# XXI: The Lure of the Spirit: The Flesh in Pursuit explained — Sister Carrie

> Chapter companion for Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser.

## What happens

Hurstwood, having waited anxiously, meets Carrie and confesses his love, persuading her to leave Drouet and elope with him. Carrie, swept up in his passion and promises of marriage, agrees to go with him on Saturday, despite her inner doubts and the precariousness of their situation.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Illusion

Hurstwood's declarations of love and promises of marriage are built on deception and self-delusion, while Carrie's belief in his sincerity illustrates the theme of love as a powerful illusion.

### Ambition and Desire

Hurstwood's intense desire for Carrie drives him to make reckless promises, and Carrie's own yearning for a better life and affection fuels her decision to elope.

### Determinism vs. Free Will

Carrie drifts 'illogically' and is described as a 'victim' of Hurstwood's influence, suggesting a lack of true agency, while Hurstwood's choices are driven by passion rather than reason.

## Character check-ins

### Caroline Meeber

Carrie is torn between her growing affection for Hurstwood and her uncertainty about his intentions, ultimately agreeing to elope with him.

### George Hurstwood

Hurstwood passionately pursues Carrie, promising marriage and elopement while concealing the truth about his own marriage and the theft he will commit.

### Charles Drouet

Drouet is absent from the scene but is the man Carrie is currently involved with, and whom Hurstwood urges her to leave.

## Key lines

> He would make a try for Paradise, whatever might be the result. He would be happy, by the Lord, if it cost all honesty of statement, all abandonment of truth.

Hurstwood is willing to sacrifice honesty and truth in order to achieve the happiness he envisions with Carrie.

_This reveals Hurstwood's moral compromise and the theme of illusion versus reality._

> She was still the victim of his keen eyes, his suave manners, his fine clothes.

Carrie remains under the spell of Hurstwood's appearance and charm, unable to resist his influence.

_Highlights Carrie's susceptibility to external allure and the power dynamics in their relationship._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/sister_carrie_se/chapters/xxi-the-lure-of-the-spirit-the-flesh-in-pursuit
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/sister_carrie_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/sister_carrie_se/chapters