How does Sister Carrie show the psychological decline of George Hurstwood?

In Theodore Dreiser's novel Sister Carrie, the character of George Hurstwood serves as a primary example of the author's mastery of naturalism. While the protagonist, Carrie Meeber, rises to success, Hurstwood experiences a steady, tragic decline after running away with her.12

Dreiser portrays Hurstwood’s psychological disintegration as a "much-praised triumph of psychological analysis". As Hurstwood loses his "grip on life," the narrative tracks his descent from a position of relative stability into a state of total ruin, characterized by poverty, beggary, and eventually, suicide. This downward trajectory is presented with a "grittily factual" focus on the harsh realities of urban life, illustrating how external circumstances and internal failings combine to strip away his social standing and sense of self. Through this process, Dreiser provides a compassionate yet unflinching look at the fragility of human existence when confronted with the indifference of the modern city.12