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 think this post brings up an interesting point that wasn't talked about in our discussions in class. During Dick's path to become respectable, it is true that he upholds his morals and becomes hardworking towards his goal, but the underlying fact of the matter is that his kind actions were the ones that dictated his success, as you mentioned above. Take, for instance, Mickey Macguire, the reoccurring antagonist of the book. The actions of Mickey Macguire can be seen being compared those who are, to the reader's perspective, much kinder and selfless. Dick "could see and appreciate the difference between Frank and such a boy as Mickey Maguire, and it was not strange that he preferred the society of the former." (Alger 69) Frank, who had taught Dick the importance of education and showed him kindness throughout their tour of New York, is much obviously chosen over the mean spirited actions of Mickey Macguire. This is seen yet again towards the end when Dick realizes that his old shoeshining clothes have been stolen and "saw them adorning the figure of Mickey Macguire." (Alger 131) The author could have wrote this to be any person out on the streets, but the fact that Mickey Macguire, who was constantly being described as a bully and a mean person, was seen wearing the stolen clothes also shows the reader that people who are mean and selfish will not become respectable in any sense.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your thoughts and have an interesting perspective to add to when you said that Alger teaches his readers that if they do the right thing good things are bound to happen to them. In the case of giving a tour to Frank, his relations with Mr. Greyson, and his new position with the merchant, I believe that is what Alger was trying to teach. However, I wouldn’t want to overlook the other side of this story, about all the bad things that have happened to Dick and how he has handled them, which I think are equally as important. For example, when Travis stole Dick’s bank-book, he went about the situation in a very respectable way which speaks a lot for his character. On page 110, Travis tries to intentionally distract Dick from believing that he was the thief, “I’ve missed one or two other little matters. Bridget don’t look to me any too honest. Likely she’s got ‘em”. At this point in the text, Dick and Fosdick have already pieced together that Travis had stolen the book, yet to avoid getting in a dangerous situation Dick did not raise questions and decided to simply go to the bank and figure out the matter himself. Over the rest of the chapter, Dick ended up getting the entirety of his money back in his own name, and this was one of the good things that happened to him. I point out this example to show how he had earned some of the good things that happened, and they were not all by chance or simply bound to happen, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post and I very much agree with your main points. It is clear to the readers that Alger intended to portray the rewards that stem from being selfless and acting with high morals. Dick, our novel's hero, goes from being a broke boot-black to being hired as a clerk (with a $10/wk salary) simply due to his kind heart and willingness to help those around him. Despite Dick's morality, there is another aspect of the story that seems to get overlooked. I believe that his success should also attributed to his fascination and ambition with living 'spectable. Even as a boot-black, he looks at people around him that have nice suits and jobs with envy. Realizing that he can turn his life around (instead of accepting his fate as a boot-black), he begins to save money and deposit it into a bank, as opposed to gambling it away and spending it on lavish meals. At the beginning of the novel, we're told that "However much he managed to earn during the day, all was generally spent before morning." By the end, Dick is a completely different person. His wittiness, coupled with his strong morals and ambitious nature, is what allowed our hero to charm everyone around him, ultimately leading him to success.
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