“Lester Kane was past the youthful love period, and he knew it. The innocence and unsophistication of younger ideals had
gone. He wanted the comfort of feminine companionship, but he was more and more disinclined to give up his personal
liberty in order to obtain it. He would not wear the social snackles if it were possible to satisfy the needs of his heart and
nature and still remain free and unfettered.” Dreiser, 1963: 140
From the quotation above, we can see that Lester wants to be free as a single man. Therefore, he does not like a wedlock. In the novel, he tries hard to win Jennie’s
love. He is not able to stop, or at least, to resist the temptation. Finally he is able to persuade her to live with him with out getting married. They have lived together for
four years when they finally realize that each of them must be separated.
3.8 Tragedy
Another element of naturalistic writing is tragedy, the story usually ends in tragedy. In this novel, the tragedy happens to the protagonist of the novel, Jennie
Gerhardt. She is starting to climb up to her higher social status by getting along with an old man who is rich and popular. She hopes that her dream of becoming famous
and rich will come true if she can marry this man. The senator himself promises to marry her. But the senator dies.
Jennie’s ambition to become rich does not fade away. Her acquaintance with another wealthy man has grown her ambition. Lester again helps family financially.
He buys expensive ornaments, a new house for her family, and he says that he loves
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her. He often takes her to see the operas and the movies. He also takes her to the parties. Now she can get along with high-class people. She does not care whether
they are married or not. She seems very happy now. But the tragedy then comes to her. Her mother dies; her brothers and sisters never get in touch with her any more.
After that she also realize that Lester leave Jennie. He marries with another woman. Her name is Letty Pace. Lester had better marry Letty in order to get rich and
powerful in business. In the mean time, Gerhardt is sick because he is very old now. Jennie is so
sad now because she now does not have anyone, except Vesta. Meanwhile, her relationship with Lester finally breaks off. Once more tragedy come in Jennie life,
her beloved daughter, Vesta dies. This novel ends with a tragedy. In this case, Jennie, the protagonist of the
novel finally fails to gain her ambition as a rich and famous woman. She is left by the people whom she loves: Lester, her mother, her father, her daughter, and her
brothers and sisters.
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CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS
4.1 Conclusion
After having analyzed the novel, Jennie Gerhardt, I come to conclusion that this novel has some elements of naturalism. Therefore, I would say that Dreiser’
Jennie Gerhardt is a naturalistic novel. The concept of determinism is clearly seen in the plot of the story. The
leading characters, especially the protagonist, are very weak and helpless in their struggle or fight against their own existence. They are trapped in a fierce world
whose events are determined by the uncontrollable forces. They have to yield to their own destiny. They are like pawns in the chess game. Jennie, the protagonist of the
novel, is so weak and helpless that she can resist the powerful forces which determine her fate. She is like a drifted wood on the river. She is not able to make
any effort to change her destiny. Accidentalness and causation as the elements of naturalistic writing are also
seen clearly in the novel. Lester and Jennie meet Letty Pace in London and Egypt. Both these places are far away from America. How can they meet a person who has
not long be seen in such far away places? Of course, Dreiser can arrange their meeting since he is the author of the novel. Again, Jennie accidentally meet Brander
in the hotel, she also meets Lester at Mrs. Brancebridge’s house by a chance.
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If Jennie did not meet Brander, she would not be pregnant. Is she did not meet Lester, her life would be different. If, again, she and Lester did not meet Letty,
who had close relationship with Lester, she would not be abandoned by Lester. This causation always happens in the plot of the novel.
Destiny or fate is the dominant element in the novel, Jennie Gerhardt because, I believe, destiny can be said as the theme of the novel. It is fate that brings
Jennie to her doom at the end of the novel. It is her fate that causes her to be pregnant without a husband. It is fate that leads her to find another wealthy man, but
it is also fate that causes her to be left alone and be lonely. It is clearly seen in the novel that Jennie, the protagonist, longs for the earthly
or worldly pleasure, wealth and fame. She always dreams of becoming a rich girl when she works in the hotel. Therefore, she easily accepts Brander’s offer to give her
financial help. She imagines that she will be happy if she has a lot of money. If she could get married with Brander, the famous senator, she would also get popularity.
Jennie also gets another opportunity when she meets Lester, a rich young gentleman. She again hopes that she will be a happy woman if she can live with
Lester although they are not married. And she is happy until Lester abandons her. Dreiser elaborate details the condition of a certain place. He vividly describes
the hotel and its lobby where Mrs. Gerhardt and Jennie work at it. He, for example, describes in detailed the cottage where Jennie and her daughter live in. he even
describes and mentions one by one, along with their ages, the members of the family, either the Gerhardt or the Kane.
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The novel is peopled by common people, whether they belong to the low class or the middle class. William Gerhard is a German immigrant who works in
various glass factories in Pensylvania. Brander is a senator; Lester Kane works for his father’s company, while Mr. O’Brien is a lawyer.
It seems that some of the characters succumb to the temptation of sexual desire. Brander cannot resist his sexual drive when he sees Jennie. He should regard
her as his own daughter because she is too young to be his wife. Lester, a womanizer or a philanderer that is, a woman-chaser, also cannot resist his sexual drive when
he sees Jennie, who is young and beautiful. This novel ends with a tragedy. In this case, Jennie, the protagonist of the
novel finally fails to gain her ambition as a rich and famous woman. She is left by the people whom she loves: Lester, her mother, her daughter, and her brothers and
sisters.
4.2 Suggestion
