Jennie Gerhardt

Jennie Gerhardt is a novel written by Theodore Dreiser, first published in 1911. The story is set in the late 19th century and follows the life of Jennie Gerhardt, a young woman from a poor family who becomes involved with two wealthy men.Jennie's father is an alcoholic and her mother struggles to make ends meet, forcing Jennie to work as a maid in a hotel. She catches the eye of a wealthy senator, Brander, who offers to take care of her and her family in exchange for her companionship. Jennie agrees, but when she becomes pregnant, Brander abandons her.Jennie then meets and falls in love with a wealthy businessman, Lester Kane. They have a secret relationship and plan to marry, but when Lester's father finds out, he threatens to disinherit him if he marries Jennie. Lester chooses his inheritance over Jennie and marries a woman of his own social class.Jennie is left alone and pregnant once again, with no one to turn to. She gives birth to a son and raises him on her own, working hard to provide for him. Eventually, she meets and marries a kind and loving man, who accepts her past and helps her to build a new life.The novel explores themes of social class, love, and sacrifice, and portrays the struggles and hardships faced by women in the late 19th century. It is a poignant and powerful story of a woman's journey to find happiness and acceptance in a society that values wealth and status above all else.1911. American author, outstanding representative of naturalism, whose novels depict real-life subjects in a harsh light. Dreiser's books were held to be amoral, and he battled throughout his career against censorship and popular taste. Jennie Gerhardt, along with his other famous work Sister Carrie, chronicles the struggle of young women in a brutal urban culture. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.