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.
I agree with your statement that respectability in the novel has nothing to do with wealth or status. I would add to the statement that it also has nothing to do with age or gender. There are many examples of people in the novel, both man and woman, rich and poor, young and old, that lack or possess respectability.
ReplyDeleteOne specific example I can find that helps your argument is the inclusion of the lady in the horse-car who accuses first Frank and then Dick of stealing her purse. Dick succeeds in having more honor and gaining the respect of the other riders in the horse-car over the lady, as by the end of their interaction “the sympathies of those present were against the lady, and on the side of the boys who had been falsely accused,” (Alger 46). Neither gender nor age nor class helped the lady gain respectability, supporting your point.
Another example for your point is the character of James Travis. He is older than Dick, being 23, but is a thief and is arrested for stealing Dick’s bank-book. Along with the obvious, he also puts himself at odds with Dick’s newfound respectability by deriding the younger boys for studying every evening, saying “What’s the use of studying so much? You don’t expect to be a lawyer, do you, or anything of that sort?” (Alger 107). This remark displays both a distaste for education and a lack of ambition, both characteristics key in Dick’s success.
I would argue that while any discussion on Ragged Dick outside of the time period it is set in will call into question the meaning of respectability, the novel itself sets out a very fixed meaning of what respectability is. In the novel, respectability is framed as being heavily based on the way one dresses, “avoid[ing] extravagance,” honesty, and a constant desire to learn and improve oneself (Alger 55). Before his change of clothes Dick is described as having “torn” pants, “uncombed locks,” and “a shirt which looked as if it had been worn a month” (4). While Dick himself is framed positively, with traits such as being “attractive” and having a “frank, straight-forward manner” his style of dressing is framed as being inferior, and while at first thinking nothing of it Dick himself later has nothing but disdain for his old clothes. This serves to reinforce the idea that a respectable person would only dress in nice clothes.
ReplyDeleteLater in the novel other key tenants of respectability at the time are described by Mr. Whitney and Mr. Greyson. Mr. Whitney explains to Dick that to be respectable one should “avoid extravagance” and encourages Dick that studying will help make him more respectable and give him a higher chance of success (55). Mr. Greyson later echoes this idea of studying leading to respect and success as he implores Dick to go to Sunday school (72). And throughout the novel the importance of honesty is emphasized, such as when Dick does not steal from the baker and is given cakes a reward (39). While some of these things, such as honesty and a desire to learn, are still respectable today, factors such as avoiding extravagance and one’s dress are not seen as influencing respectability as much as they were at the time the novel was created. So while some aspects of respectability stay the same throughout time, others are dependent on the society at the time.
I agree with your statement that as soon as one begins reading the novel, it's evident that Dick is portrayed to be a hard-working, honest individual with a strong set of morals. Throughout the entire novel, we see Dick get rewarded for his selfless acts. I enjoyed the fact that you used the incident with "Little Johnny" as an example. One thing you might add is that Alger notes, "His determination was formed before he heard the liberal offer made by the boy's father (Alger 127). This quote reinforces the fact that Dick acted out of pure kindness and desire to save the boy from drowning, risking his own life in the process. One notable point regarding respectability is that Dick's perspective of being respectable changes as the story moves on. At first, he thinks anyone wearing nice clothes that has a nice job is considered a respectable person. He comes to learn, however, that respectability isn't about how much you have saved up in the bank, but rather about the way you carry and present yourself. Once he meets Mr. Grayson, for example, Dick learns that he must become educated and go to Sunday school if he wants to be respected. He begins to see his friend Fosdick in a completely different light, cherishing the fact that he knows how to read and write. He goes so far as to provide him with a place to sleep and food to eat, even if Fosdick offered to pay for it, in return for private tutoring.
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