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A Life Of A Hero

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A Life of a Hero
Horatio Alger’s novels Ragged Dick was written in the 1800’s, about a young boy called Richard Hunter. Richard Hunter was from the working class, financially poor trying to survive in the tough city of New York. Richard’s goal to write in the 1800’s, about a young boy called Richard Hunter. Richard Hunter was from the working class, financially poor trying to survive in the tough city of New York. Richard’s goal to achieve the American Dream. Dick gives an awesome example of the late 19th century optimism while the major despairs that overwhelmed America at that time. I agree that this is a stimulating story for children and youths. It gives a lot of standards and values it imparts such as devotion, hard work, cooperation, and persistence. The story also holds something for adults and that is a first-hand sight of post-Civil War New York City. The struggle of the children, the advantages of the privileged class, the thieves, the confidence men, and the unforgiving hardness of poverty are all there. Alger gives our hero many likeable traits. Dick “was above doing anything mean or dishonorable. He would not steal, or cheat, or impose upon younger boys, but was frank and straight-forward, manly and self-reliant.”(Alger). In a way these are the behaviors that made Dick the perfect person. His advisories tend to have minor qualities; they are lazy, submissive, and bullies. It can be seen throughout the novel how Dick uses his great values to survive in the

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