Horatio Alger and Ragged Dick

The use of symbolism has always been a prevalent way for writers to communicate important issues to the public. It is not uncommon to read a simple children’s story and discover underlying political or moral messages, for example, Horatio Alger’s novel Ragged Dick. This story was written after the Civil War, when America experienced a period of huge industrial growth. The capitalistic work ethic had become a universal idea in the North, and …

…prove to himself that he is self-sufficient. He has money along with education, two essential qualities that are absolutely required to be successful during the Industrial Revolution. Each step was necessary for the advancement of the young gentleman. Success stories were prevalent themes at the time of the novel, and many people read it in hopes that one day they too would become as successful as little Ragged Dick. Bibliography "Ragged Dick" , by Horatio Alger