Tuesday, January 31, 2017
From Ragged Dick to Richard Hunter
From the beginning of the book to the end, the narrator emphasizes Ragged Dick's honest character. In the first few pages, the narrator specifically outlines Dick's refusal to steal. In his interactions with other shoe shiners and civilians, he makes certain to emphasize that Ragged Dick does not steal. His commitment to finding change and repaying people back is outstanding. In the end, Dick's instinct to help the drowning boy shows the father how responsible and authentic Dick's personality is.
Ragged Dick's transformation from a shoe shiner to a clerical position is a result of his perseverance, good will, and opportunistic outlook. When the reader is first introduced to Dick, the narrator states how Dick was "above refinement of clean hands and face" (2). While Dick might work hard and earn every penny, he wasn't above the occasional vices of spending every dime. However, this begins to change when he meets the Whitneys and dons 'proper clothes'. He starts to understand that people treat others more respectfully when they are dressed well and look the part of a society-bred man. When he puts on his dirty clothes the next day, he realizes that he doesn't want to be the same Ragged Dick that squandered every coin.
Throughout the book, Dick is rewarded for his generosity, honesty, and overall wholesome character. It even states many times in the book that he was fortunate and luck was on his side. However, the transformation begins to accelerate after Ragged Dick begins to take the necessary measures of becoming a respectable figure. He opens a bank account and starts saving money for more clothes and ideally a clerical job. He helps out a boy named Fosnick by offering him a place to stay before he even thinks about asking Fosnick to tutor him. Later, Dick helps his friend get a job by pooling his savings together with Fosnick. When he gives Grayson the 15 cents, the gentleman offers Dick a Sunday school education. Later, after Dick upholds his promise, he is rewarded with a lunch at the Grayson mansion. At the end, Dick's humbleness of his bravery is noted by the father, who in turn, gives Grayson a clerical job and new clothes to go along with it. This denotes the change from Ragged Dick to Richard Hunter, Esq.
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While Dick’s solid morals and willingness to do what it takes to succeed play a significant role in his rise to fortune, it was not only by this that he rose out of poverty. In my opinion he would not have made it where he did without the help of Frank and his grandfather, who helped him realize that he could fulfill his potential. They reminded him that some of the top people started at the bottom and gave him advice about saving money and how important getting an education was. During this time period you were judged based on the clothes you wore, therefore to have someone respectable notice you, your appearance had to fit the stereotype of a respectable person.
ReplyDeleteWith that being said only having the clothes would not have gotten Dick where he ends up at the end of the book. It is his moral foundation and his ability to always do what he sees as the right thing that gets him there. As you stated the measures he takes to become a ‘spectable’ man are vital to him becoming successful, but he did not have those ambitions before he met the Whitneys. They gave him practical steps that would help him reach his goal of being successful and not having to shine shoes or worry about where he was going to sleep. In the end I believe it was a mix of luck and generosity shown to Dick along with his determination to succeed that allowed him to become ‘spectable’ and make a living for himself.
Both interesting points. I think here it's worthwhile to point out the similarities between Alcott and Alger's views on independence.
ReplyDeleteIn "Little Women", Alcott seems to propose that while independence is valuable, it's detrimental to try and handle everything by oneself. We see this mostly in how Jo softens her ways as she evolves from a tomboy to a housewife. I say 'softens' because she doesn't completely give up her independence, only compromises it a little bit at the request of Marmee. She doesn't relinquish all of her independence, just tempers it a little, and for that Alcott rewards her at the end of the novel. The message to women: clip your wings a little and you can fly farther.
Alger suggests a similar compromise in "Ragged Dick." Dick, a character with no lack of gumption and optimism, climbs up from his squalor thanks to the help of Frank and his grandfather (and some nice clothes). Much like Jo, he's a character that, in spite of a strong and independent spirit, must nonetheless rely on his friends to achieve his dreams.
It's interesting that two novels taking place in two vastly different settings with characters of different genders put forth the same basic idea. Why might this be? Maybe we've always had the same social mores. Maybe literary types appreciate the same values regardless of age or era. Maybe we purposely read two novels that explore the same themes.