Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Theodore Dreiser

Theodore Dreiser

1 7.7
An American writer known for novels about ordinary people's problems
  • proper noun
  • /θiˈɔdər ˈdraɪsər/
: Theodore Dreiser
  • Theodore Dreiser's novel 'Sister Carrie' addresses the harsh realities of urban life.

Examples

  • Theodore Dreiser is considered one of the major figures in early 20th-century American literature.

  • Her thesis focused on the social themes explored in Theodore Dreiser's novels.

  • Many critics have studied the influence of Theodore Dreiser on modern realism.

  • Theodore Dreiser is a notable author.

  • Many consider Theodore Dreiser a pioneer of American naturalism.

  • In literature classes, students often analyze the themes of struggle in Theodore Dreiser's works.

  • Many scholars recognize Theodore Dreiser for his contributions to the portrayal of ordinary people's lives.

Surface Forms

Theodore Dreiser main

Morphology

Theodore + Dreiser

This is a personal name composed of two proper nouns; knowing the constituents 'Theodore' and 'Dreiser' does not allow a learner to infer biographical information or that the phrase refers to a US novelist. Proper names are referential and largely arbitrary across languages, so the meaning cannot be derived from the parts.

Etymology

Theodore Dreiser was an American writer who often showed ordinary people struggling in big cities. Because he wrote honest, sometimes harsh pictures of life in books like 'Sister Carrie' and 'An American Tragedy', his name now stands for that kind of realistic story.