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Library's collection Library's IT development CancelBoth novels of Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie and Jennie Gerhardt have
similar story, that is about the main male characters, Hurstwood and Lester Kane,
who come from upper class society but they have made their love affair with women
from lower class society. Their liaison has become the root of their problem which at
last lead them to determine their final decision under the influence of the external
and internal force. The external force emerges from environment while the internal
force appears within men himself. Therefore, in her analysis, the thesis writer
questions about the kinds of external and internal force which are similar and also
difference that influence the two main male characters in determining their final
decision. By doing this analysis, the thesis writer wants to show as well as to prove
that indeed, there are some kinds of both external and internal forces which are used
as considerations for the two main male characters before determining their final
decision. She also wants to describe and to classify the forces that work in the two
main male characters' life due to their final decision. In doing her analysis, the thesis
writer will apply the theory of comparative study in order to see the similarities and
the differences of the forces. Besides that, literary theories of characterization and
conflict are also used in helping her to understand what sorts of characters actually
Hurstwood and Lester are, and what conflicts they have before they determine their
final decision. Hurstwood's love affair with Carrie has been a disaster for him that
causes him to commit suicide. Meanwhile, Lester's love affair with Jennie has also
made him to face the external and internal forces which lead him to leave Jennie as
his final decision. Thus, the thesis writer will scrutinize first all of the kinds of
external force in the two main male characters' life since they appear as the first sign
in determining their decision. Finally, after doing her analysis, the thesis writer can
conclude that both Hurstwood and Lester, indeed, have similarities and differences in
their external and internal forces which are used as their consideration before they
determine their final decision.