Answer:
Dreiser may have written this piece to pay homage to the memory of his older brother, who, based on the story, helped him out when he was in need and seemed to be his closest confidante in his family. Perhaps Dreiser is attempting to celebrate the life of his brother by writing about him. He may want to show the ways in which his brother influenced him.
Step-by-step explanation:
This answer is directly from the test. I would probably change it up a little bit.