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II INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE OF YOUNG RESEARCHERS 

363 

 Qafqaz University                         

          18-19 April 2014, Baku, Azerbaijan 

MAIN THEMES IN "JENNIE GERHARDT" BY THEODORE DREISER  

 

Gunel AKHMEDOVA 

Qafqaz University 

[e-mail] 

 

Theodore Dreiser was one of the most eminent novelists of the end of nineteenth and the beginning of twentieth 

century. He was highly praised both by critics and his fellow writers. Dreiser was the only writer whose novels were 

included in the compulsory study at universities during his lifetime. One of his well-known novels is “Jennie Gerhardt”, 

which was published in 1911. 

Besides giving the realistic depiction of life of a simple American, "Jennie Gerhardt” reveals to readers another feature 

of the talent of a great writer, that is, deep lyricism and ability to signify delicate human experiences, sincere sympathy for 

the common people and their fate. There are several themes in the novel. 

The first and the most important theme is the theme of self-sacrifice. It serves as the core of the novel and is developed 

in the characters of two female protagonists: mother and daughter, Mrs. Gerhardt and Jennie. 

First of all, it is necessary to describe Mrs. Gerhardt. She is a middle-aged woman, the mother of six children.  As we 

begin reading the novel, it becomes clear that Mrs. Gerhardt tries to help family survive. Throughout the novel we witness 

how much she loves her children and always tries to make their life easier.  

Secondly, the topic of self-sacrifice is fully revealed in the character of Jennie. From the very beginning of the novel, 

we can see that she is ready to do her best in order to help the family.  Firstly, when Senator Brander assists the family, 

Jennie is grateful to him. Therewith, Jennie also likes the Senator, though not realizing that she likes him as a man, not as a 

person who is kind to her relatives. The upshot of their relationship appears when Jennie goes to Brander to ask him for help 

because her brother has been put into jail for stealing coal. The Senator solves the problem. Here, in his hotel room, Jennie 

seems very attractive and sweet to Brander. Jennie is not able to resist Brander’s passion. She sacrifices her virtue for Bass’s 

rescue.  

The second theme of the novel is the contrast set by Dreiser between the poor and the rich. From the very first chapter 

Dreiser masterfully illustrates the world of the destitute and the rich. The first is represented in the depiction of the Gerhardt 

family. Mr. Gerhardt is sick and can’t work. To make things worse, the family has debts as they have taken the mortgage 

and upon being unable to pay it back, have got the interest due upon the mortgage.  

By setting the contrast between the Gerhardts’ mode of life, their meager food and poor clothing on the one hand and 

illustrations of the hotel décor and luxurious entourage of the Kanes on the other hand, Dreiser gives the essence of the 

abyss that separates the high society from the representatives of the low-class. At this point it is of paramount importance to 

compare two families: the Gerhardt family and the Kane family. Both of them are immigrants: the Gerhardts are of a 

German origin, the Kanes are of an Irish origin. In contrast to the Herhardts, the Kanes have managed to find place under 

the sun. By describing the luxury of the Kane home and the Columbus hotel, Dreiser accentuates distinction between the life 

of the Gerhardts and that of the Senator and the Kane family. The depiction of their poverty helps us to better understand the 

reason of why Jennie leads a life contra morality. 

The third topic of the novel is an incomer’s dream to “fit in” to American society. The dream is vividly depicted by 

Dreiser in Mr. Gerhardt. William drives Jennie out because he thinks that she is acting immorally not only from religious 

point of view, but according to social codes as well. The case is that during the end of the nineteenth century immigrant 

offsprings were criticized more abruptly than American children for their behavior. Discrimination was inevitable and most 

of the members of immigrant communities realized that if there was any young man or girl who misbehaves, it would harm 

the reputation of others too. That’s why they did their best in order to adjust to the American way of life. The only way of 

reaching this goal was to bring the next generation up better that Americans. This is one of the reasons that make Mr. 

Gerhardt become furious when he gets the news of Jennie’s condition.