While searching the library for a small paperback I could take on my daughter's school outing a while ago, I ran across "Jennie Gerhardt" by Theodore Dreiser. My reading taste has always been for the classics and historical novels. This one is a bit of both. Dreiser managed to infuriate public sensibilites of his time without as much as one curse word or "love" scene.

This is a beautiful story of a young girl whose lower class birth constantly puts a wall between who she really is and what higher class society thinks of her. As you read, it is apparent that Dreiser could see that the real "class" of a person was on the inside, not in his/her bank account.

He does tend to insert his thoughts and ideas randomly throughout the story, but since it is told in distant third POV, it works.

One of my favorite examples:
"As a matter of fact, man, even under his mortal illusion, is organically built to live five times the period of his maturity, and would do so if he but knew that it is spirit which endures, that age is an illusion, and that there is no death."

I highly recommend this novel - especially for teenage girls, who will get a true glimpse into the thoughts of men involved in relationships.

Please note: This review is for Jennie Gerhardt, not all three stories. However, Sister Carrie is known as a better example of Dreiser's work. I personally enjoyed "Jennie" more even though I'm disagreeing with the critics!

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Created May 27, 2004 at 10:39am • Submit your own review...