The novel "Sister Carrie" takes place around 1889. Chicago and New York have as much important role in the novel as the characters. These cities not only provide an environmental setting for the novel but also influence its characters in very powerful way. .
Carrie Meeber takes the train from Columbia City and set for Chicago to start a new life with her sister. Columbia City was a small city and Carrie felt it didn't have much to offer anyone who wanted to make something of them. Carrie believed that in Chicago she would be able to find work and earn good money. Them she realized Chicago wasn't going to be easy she had to live with her sister and her husband. And she had to get a job and pay rent and also buy the things she wished. .
In Chicago, Carrie wasn't able to get what she wanted to and didn't succeed. Carrie did not go out looking for work in order to help their family out as much as possible instead Carrie wanted to go out and make something of her. Finding a job was very difficult task for her but finally she found a job at a shoe factory. Because of the condition in the factory she became ill and eventually lost her job. That is when her friend Drouet got her a part in a theatrical performance at a Lodge.
Tired and disappointed with her early days at a low paying hard work Carrie chooses to leave her sister and goes off with a Drouet, a man she just recently met on the train. Carrie knew nothing about Drouet except that he seemed to like her and appeared to have more money than she could ever got her hands on. When she goes off with him there is no conflict within her, no regrets, no second thoughts. As soon as an opportunity to leave her boring life arrived Carrie took it and never looked back. All she cared about was the fact that now she no longer needed to work long hours for little pay. By becoming Drouet's kept woman she no longer had to worry about getting comfortable clothing, good meal and money.