The sense of morality portrayed by Dick is much different than
that shown by the March Sisters in Little
Women. Dick is much more willing to bend the rules in order to survive on
the streets, even going so far as to call himself “a rough customer” (Alger 3).
He plays little tricks, and he is prone to extravagance and is unwise with his
money – something Alcott warns against constantly. Dick is clearly flawed in
this respect. Alger is conscious of Dick’s faults, going so far as to point
them out to the reader. However, we are still to believe that Dick is an
overall “good” character. Though he has his faults, Dick understands honor. Alger
explains, “I didn’t consider him a model boy but… he was above doing anything mean
or dishonorable… His nature was a noble one, and had saved him from all mean faults”
(Alger 7). Dick is even unwilling to steal, despite the fact that many of the
kids on the street do. Dick is then far from the perfection of Marmee in Little Women. However, this does not
mean to Alger that he cannot still be a hero. Dick’s salvation is in that,
ultimately, he knows good from bad. Though he may engage in some bad behaviors
(smoking, gambling, etc.), he would not cross the line to dishonor or harm
others. Dick is not immoral then. His morality is just more gray than the black
and white moral standards set forth in Little
Women. Dick is flawed, but where it really matters, he is good.
Morality - or respectability as Frank refers to it - also seems to be tied to success. Dick is successful on the streets because he is "self-reliant" (Alger 7). He is constantly out looking for work, and he does not depend on anyone else to take care of him. Dick is a self starter, and he does so in an honorable manner, as aforementioned. This opens up opportunities for Dick. When he offers himself as a guide to Frank, he uncle remarks of Dick, "Still he looks honest. He has an open face, and I think can be depended on" (Alger 16). Frank and his uncle choose to trust Dick because he seems to uphold these moral standards. He is rewarded for his honor. Frank later tells Dick, "If you try to be somebody, and grow up in a respectable manner of society, you will" (Alger 31). Alger here again introduces the idea that if you act honorably, you can make your way up in the world. Dick has great possibilities for his future if he can maintain honorable among the dishonest streets.
I agree with Kelsey in that morality in Alger’s Ragged Dick is very different from that shown in Alcott’s Little Women. Ragged Dick in Alger’s novel exercises practically in morality, even if this means employing questionable tactics.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Dick has good morals as he does “not steal, or cheat, or impose upon younger boys” and is “frank and straightforward”, he still possesses flaws, such as smoking and gambling (Alger 6-7). Aside from the narrator complementing Dick, I was able to see the hero’s true goodness by the way he helps out the weak by fighting the swindlers. In chapter seven, Dick swindles the swindler by exchanging “a dry-goods circular imitating a bank bill” for a pocket-book that was also stuffed with blank paper (Alger 35). While Frank berates Dick for cheating the swindler, Dick prevents the swindler from pulling a similar act to innocent people like Frank.
Later, Dick finds the man who swindled $50 from the poor country fellow. He successfully retrieves $50 from the swindler, but still lies in the process. He tells the swindler that “the little affair of yours is known to be police” and that “it mayn’t be safe for you to go ashore”, although the police told the country lad that “there was very little chance of his ever seeing his money again” (Alger 51, 53).
Dick is aware of his flaws and the cunning skills he possesses. Yet, he uses them in applicable situations to help out the weak by preventing swindlers from cheating them.
I partially agree with Kelsey because Ragged Dick does use his advantages of having street based knowledge to help those in need. He also never seems to be a pure picture of morality, especially in instances such as when him and Frank are accused of stealing on the horse-car and Ragged Dick exclaims "You're a nice female, you be!" (43) to purposefully anger his accuser.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think one of the most similar themes of morality in the story is highly relatable to Little Women. This is the idea that those who are already well-off should help those who are struggling, or generosity and gratefulness. Ragged Dick, like the March family in Little Women already possess these traits as one can see through his constant giving of charity to his friends that are less well-of than him such as his charitable donations so that Tom can pay his family's rent. Also, like in Little Women Ragged Dick is often always rewarded for his morality and generosity such as in the instance of his generous tour he gives Frank, or the saving of the child's life who fell of the ferry he receives both beneficial material things, such as new suits of clothes, and social connections, like his relationships with the people he has helped and the guidance they give him.
Overall, while on the surface Ragged Dick might seem to show morality in a different light than Little Women the most focus is put onto Ragged Dick's morals of generosity and giving which was also a common theme in Little Women.