There is a theme throughout the
novel so far that one’s circumstances can be improved solely by working
hard. Frank and his uncle explicitly
express this sentiment, as Frank tells Dick, “I want you to do well, and I feel
sure you can if you only try.” The idea
is that no matter what is going on in one’s life, he has the power to overcome
it. This is certainly an inspirational
message, and it is definitely accurate in some situations. However, it is not entirely true in today’s
economy, especially in regards to escaping such poverty as Dick faces.
In order to make enough money to
afford rent nowadays, especially in New York, one would have to earn much more
money than is typically earned by workers and peddlers on the street, such as
Dick. Granted, the average cost of rent
varies greatly based on location, and New York is known to have a higher cost
of living than other states and smaller cities or towns; but there would likely
not be enough patrons in a smaller city for Dick to make much money at all. Without splitting the rent with a roommate or
two, it is highly unlikely that Dick would be able to afford a place to live by
performing his occupation as a boot-black in present day New York. At one point, even Fosdick jokes about the
increasing cost of living when he notes that, “Two hundred and fifty years ago
you might have bought [a mansion] for that price, probably.”
While ambition and attitude do play
a large role in determining one’s circumstances, in extreme cases they simply
are not enough. More drastic measures
are often required. Some form of
assistance is often necessary, perhaps from the government or wealthy friends
or family. Moving in with a roommate in
order to split bills or getting a second job may also be needed. Today, a mere change in attitude would not be
enough to allow Dick to rise from poverty.
Even when adjusting for inflation, it is highly unlikely that Dick would
be able to rent a room in New York, let alone cover other inevitable expenses.
I agree that it would be much more difficult for someone starting at the same level as Dick to make enough money to afford rent in New York. Also, as Dick and Fosdick learn, it is very difficult to obtain a job without first having a place to call home. This could be seen when Mr. Henderson was interviewing Henry Fosdick for a position, and he asked him "Where do you live, then?" (94). Alger explains why employers were concerned with a place of living when he says that "merchants were afraid to trust one who had led such a vagabond life" (91).
ReplyDeleteAssuming that many employers in New York today operate with similar criteria, this provides another reason why it may be more difficult today to earn enough money to rent a place to live. If people are unable to make enough money working as a boot-black or a newsboy to rent a space, they would not be able to get a better job where they might earn more. This creates a vicious cycle that many find it hard to break, as they would likely need some great luck to befall them in order to rise from their current state. Even in the 1860’s this was needed, as Dick was only able to rent the room on Mott Street after Mr. Whitney gave him a five dollar bill.
Clearly, Alger's depiction of a young shoeshine boy's economic mobility in nineteenth century New York is very optimistic. However, this exaggeration is both intended and necessary. If Dick was simply done in by one of the many dishonest individuals he encounters on the street, the plot wouldn't be particularly interesting. I half expected the crooked cashier (14) to seek vengeance on Dick after losing his job. Furthermore, if Dick simple passed away on one of the many nights he was "hungry and cold, with nothin' to eat or to warm" (38) him, this novel would be more of a short story.
ReplyDeleteAs you stated, Alger and his characters acknowledge the fact that it takes both hard work and luck to find success. Logically, just as in Little Women, Ragged Dick emphasizes the perseverance aspect of achievement. These moralistic writers prefer the lesson of "work hard to open up the path to greatness" over "without luck, nothing matters, so why try anyway?" There is no harm in Alger not including an outright disclaimer at the story's commencement. I am sure even young nineteenth century readers understood Alger's message; no literate boy fled to the city with a box of bootblack and a can-do attitude after closing the book. If anything, a disclaimer would seem out of place and detract from the novel's atmosphere and message.
I definitely agree that today it would probably be a lot more difficult to go from living on the streets in New York to being able to afford rent and make something of yourself, but I don’t think that Alger’s idea was to portray a realistic story, just merely to teach a lesson. If you think about it, Harry Potter isn’t realistic, but it isn’t meant to be. It’s just meant to use a fantastical idea to teach a real lesson. However, the idea that you can come from nothing and make something of yourself is a lesson that has persisted through the ages, especially in America. The American dream is that you can be poor on the streets and make yourself into an empire, and that’s the idea that Alger is trying to represent here. For example, Frank even says “A good many distinguished men have once been poor boys. There’s hope for you, Dick, if you try” (31). The main moral of the story is based on working hard, not on things being realistic. Additionally, Dick does get help in order to become as successful as he does. He gets the money from saving the boy on the boat, which was very instrumental in his success, so I don’t think that the story is completely saying that you can become a millionaire from shining shoes.
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