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Conflict in the prince and the pauper
Conflict in the prince and the pauper
Conflict in the prince and the pauper
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Luke Duffey Dr. Santalucia Introduction to Literature October 20, 2014 Hard Work and Morality in Ragged Dick Is hard work necessary? And is there any value of being morally good? Through Ragged Dick, Alger answers these questions. In the novel, Alger presents two thematic messages which also serve to be the main character’s secrets of success; these two qualities are hard work ethics and a positive moral attitude. Dick, who is the main character in the novel, is able to attain respectability as well as advance his social status from just a lower class boot-black to an honorable businessman due to these two virtues. Dick’s incredibly hard work ethic and his ethical outlook on life are clearly manifested in the first chapter of the story. …show more content…
Alger illustrates that Dick is not a perfect man, but when compared to other characters of the novel such as Maguire, Dick appears to be a saint. Nevertheless, throughout the novel Dick would prove time and again that he is aware of the difference between what is right and what is wrong. There are probably a dozen examples of this moral awareness in Ragged Dick. The first example being when Mr. Greyson only had 25 cents to give our hero when Dick had no change. Richard Hunter wasn’t the type of young man to take the change from this man, and eventually returned to Mr. Greyson’s office to return the money which was owed. This mindset is viewed by other individuals who choose to assist Dick in his path to respectability and give him advice that contributes to the success that Richard Hunter ultimately falls …show more content…
Despite the fact that Alger does not illustrate this explicitly, the reality behind the story was corruption, which was evident in 1860’s in New York City. Similarly, Alger does not dwell on the vices that were occurring in New York at the time; however, he presents the opposite of this in Dick, and shows how Dick faces massive opposition with regard to the dishonorable state of the city. Dick however was able to navigate through the deplorable state by employing tactics that help him to safeguard his morals against being degraded by the world and finally is able to sail through. During this time, Frank also gives a story of how a young teacher who was well known for his hard work and strong work ethics later emerges to become a successful businessman. Later the young teacher turned businessman promises to always maintain his good morals and avoid any dishonorable acts in all his dealings. This story was aimed at inspiring Dick to maintain his good
“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” is what been told around and what most people still don’t do. How we decide how something is worth by just looking at it without getting to know someone or something even closer. John Steinbeck wrote a book in 1937 about two farm workers moving place to place trying to find their happiness. By going through things together and keeping each other’s hope by reminding one another about their motivation on even trying and ways how the farm workers, Lenny and George are more different than similar. Lenny and George are more different because of their maturity, their attitude towards Curley’s wife, and behavior.
Fitzgerald uses foreshadowing to depict that in chapter 8 Dick is flirtatious with Rosemary, foreshadowing Dick’s future affair. Dick states, “'What I’m coming to is—Nicole and I are going up to Paris to see Abe North off for America—I wonder if you’d like to go with us'” (Fitzgerald 56) Dick invitation is the start of a troubling situation, the affair. As well as, "But the space between
If you were to witness something corrupt, what would you do? Would you try to stop it? Or would you just look the other way and pretend it was not there? In today’s society, corruption is almost everywhere, and too often, people just look the other way, allowing it to continue. In writing The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger attempts to show people the evils of a corrupt society, and how it can harm anyone. He does this through Holden’s experiences at Pencey and in NYC, as well as the uncertainty and confusion that Holden feels about sex.
killers. He does not completely integrated his opinion on the events or the court process. But, Capote seems less interested in Dick than Perry. Actually, Dick lived in a warm family, got some athlete awards in high school, and was sastified in his normal sex life, but in fact, he was irresponsible and without humanity. ( Capote 108, 172) In contrast, Perry's interior life won more favored of the author than Dick. Capote engages extensive attention to Perry's troubled chilhood and youth, including a broken family, two siblings suiside, and the accident that left him with disabled legs. Capote supposes that Perry was more innocent than Dick because Dick prepared
By structuring his novel where time is out of joint, Dick is able to illustrate that one’s perception of reality is entirely based on what one believes to be fact. This point is illustrated through Ragle Gumm, who, “from his years of active military life” in the beginning of the story, “prided himself on his physical agility” (Dick 100). It is not until time is mended again toward the end of the book that he realizes that it had been, in fact, his father that had served in the war. This demonstrates how one’s firm belief can turn into a reality, as it did for Ragle Gumm for the two and a half years he lived in the fabricated city of Old Town.
The first relationships with the upper-class that Ragged Dick builds are with Mr. Whitney and his nephew Frank. “I may be rash in trusting a boy of whom I know nothing, but I like your looks…” says Mr. Whitney (Alger 23). Dick’s appearance at the time could not be called proper by any means; he truly lives up to the name Ragged. Whitney talks more about his inner features rather than his physical ones; he could see Dicks accountability and honesty. Before he lets Dick give his nephew a tour he lets him take a bath, gives him a new suit, and even grants him five dollars. Mr. Whitney leaves Dick with some advice, “your future position depends mainly upon yourself” (79). The next person of the upper-class Dick becomes acquainted with is Mr. Grayson. The day before he acquires the suit from Mr. Whitney, Mr. Grayson employs Dick to shine his shoes; he doesn’t have time to wait till Dick gets back with his change. When Dick comes by to drop off Mr. Grayson’s change the next day, dressed in his new suit, he is invited to attend Mr. Grayson’s Sunday school class where Mr. Grayson would “do what he can to help [Dick]” (102). Dick probably would not have gotten the invitation to Su...
Dick’s character could possibly represent the “evil” throughout the story because of his violent tendencies and lack of remorse and Perry can be seen as the “good,” because there are several parts in the novel that show him both questioning and at times displaying disgust towards Dick’s actions, along with feeling guilty for what they had done. While they were heading to their next destination, Mexico City, Perry stated, “I think there must be something wrong with us. To do what we did”, causing Dick to retaliate even though he initially didn’t realize what Perry was referring to (Capote 108). The fact that Dick didn’t know what Perry was talking about indicates that had chosen to not pay much mind to the whole situation and that he didn’t feel as guilt-ridden as Perry. The author later notes, “they’d agreed, sort of, not to talk about the goddam thing. Just forget it,” further backing up the previous idea (Capote
The best attribute he learned was the ability to be a leader. In “The Psychology of Heroism” Kendra Cherry said, “It is done in the service of people or communities in need.” Dick showed he could be a leader and put him comunity first when he served time on many boards like REC, Farm Bureau, FS, Cattlemen's, Pork Producers, Church, NE Iowa Experimental Farm and F&M Bank Advisory Board. Another thing he learned from being in the army was confidence. Dick took some risks when he was a young farmer and people through the stuff he was doing would never work, but he had confidence in himself and became a successful farmer. Dick won a young farmer award that the state gives out to a farmer that is doing good things for the community and his farm. Although he didn’t want to go to the army at first he is glad he was drafted because Dick doesn’t think he would be as successful as he was without the great
The whole “robbery” was planned by Dick, the drive was planned by Dick, and even the cover up process was his idea. Although he wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger, Dick is equally responsible for the Clutter family murder as Perry. It would take a horrible person to murder a family, but it takes a vial beast to plan, examine, organize, and operate the murder. Dick grew up with loving parents who were no poorer than any other family in the neighborhood. According to both him and his parents, he was a good kid who did well in school and lettered in nine sports. Similar to Perry, he feels cheated in life and is willing to do anything he must to get what he deserves. Along with this, he has zero insight on how to life a normal life. Dick is the type of person to act on his impulses. He 's likes to have a good time and live in the moment. His aspirations are easy money and easy women. With this, he seems to have no ability to weigh the consequences of his actions, and he will do whatever it takes to get his way. This type of momentary reaction is prone to lead a life of “poor decision.” If he’s in need of money, he will write a few bad checks or maybe steal from a store. If this jig wasn’t plentiful enough, he hitches a ride with a stranger to basically rob and kill everyone in the car. Dick was known for being a terrible person as one man stated, “Dick Hickock! Don 't talk to me about
Dick had a good life going, he just didn't feel like it went the way he wanted it too. He was popular, smart, an athlete just wasn't enough for him. On the other hand, Perry had a bad life. He was between foster homes, and even had his siblings and father commit suicide while his mother drank herself away. Putting all that together i learned that, Nurture plays the biggest role in life. It has the ability to determine weather you turn a good life into and complete wreak such as Dick Hickock had. In a way it also applies to Perry considering his life was a wreck all the way
Unable to conform to society’s norms, Richard Eugene Hickcok is raised by his parents who are modest farmers. In spite of his family’s hardship Dick’s childhood is pretty typical, he is popular throughout high school, plays sports, and he dreams of going to college. Due to his family’s lack of resources, Dick is unable to fulfill his dream of attending college. In spite of Dick’s unfortunate drawbacks Dick lives an average life, he marries has three children, and becomes a mechanic. Dick lives a typical American life, but soon after his third child is born Dick has an extramarital affair which ends his marriage. Shortly after his divorce from his first wife Dick remarries, but his second marriage ...
Horatio Alger's “Ragged Dick” is a story which expresses the morals found within a fourteen year old homeless boy. This young boy is quite different because of the morals and actions he showcases to others. Unlike other homeless individuals, Ragged Dick is a boy who puts forth honesty while acting in courteous ways which represent a true level of dignity. Although Ragged Dick is such a prideful and respectful young boy, he is also known as a “spendthrift.” Spendthrifts are individuals who are careless with their actions in terms of their spending as they have little no regard for their money. One example of this can be seen as we read, “Dick's appearance as he stood beside the box was rather peculiar. His pants were torn in several places, and had apparently belonged in the first instance to a boy two sizes larger than himself. He wore a vest, all the buttons of which were gone except two, out of which peeped a shirt which looked as if it had been worn a month. To complete his costume he wore a coat too long for him, dating back, if one might judge from its general appearance, to a remote antiquity” (Alger).
Dick presents our main character, Commissioner John Anderton, as the balding, pot-bellied founder of a revolutionary new crime detection system who's been showing his years for longer than he'd care to remember. In the short story, he has just acquired a new assistant, Ed Witwer, and fears being replaced by the younger man. In the beginning, Anderton is portrayed as slightly insecure about his job (to the point of near paranoia of being set-up), as well as his importance to society, though by the e...
Wolfe carefully develops Dick's character in the short story. At the beginning of the short story, Wolfe describes Dick's actions precisely. Wolfe illustrates anything from Dick's movements to his talk. Furthermore, Dick is depicted as an honest hard working and notably talented individual. Wolfe does all of this for a simple reason, to show that any human sole can turn evil, no matter how intelligent, honest, or hard working. For this reason, Wolfe's characterization of Dick is essential to the short story. Without a good characterization of Dick before his sole turns violent, the story would have no meaning and would just be about a mad man. However, with Wolfe's exquisite characterization, the reader find outs how an innocent god fearing man can turn violent. Overall, Wolfe's characterization is key to the short stories meaning.
Anderson makes effective use of fantasy to teach a moral lesson. He builds up the story in such a way that the reader does not care for the validity of the incidents. The moral lesson is that the proud and the disobedient must suffer.