The Theodore Dreiser novel Sister Carrie can be viewed from a critical standpoint as a critique of conspicuous consumerism which pervaded metropolitan Americans during the late nineteenth century The central figure in the novel is one Carrie Meeber an eighteen year old girl traveling to the big city of Chicago in order to experience life A Wisconsin farm girl Carrie dresses true to her ordinary circumstances She wears a plain blue dress and old shoes and observes a demure lady like disposition