Jennie Gerhardt by Theodore Dreiser

The book follows the struggles of the titular character, Jennie Gerhardt, a young woman from a poor family, as she navigates a society marked by class disparity and personal sacrifice. The opening reveals Jennie's humble beginnings, highlighting her family’s desperate financial situation and her mother’s attempts to secure work for both of them." The opening of the novel introduces us to the Gerhardt family, focusing on Jennie and her mother, who seek employment at a hotel due to their dire financial straits triggered by the illness of the family’s patriarch, William Gerhardt. Their visit to the hotel is marked by a sense of helplessness and timidity, contrasted with the elegance of the place and its patrons. The narrative reflects on their struggles with poverty, the emotional weight of their circumstances, and the stark societal differences they face. As they adapt to their new roles at the hotel, Jennie begins to hope for a better life, which sets the stage for her complex interactions with other characters, particularly the influential Senator Brander, who enters their lives and alters their fate.