How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Individual after individual passed [Hurstwood], nearly all well dressed, almost all indifferent. (45.81)
What explains this indifference? And why does the narrator point out how well dressed the people who are indifferent to his requests for help are? What would wearing an Armani suit have to do with their reaction to him?
Quote #8
They looked at [the door] as dumb brutes look, as dogs paw and whine and study the knob. They shifted and blinked and muttered, now a curse, now a comment. (47.108)
Okay, so this depiction of homeless people is sad, for sure. But likening them to animals here risks dehumanizing them in a way that could make it less easy for readers to relate to them, and thus possibly less likely to feel a strong sense of compassion for them.
Quote #9
"Oh, dear," said Carrie, with whom the sufferings of Father Goriot were still keen. "That's all you think of. Aren't you sorry for the people who haven't anything tonight?" (47.61)
At the suggestion of the cultured Ames, Carrie has just been reading a novel that has primed her to scold Lola for her lack of compassion. Like other moments in the novel, this one suggests that reading literature, watching plays, and listening to music can help characters become more compassionate. But (and this is a big but), we rarely see those compassionate feelings translated into compassionate acts, which makes us wonder whether Sister Carrie is issuing a critique of those cultural activities or questioning their value.