# XXIX: The Solace of Travel: The Boats of the Sea explained — Sister Carrie

> Chapter companion for Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser.

## What happens

Carrie and Hurstwood travel by train to Montreal, where Hurstwood registers under a false name. A detective confronts Hurstwood about the stolen money, leading him to send most of it back to Fitzgerald and Moy. They then travel to New York City, where Hurstwood, anxious about being recognized, rents a flat instead of staying at a prominent hotel. Carrie observes the new city with curiosity and begins to form her own opinions.

## Themes in this chapter

### Urban Modernity and Alienation

Carrie's wonder at the new city contrasts with Hurstwood's anxiety and alienation as he navigates the urban environment under threat of exposure.

### Determinism vs. Free Will

Hurstwood's actions are driven by circumstance and fear of consequences, highlighting the tension between his choices and the forces that constrain him.

## Character check-ins

### Caroline Meeber

Travels with Hurstwood to Montreal and New York, feeling hopeful about her future and forming her own opinions about the new city.

### George Hurstwood

Flees to Montreal and New York with Carrie, registers under a false name, negotiates with a detective, and sends back most of the stolen money while keeping $1,300.

## Key lines

> To the untravelled, territory other than their own familiar heath is invariably fascinating. Next to love, it is the one thing which solaces and delights.

For those who have not traveled, unfamiliar places are deeply captivating, second only to love in providing comfort and joy.

_The narrator reflects on the allure of new experiences for the uninitiated._

> She quite forgot Hurstwood's presence at times, and looked away to homely farmhouses and cozy cottages in villages with wondering eyes.

Carrie became so absorbed in the passing scenery that she momentarily forgot Hurstwood was with her.

_Carrie's fascination with the landscape distracts her from her troubled situation._

> He was no thief. He didn't want the money. If he could only explain to Fitzgerald and Moy, maybe it would be all right again.

Hurstwood did not see himself as a thief; he had not intended to steal and hoped that explaining the situation to his former partners would resolve things.

_Hurstwood rationalizes his actions and seeks to justify them to himself and others._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/sister_carrie_se/chapters/xxix-the-solace-of-travel-the-boats-of-the-sea
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/sister_carrie_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/sister_carrie_se/chapters