《堡垒》与德莱塞之前的小说形成了巨大的反差,甚至天壤之别。其故事情节没有《欲望三部曲》跌宕起伏,少了城市的喧嚣和欲望的展演,也没有《嘉莉妹妹》中的传奇色彩,而是在平淡的生活中多了一份浓浓的温情与温暖,一股澄明与清新的气息凝铸与浸透整部小说。马蒂森指出:“《堡垒》与德莱塞的其他任何小说不同,读起来并不像一部自然主义小说,反倒像一个寓 The ”fortress“ and the Dreiser before the novel formed a huge contrast, or even a world of difference. The plot does not have ”ups and downs of the“ Trilogy of Desire, less the noise of the city and the show of desire, there is no ”Carrie sister“ in the legendary, but in plain life more a thick warmth With warmth, a clear and fresh breath cast and infiltrated the entire novel. Marty Sen pointed out: ”Fortress " and Dreiser’s no other novel is not read like a naturalistic novel, on the contrary like an apartment