Jennie Gerhardt (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Theodore Dreiser
- First Published: 1911
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Naturalism
- Time of Work: Late nineteenth century
- Setting: Chicago, Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati
- Genres: Long fiction
- Subjects: Family or family life
- Locales: Chicago, IL
Characters Discussed
Genevieve Gerhardt (Jennie), the oldest of six children of a poor, hardworking glass blower in Columbus, Ohio. Both beautiful and innocent, Jennie is forced to work at a local hotel when her father becomes ill; there, she attracts Senator Brander, who stays at the hotel. When Brander helps her family and keeps her brother out of jail for stealing coal from the railroad, Jennie, in gratitude, sleeps with him. At his sudden death, she is left pregnant. She later moves to Cleveland, where she meets Lester Kane. With her family in need again, she goes on a trip...
[The entire page is 882 words long]
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