Being Successful and Respectable in the Mid-19th Century

Raechel Hearth

Being Successful and Respectable in the Mid-19^th Century

Ragged Dick is a rags to riches story about a young boy who lives on the streets as a shoe shine, but wishes for a better life.  Despite Dick’s hardships, he is described as a respectable boy, even at the beginning of the novel. He vows to never steal, and even his appearance is described as likable compared to others who are in similar situations to him, “Some of his companions were sly, and their faces inspired distrust; but Dick had a frank, straight-forward manner that made him a favorite” (Alger 4). He is also generous with his friends, offering to pay for meals when they do not have enough money, even though Dick himself has very little money. Alger uses Dick to highlight characteristics that every young man wishing for success should have: honesty, generosity, and a willingness to work hard.

It is Dick’s good nature, and respectable nature that appeals to Mr. Whitney, a wealthy gentleman who helps Dick obtain new clothes, and sets him on the path of becoming a respectable citizen.  When Dick offers to show Mr. Whitney’s nephew around the city, Mr. Whitney remarks. “He isn’t exactly the sort of guide I would have picked out for you. Still he looks honest. He has an open face, and I think he can be depended upon” (Alger 16). While it is luck that brings Mr. Whitney and Dick together, it is Dick’s respectable qualities that result in Mr. Whitney trusting and helping Dick.

The novel stresses the importance of honestly, hard-work, and perseverance time and time again.  It is Dick’s key to success.  Frank tells Dick, “A good many distinguished men have once been poor boys. There’s hope for you, Dick, if you’ll try” (Alger 31). Essentially, Alger claims it is important for young men to be honest and hard-working. These qualities will help them obtain success, through finding a good job.  Dick shows that through honest, hard work, and a little bit of luck, anyone can raise above their station and find success in their lives.  This combination of luck and an honest, hard-working nature is what Alger, and likely society, believed it took to obtain respectability and success for young men in the mid-19^th century.

Alger's Bridge Between the Classes

Ragged Dick is the story of an urchin child living in New York, who befriends an out-of-town rich country boy who, by degrees, convinces him to turn his life around. The story's themes center on the character traits and attitude one must have in order to achieve success, such as honesty, work-ethic, positivity, and a generally cool and collected head. All these traits, in Horatio Alger's opinion, are necessary to remove oneself from poverty and make one's way to the top. However, this book is not written for those persons struggling financially, as in the era Alger was writing, Ragged Dick would surely never have enough money left over for books, let alone the ability to read them. The book then, should not exactly be viewed as a "how-to" guide for getting out of poverty, but rather as an encouragement to people to be kind and charitable to those in need. Indeed, while the title of the novel may be Ragged Dick, its contents are much more centered around Frank, and his choice to befriend Dick.
In a period of time when there was most definitely some mistrust between the lower and middle classes, as evidenced by multiple appearances of thieves and conmen, such as the man who tries to sell the boys a wallet full of blank bills, throughout the story, Alger is advocating for the poor, it as if he is saying, "Give them a chance to prove themselves, they will surprise you!" To this end he creates Dick, by all accounts a well meaning and good individual, however with some unhealthy habits such as smoking and gambling, living in the city and desiring a better life, yet somehow totally unaware as of how to change his station. It is only when Frank appears and tells him that he could have a better life, and be a more respectable person, that Dick actually begins to contemplate the possibility that he could turn his life around. He seems not to have considered that he could go to night school, or get a cheap apartment so as to stay off the streets, thinking he is not good or smart enough to be able to succeed. Without the encouragement of Frank, without a person who believed he could improve himself, Dick would have remained in the same vicious cycle of poverty. It brings to mind the idea of learned helplessness in psychology, when one becomes so accustomed to a bad situation that they no longer see any way out of it, and no longer try to escape it, it is only with outside interference that one is able to break free. Perhaps this is what Alger refers to when he states that one part of success is "providential help."
The novel Ragged Dick is a compelling narrative encouraging brotherhood and kindness across class distinctions, it hopes to inspire young and likely well-off individuals to provide encouragement and aid to those fallen on hard times. Not only is cooperation between classes beneficial to the poor, as it is evident in the novel that the knowledge and aid of Dick is invaluable to Frank's journey across New York, and without Dick, Frank would surely have been swindled many times over. Alger also describes the way the boot-blackers suffer in winter, and shows through the relationship of Dick and Johnny how they are kind and uplifting to one another in an effort to procure sympathy for the struggling urchins of New York and to depict their humanity, so as to further impose the point: that we are all human, and at some point in every persons life, we need a little kindness and a little help to get along.

Universality of Respectability

Ragged Dick tells the story everyone wants to read: the archetypal rags to riches fairytale. Young, poor, honorable boy Dick (Hunter) is down on his luck due to circumstances outside of his control- lack of parents or a place to live and very little education to speak of. Our Cinderella begins the story content with his lifestyle until a chance meeting inspires him to work to become “’spectable”, because one surely can’t be respectable and a street urchin, of course.

Ragged Dick calls into question the true meaning and connotation of “respectability”- is it something that changes based on time period and place? Is it a universal and timeless concept? Based on morals? Status? Horatio Alger provides an answer to these questions through the tale and evolution of Ragged Dick to Richard Hunter. From the very beginning of the novel the readers are made aware that while Dick grew up on the streets, he only acquired the beneficial aspects of such an upbringing (or lack thereof)- he knows who and who not to trust and can outsmart even the most experienced swindlers, but he “…wouldn’t steal” because “It’s mean” (3).  Alger frames Dick with a sense of honesty and earnestness, already causing the reader to respect him for how he conducts himself. I doubt Alger wrote Ragged Dick with the intention of it being read by a college class in 2019, but even so, his message transfers, without needing any translation, to our discussions today, implying that the inherent senses of respectability and respect aren’t capricious concepts that change meanings from century to century. This also implies that respectability doesn’t stem from status symbols or wealth, as those would fluctuate as time goes on, but from a code of morals and conduct whose value doesn’t change with each passing year. Alger emphasizes this concept in the scene where he writes, “[Dick] was willing to follow [Henry’s] example in what something told him was right. Our young hero had taken an important step toward securing that genuine respectability…”, as he doesn’t connect “genuine respectability” with Dick’s new savings account or attendance at Fifth Avenue Sunday School (79). Alger references Dick’s respectability in connection in his lack of ridicule of Fosdick and his genuine desire to improve and learn things that would help him do so.

Dick’s respectability is again showcased in the scene where Dick saves “Little Johnny” from drowning. With little concern for his own life, he leaps into the water to save a stranger, only to shrink away from commendations as he “always felt awkward when he was praised” (128).  Dick’s act of bravery didn’t stem from any hero complex or thought of reward- he saw someone in trouble and knew he had the skills to help. Acting on that knowledge was an instinctive selfless act, something that evokes a deep sense of respect in the audience for Dick, without having to consider the time period and regardless of whether he was wearing his new suits or his Washington coat.

Ragged Dick, Where Good Always Trumps Evil

Ragged Dick is a novel that overtly promotes high morals, strong work ethic, and generosity on impressionable young men. However, the overarching theme is one that is purer, although undeniably more naïve, than some of the smaller lessons taught in the novel. Alger teaches his readers throughout Ragged Dick that if they do the right thing good things are bound to happen to them. While it is worthwhile to promote selflessness and showing kindness to others, it seemed that almost every advancement Dick made throughout the novel came as a repayment for his moral actions. 

Beginning with Dick’s chance encounter with Frank and his uncle, Dick’s fortune begins to drastically improve. By just offering to show Frank New York City, Dick sets in motion his rise in status. He protects Frank from the perils of the city and in turn receives a new respectable look, five dollars, and a new ambitious attitude. This look and Dick’s notable dedication to do what is right and fair sends Dick to the office of Mr. Greyson (a previous client to which he owed change) to once again advance in the world. Upon seeing Dick all cleaned up and his honest effort to return Mr. Greyson’s change, Mr. Greyson says “You evidently have some good principles to start with, as you have shown by your scorn of dishonesty. I shall hope good things of you in the future” (Alger 72). He also offers Dick the opportunity to attend his Sunday school class, providing Dick with religious enlightenment he has not yet received due to growing up an orphan. 

Dick continued to be selfless later in Ragged Dick by offering Henry Fosdick, a fellow boot-black who did not earn much money, dinner and to stay in his rented room that night. After talking with Henry, Dick discovered that he was well educated and able to teach reading and writing. As Dick’s main priority was to become more educated, he and Henry reached an agreement that Henry would tutor Dick and Dick would allow him to share his rented room. It is particularly interesting that Dick wished to become more educated and within 48 hours found someone to teach him at only the cost of 25 cents a week of extra rent money. It seems that the chances of a boot-black being so educated are low and that one happened to stumble across Dick in need of help even less likely. 

The final and most overt teaching of this lesson occurred when Dick rescued a drowning child from the river.  Naturally, this child’s father turned out to be a merchant with a job available that was exactly what Dick was looking for and paid three times more than Dick would expect. 

Dick’s genuine kindness and interest in helping other people is part of what makes this book an enjoyable read. He is quick, clever, and a hard worker, so his success is heart-warming. It accomplishes its task of teaching children to be selfless in a way that may be a bit naïve, but is enjoyable nonetheless. 

"I Want to be 'Spectable"

              In Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger, trends of trustworthiness, honesty, and hard work are hailed as exemplary morals, demonstrated through the young hero Dick himself. Vagabonds and rascals run rampant in the New York City of the 1800s, and the city’s elite deem Dick to be a member of this category simply because he is a lowly boot-black with no home, no family, and no money. It’s true that Dick has his faults – he gambles most of his money away and whatever cash is left over he spends on his smoking habit. However, Dick is not your average vagabond. He is witty, determined, and street-smart. He holds himself to a greater moral code than that of the cheaters and conmen which dominate his social caste. Unlike them, “he would not steal, or cheat, or impose upon younger boys, but was frank and straight-forward, manly and self-reliant. His nature was a noble one, and had saved him from all mean faults” (Alger 7). Dick redeems himself with these noble qualities because, despite his position, he wants to grow up to be an honorable, respectable young man in the future.

              Unlike the rest of society, who turn up their noses at Dick’s position, his new friend Frank sees the positive potential in our young hero. He encourages Dick to pursue an education and continue to work hard in order to change his life and improve his circumstances. “‘If you’ll try to be somebody, and grow up into a respectable member of society, you will. You may not become rich,—it isn’t everybody that becomes rich, you know,—but you can obtain a good position, and be respected’” (Alger 31). Such emphasis placed on the virtue of hard work is reminiscent of the Protestant work ethic, which values self-discipline and frugality as the means of success. As a result, Dick resolves to quit smoking and gambling and to instead shift his focus towards his own personal advancement. Frank’s uncle also gives Dick some advice: “‘you will prosper and rise in the world…poverty in early life is no bar to a man’s advancement…if you try to learn, you can, and if you ever expect to do anything in the world, you must know something of books…Save your money, my lad, buy books, and determine to be somebody, and you may yet fill an honorable position…Remember that your future position depends mainly upon yourself, and that it will be high or low as you choose to make it’” (Alger 55-57). With all this in mind, young Dick sets out to earn the respect he so longs for, in the hopes that once he becomes a prosperous man himself, he will be able to pay it forward by helping other poor young boys who are struggling upward, just as he is now.

The Importance of Ragged Dick

In the novel Ragged Dick, by Horatio Alger, the author writes morals of the 19th century and the transition of boyhood to working men in this rags to riches tale. The protagonist, Dick, a 14 year old orphan, is living in a box and running his own shoe-shining business. His wit and charisma brings him Frank and his uncle, who present him with the opportunity of being guide to Frank, where he receives lessons on respectability along the way.

This novel displays how being an upstanding citizen can lead to great outcomes. Dick was surrounded by temptation in his position of poverty, including thievery, lying, and the ease of spending all of his money, yet he learns to have impulse control. This consistent theme is shown when he is tempted to steal, but fights against it, and in the end is rewarded with doughnuts. This situation proves that when people are honest, fate will give them what they merit. In another lesson of good karma, Dick shines a gentleman's shoes who gives him a bill to take to a nearby store to get change. In the process, he is almost swindled by the salesclerk, but ends up receiving more from the gentleman for the trouble. Plus, because of this setting, Dick encounters Frank, a boy about Dick's age, and his uncle, who are in need of a tour guide for New York City. This opportunity allows Dick to be gifted new clothes, to clean himself, and to be presented with the possibility of receiving an education.

Alger also includes a lesson on the humanity of all people. The novel begins with Dick appearing as a scraggly boy trying to earn money. However, Frank's uncle sees the expertise within Dick that he requires. Dick's experience living in the city, his knowledge of the stragglers who choose to earn money dishonestly, and his welcoming face convinces Frank's uncle to allow the shoe-shiner to be his nephew's guide. Although Dick's appearance and his homelessness insinuates a poor, fraudulent boy, he proves that his time living on the streets gives him knowledge that many people living in New York do not have. In another example, the appearance of Frank's uncle may stereotype him as an uncaring, shallow person, yet he trusts Dick and even welcomes him into his home. He proves to be a giving person, presenting Dick with clothes and a refuge to clean himself, allowing Dick to display the outside appearance of the wholesome person he has always been.

In Ragged Dick, the transition from boyhood to working men is emphasized in morals, which can be related to the 21st century. On their journey through New York City, Frank explicitly informs Dick how to be respectable. Frank expresses the importance of saving his money, getting an education, and finding a room to sleep. This can be related to today's society, where young men are expected to work hard on their education, even to go to college to earn the best jobs. They are supposed to save enough money to live on their own and be an active member of society. Young men are also judged on their respectability and hard work, which are necessary for living a substantial life.

Morality in Alger's Version of Charity

In the class discussion, we briefly mentioned that Dick is considered better than the other black-booters because he has morals. Throughout the novel, Dick, other characters, and the narrator refer to Dick as having morals and becoming respectable. This focus on respectability and morality as being the most important things a person has to offer discounts the experiences the other black booters have, as well as any lessons that can be learned from helping others despite their morality and respectability; they are all children who are living in extreme poverty. Dick is lucky to have met Frank, as he says by calling Frank “a jolly good fellow” (18). Dick himself helps the others by giving them food throughout the novel, as well as trading Fosdick tutoring for a place to stay.

Dick’s luck in having Frank and Mr. Whitney help him, as well as having the trust of those around him, gives him an advantage that the other boys do not receive. In this novel, Alger argues that both hard work and help are needed to get ahead. In order to convey this message to his readers, Alger portrays another black-booter, Johnny Nolan, as lazy (9). As was discussed in class, Alger’s audience was likely not boys like Dick, let alone the other black-booters, who likely did not know how to read and could not afford the novel. The novel was instead aimed at boys like Frank, who learn to help others. This help and charity, however, does not extend to everyone. It is supposed to be focused at boys like Dick, who show that they have both a strong set of morals and are extremely hard-working.

It is important to note that Alger places importance on education, as Frank is educated when he meets Dick and convinces him to “think more about it” (40). In addition, the only other black-booter that Alger portrays in a positive light, Fosdick, is highly educated above his age-group (75).

The combination of viewing only those who have received an education and those who have a high sense of morality, especially considering the various ways morality can be considered, as deserving of charity is dangerous. It means that those who could most benefit from an education, i.e. the black-booters, who are children and may not know any better, are not receiving any aid. While teaching the audience that charity, education, and having a set of morals are good things that will benefit them in life is helpful, it is also harmful for society’s most disrespected and neglected groups of people. Even for today’s audiences, it perpetuates the idea that only those who are like-minded are deserving of charity. If morality is this important when selecting who deserve charity, then it should be as important for those handing out charity. 

Is Ragged Dick a Hero?

Ragged Dick was an intriguing look into the life of an ideal boy in the 1860s. One question I had throughout the duration of the novel that we briefly addressed in class was whether or not as readers we are meant to perceive Ragged Dick as a hero. On numerous occasions, Horatio Alger himself refers to Ragged Dick as the hero, breaking into the second person to address the reader directly to reference the protagonist as “our hero.”

            Throughout the novel, I kept asking myself whether Ragged Dick’s actions could be considered “heroic” in the traditional sense. There are certainly some instances of heroism on the protagonist’s part: his giving some of his savings away to his friend Tom, whose mother was ill and unsure whether the family would be able to make that month’s rent, for example. But is his mission of self-improvement and newfound ambition themselves acts of heroism? I, and I think Alger, believe that they are.

            Ragged Dick acts a moral code for its readers, specifically for young boys making the transition from boyhood to manhood. A common theme throughout the novel, Ragged Dick constantly reiterates his need to pursue an education, quit gambling, quit drinking, save money, and obtain a job, earning himself a respectable place in New York society. The tone with which Alger approaches Ragged Dick indicates his affection for, or belief in the goodness of, his protagonist. For example, in the first introduction of the character, Alger describes Ragged Dick as having “a faint, straightforward manner that made him a favorite” (5). Later in the story, when Ragged Dick gives his money to Fosdick to finance his new suit and secure a new job in business, Alger describes Ragged Dick as “determined that Fosdick should have a good serviceable suit, even if it took all the money they had” (120).

            The careful, affectionate language Alger uses to describe his main character is evidence that we are meant to perceive Ragged Dick’s entire journey of self-discovery and improvement as an act of heroism in and of itself. I agree with the author; Ragged Dick, in his own way, is a hero both unto himself and the people around him. Through his own ambition and determinedness, he is able to create something significant out of nothing, and though his steps to becoming “’spectable” may not seem heroic in the classic sense, I think his journey is heroic in its own right because he stays true to his morals and values and does what he believes is right in order to accomplish a goal.

Alger, Horatio Jr. Ragged Dick. New York: Penguin Group, 1990. Print.