paid off at last.She answered his words.

He leaned forward and put his arm on the back of her chair, and she made herself talk beautifully. "Yes, that's a great place for Chicagoans to visit. The hotel is very nice. You don't know that part very well, do you?"

"Oh, no, I don't know that," answered Carrie. "I live in Columbia, and I've never been there."

"So this is your first visit to Chicago," he said.

She turned around and took a look around him. The instinct of self-protection and the intention of being coquettish were swirling together in her mind.

"That's not what I meant," she said.

"Oh," he replied, with a very agreeable air, and pretending to be mistaken, "I thought you meant that."

This is a typical example of a salesman who travels around to solicit business for a manufacturer—a type of person who was originally nicknamed "The Drummer" at the time.He actually fits a newer term, which appeared in the 19s and is commonly used by Americans. To be precise, it refers to a "little boy" whose attire or demeanor is enough to please sentimental women.He was dressed in maroon plaid, which was just in fashion at the time, but soon became a commonplace suit.The vest neckline was cut low, revealing a straight shirt chest with pink stripes on a white background.The cuffs of the coat reveal a pair of flower cuffs with the same pattern, fastened with large flat gold buttons, and onyx called "cat's eyes" are embedded on them.Wears a couple of rings - a signet ring that never looks out of shape.An exquisite gold watch chain is hung on the vest, and the chain is tied with the Elks Guild (the Elks Guild, the name of the gang, founded in 80, is mainly an organization of businessmen, of which the Freemasonry is the most famous , Almost all capitalist countries have their organizations, members have badges, call each other brothers, support each other, and there is a set of secret rituals with religious colors for joining and upgrading. - Translator) secret badges.The whole body was dressed in narrow clothes, with thick-soled patent leather shoes, polished and polished, and a gray fedora hat.In terms of the degree of knowledge expressed, it is also noticeable.Whatever his merits, it was evident in Carrie's first glance that he was not blind to them.

Lest such a man never come back again, let me set down here the most touching features of his most successful manners.Beautiful clothes, of course, are the first and foremost traits.Without this, he can't say anything.The second is a strong physique, which inspires an ardent desire for women.This heart does not consider all kinds of problems and social forces in the world at all. What drives it is not greed, but the never-ending pursuit of all kinds of enjoyment.As for the method, it is often very simple.The main factor is lack of scruples.This is of course out of strong desire and love for the opposite sex.As soon as he met a young girl, he approached her with a genial air and a touch of entreaty, which was often tolerated as a result.

If she showed a little coquettish appearance, he would go one step further; if she accepted his attentions, it would be called by nicknames.If she went to a department store, he would hang around the counter, as if familiar, and ask rapporteurs.On high-level occasions, in the car, or in the waiting room, he would slow down.As soon as an easy-going object appeared, he was absorbed in it--said some kind words, led the way to the first-class car, helped her with her handbag, or if that didn't work, took a seat next to her, hoping to be courteous, all the way to her destination.To fetch the pillow, to fetch the book, to fetch the ottoman, to draw down the curtains;If she arrived at her station and he didn't get out of the car to attend to her luggage, it was because, in his own estimation, he had failed utterly.

"Let me see," he went on, "I know quite a few people in your town. Morgan Ross, who owns the clothes shop, and Gibson, who keeps the satin shop."

"Oh, is it?" she interrupted.It brought back some memories of how the window samples in their shop had aroused her longings.

At last he found the thread of her interest, and followed it deftly.A few minutes later, he sat next to her seat.He talked about his clothes sales, and his travels, and Chicago and the fun places to go there.

"I'm sure you'll find it amusing if you go there. Do you have any relations?"

"I'm going to visit my sister," she explained.

"You should go and see Lincoln," he said, "and Michigan Avenue, there's a lot of building going on there. It's a second New York--so big. Lots of places to play--theatres, crowds, beautiful architecture—oh, you'll like it."

(End of this chapter)