Ragged Dick, By Hoatio Alger

Ragged Dick, by Hoatio Alger
Wouldn't it be nice to have it all? Wouldn't it be nice to live in a society where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed in life? No one looks at
race or anything of that nature just solely on merit and no matter where you come from or what you go through you have the same opportunity as the
next person. Merit is the quality of being particularly good or worth especially so as to deserve praise or reward.
Well, this is the message that Horatio Alger gives to his readers that some people feel as though it's a myth as oppose to others thinking it's great
guidelines or a great blueprint to success. In a selection of the money and success chapter in "Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical
Thinking and Writing", a professor ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In my mind I've come to a conclusion that the "Ragged Dick" piece is indeed a myth because in the society I live in today it's no way a person born into
poverty has the same opportunities as a person born into riches. A person born into poverty would have to struggle and work hard to receive
anything in need to survive or succeed. A person born into wealth would most likely be giving or work effortlessly to receive anything they would
need to survive or succeed. If you were born into poverty or face poverty you would know rich people can be motivation because whatever they have
you want so you go through these steps and goals in achieving them.
Horatio's myth can be broken down in many different ways in support of his story being a myth one being class in context of either being rich or
poor. Poor people do not have the same opportunity as rich people. Poor people would have to look at life in a motivational way to succeed. Being
poor forces you to work much harder and be stronger and never selling yourself short or giving up. Dalton incorporates this notion in his critique also.
To some, being poor is embarrassing and shameful, but to a select group of people; being poor is something they're grateful to be. They embrace it and
use it to their advantage to achieve better lives
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Alger Hiss Conspiracy
There was a controversy about did communism pose a domestic threat to America or not. There was a case involving Alger Hiss and Ethel Rosenberg
about communism. Allen Weinstein was against Alger Hiss but couldn't find no evidence of a government conspiracy. Hiss continued to deny any
wrong doing and challenged Weinstein's methods and motivations. People who had previously maintained the innocence of Alger Hiss began to admit
that the pronderance of the evidence pointed more convincingly toward his guilt.
There was a war over communism due to the United States alliance with the Soviet Union as well as the fact that most anger was toward the Nazis. In
1945, the American Communist Party was targeted again by politicians and others seeking to

Television And Its Impact On The World War II
In 1926 John Logie Baird transmitted his first image with his new mechanical television. As the 4"x2" image of his business partner illuminated
his face, Baird was completely unaware of the influence this new medium would have on the opinions and attitudes of the people of the world.
Television represented a new opportunity to bring not only audio like radio but to place an image in every home. Along with the work of many
other inventors television was soon to become a viable medium of entertainment and news but it did face many setbacks. At first television was a
novelty, completely overshadowed by the established medium of radio. Before World War II very few homes contained a television and
broadcasters mostly aired 15 minute segments and were limited in technology. Then on September 1, 1939 Hitler and Germany invaded Poland and
the world plunged into World War II. The FCC issued a ban on the construction of television equipment causing the growth of television to stagnate.
At the end of the war economic prosperity and a rising middle class opened the door for a new rise in the purchase of goods. One such good was the
television. In 1947 only a few thousand homes owned a television. By 1950 six million homes contained a television, and in 1960 around 60 million
homes contained a television. During this period a new war was being waged: the Cold War. In this battle betweenUnited States and the Soviet Union
ideals propaganda was the main way to grow support for their cause

Mccarthyism And The Red Scare Essay
McCarthyism and the Red scare were both huge nation wide crisis that had everyone fearing for their future. The spread of communism already had
people biting their nails but McCarthy just made things even more tense. McCarthy could ruin a person's life from just one accusation and this gave
him a lot of unnecessary power. The dramatic growth of communism in a few years, the increase in political figures being communist, and president
nixon having the same view as McCarthy are all reasons why the red scare made McCarthyism happen.
The growth of anti–terrorism or, in other words, in other words the growth of communism was very dramatic over a couple of years.In 1944 there was
about 180,000,000 people in the Soviet union who supported the Anti–totalitarian ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He knew things were going on without the people of Aamerica knowing of and from there on in the government could not be trusted
anymore.President Nnixon also stated, "...who get 30 pieces of silver to obtain the blueprint of a new weapon [. . .] but his is a far more sinister
type of activity, because it permits the enemy to guide and shape our policy" Nixon is comparing the betrayal of christ to the communist in our
government. The things that these people were doing is more than sinister to everyone that lived in such a "civil" country because it was more than
the betrayal of all Aamericans but it also exposed us like we've never been before.
Just because McCarthy blamed these people for being communist or being influenced by them doesn't mean he created the main cause for it. There
were many more signs of the Red Scare red scare causing McCarthyism because it happened before he came to power.From the statements that
President Nixon made to the increase of the communist party, the Red Sscare was always on the minds of the

Rags To Riches Stories By Horatio Alger
The "rags to riches" stories by Horatio Alger have helped many people in the US to believe that hard work will lead to sussess and wealthiness. Indeed,
does not matter when – 19th century or nowadays it is difficult to control your own faith. Although there is a common belief that rich people take all,
there are some stories that prove othervise. Men. If you work hard is it possible to control social position? My answer is yes, but there shound be
terms ans sacrifices. Excluding slavery, bad physical health, adding opportunities one could take that chance. However from my own perspective men
have more opportunities to take that chance. I know a Russian person who became a successful lawer in New York. Sounds incredible, but he had to
sacrifice

Setting in One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest Essay
Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is a unique fiction novel about oppression and rebellion in an American 1950's Mental Hospital. In
this highly distinctive novel, setting definitely refers to the interior, the interiors of the Institution. It also refers to the period this novel this was set in,
the 50's, 60's where McCarthyism was dominant. Furthermore, it has great symbolic value, representing issues such as the American struggle of
freedom and conformity. This essay shall discuss the В‘setting' & its significance towards Ken Kesey's "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest".
In the novel, setting is important towards the interiors, as the vast majority of the novel is set within the closed, confined space, the interior, of the ...
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Also, any person who unpatriotically supported communism was harshly dealt with. These events were represented in an exact scale model of the
Mental Institution. Anyone who dared to cause an uproar was humiliated in group therapy sessions, or given Electroshock Therapy, or in extreme cases
such as McMurphy, lobotomy. In the hospital, McMurphy represented the rebel, the opposer to the Combine (McCarthyism), the one who wanted to
break free of society's conformity.
Setting is also important, as it refers to the period this book was set in, the 1950's. Ultimately, it is a reflection of what was happening in American
society at the time, and what American society expected from each other. McCarthyism, as started by SenatorJoseph McCarthy, was the most prevalent
movement of the 1950's, where there was great momentum for anti–communism and the suppression of the Anti–communist party. Freedom of speech
was suppressed, just like speech and actions were inside the hospital. Here, the Combine and Nurse Ratched act like the McCarthy "representatives",
where the patients are seen as members of the public, having their every word and movement under close scrutiny.
Kesey has also given this novel great Symbolic value. As an opposer to the McCarthy scheme, he has used the mental hospital as a scale model of
how society breaks free of society's conformity. McMurphy acts as the В‘liberator', or rebel of the ward's excessively strict conformity. He saves the
patients from "the

Alger Hiss: Political Injustice In History
Everyone faces a hardship in their life at one point; and those challenges may come in a variety of forms. So it happens, people make it past those
challenges and can look forward without ever looking back. Unfortunately this was not the case for Alger Hiss. Alger was simply a man with honest
intentions, and a man with good character. Hiss simply wanted to make the world a better place, and he would try to do that through numerous
different jobs. However, Alger Hiss was the victim of one of the most outrageous pursuits of political injustice in history. He would defend his
innocence until the day he died. To begin with, Alger Hiss contributed his life to give us a world that only so many people can give. He sought to put
the world together, to further improve the relations of foreign countries. Hiss was known for helping create the United Nations and to serve in the
State Department. Hiss in the public eye was a good man. How could he commit such a crime of being in the Communist Party? This was a question
that Alger himself had to face when... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It was here, that Chambers testified and explained how Hiss was part of the Communist Party. Still at this point, Hiss has no idea who this man is,
when he was told by the reporter. Hiss claimed that he had only heard the name only once before, being a year earlier. A couple days later, Hiss took
it to the stand to deny these claims. The hearing had attracted way more media coverage than any of the ones that Hiss had ever attended. According to
Robert E. Stripling, lead investigator of the case, this case may have been the biggest turnout for media coverage in history. After hearing the claims
made by Chambers and Hiss strong arguments back towards him, it was clear that the committee wanted to drop the case. However, Richard Nixon was
determined to find evidence linking the connection between the two at

Mccarthyism : Mccarthyism And Mccarthyism
McCarthyism There were lights beaming so bright that you can barely see. All of the sudden the judge enters the courtroom before you. After the judge
and this man named Joseph McCarthy asks you questions regarding the Communist Party. You stutter through the microphone and you are hesitant on
what to say. This will go down in history as an era with intimidation and very aggressive forms of bullying calledMcCarthyism. McCarthyism was a
campaign or practice that endorses the use of unfair allegations and investigations. It all started on February 9, 1950 Sen. Joseph McCarthy stepped on
the limelight of national attention with a speech at Wheeling,West Virginia. McCarthy, himself had huge success during his first term as a Senator and
he ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
McCarthyism and The Red Scare affected the society so badly it caused the American people to have fear, Paranoia, and caused global attention.
McCarthy's downfall began in October of 1953 when he started to investigate the Communist infiltration into the Military. This was the final straw
for him and Dwight D. Eisenhower who realized McCarthy's actions must be stopped. The army wouldn't tolerate his accusations because he was
apart of the Military before he became a senator. In the early 1940's the U.S was apart of World War II when McCarthy, himself joined the Marine
Corps as the first lieutenant. As a result, the Army backfired back at the accusations, sending information about McCarthy and advisors abusing
congressional privileges critics of McCarthy. While the Red Scare supported McCarthy and his actions, there was another group named Hollywood
10. The Hollywood 10 was officially created on October 1947 and there were 10 members involved in this particular organization that supported
McCarthy. For the Hollywood 10, their main target was for the Hollywood Film industry. They would denounce the tactics employed by the House
Un–American Activities Committee (HUAC), and investigation of the U.S House of Representatives during its probe alleged Communist in the
American Motion picture business.
After denouncing their tactics, the Hollywood 10 received jail sentences because they were wrongfully convicting people without having the proper
evidence. Soon after

Fame And Fortune By Horatio Alger Summary
After reading the first couple of chapters of Horatio Alger's novel "Fame and Fortune or, The Progress of Richard Hunter," I saw a lot of issues in
relation to work. The one that stood out the most, was the issue of education. The amount of education a person has should not define who they are as
a person, or have restriction on the kind of work they can or cannot do.
The book takes place in a time period were educations defines who you are as a person. If a person has little education or no education at all they are
looked down on, but if a person went to school and was fully educated, they are not looked down on. People look up to them, and they start to develop
this scene of respect and admiration towards them. The main character in Horatio

Rhetorical Analysis Of Death Of Horatio Alger
Paul Krugman, author of "The Death of Horatio Alger," evaluates the declining social mobility in America. He proposes that the decline in social
mobility is causing the rich to continue to get richer and the poor to continue to get poorer. Krugman was inspired to discuss how this would result in
the shocking loss of the American Dream, after he read a Business Week article that made him fearful of the considerable and drastic decline that would
destroy the livelihood of many Americans. Krugman's purpose was to make his audience; those of lower socioeconomic status, aware that the
American Dream they hoped to achieve would soon become extinct. He creates a fearful and negative tone, in order to grab his audience's attention and
inform them about the economic downfall. Krugman strongly conveys his message not only through his harsh tone, but by appealing to pathos,
incorporating rhetorical questions that create a fearful mood, and appealing to logos to make a credible and sound argument.
Throughout the article, Krugman attempts to grab the attention of his audience and help them become mindful of how the limited movement between
social classes will have an effect on their life. In order to do so, he implements rhetorical questions that appeal to pathos and ethos, while displaying a
negative tone and fearful mood. Rhetorical questions are used throughout the article to introduce an important idea and make the readers evaluate their
current social status. For example, the author creates a hypothetical situation about the rich wanting to seek more advancements, he then questions,
"What would you do?" (11) and follows this question with steps one could take to control the government and receive more leverage over the poor
community. This question and response strengthened his argument because it appealed to the readers emotions about the ability the rich have to
further harm the poor. Krugman also proposes questions that appeal to his ethos. After stating the steps one could take to "close off as many routes to
upward mobility as possible," (14) he asks, "It all sounds sort of familiar, doesn't it?"(15). This question is meant to be unanswered but make the
audience reflect. If the audience did feel that the

Mccarthyism and the One Flew over the CuckooвЂ™s Nest
Vincent Sham
Text & Context
Prof. Grisafi
Final Paper
McCarthyism and the One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
In the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, the characters of Nurse Ratched and Bromden Chief both serve as social commentary of
the government of the 1950s. Nurse Ratched represents the control and dominance of the government in the 50s, and Bromden Chief represents the
oppression of non–white people by the government and McCarthyism. McCarthyism was a tool that was used by the government at that time in order to
scare and manipulate citizens. Similarly, Nurse Ratched symbolizes McCarthyism because she instills fear and exerts control over the patients in the
mental ward.
Nurse Ratched's character represents the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Because of this party connection, McCarthy was able to establish his own investigative committee–Investigative Subcommittee of the Committee on
Government Operations. Because his committee gained the most media coverage, McCarthy became a "hero" in the public's eye. Aware of this,
president Eisenhower gave significant support to McCarthy's committee. McCarthy was allowed to run his own agenda, and at time override the law
due to his popularity and his support from the President. In the same way, Nurse Ratched was allowed to override the decisions of her superiors
because of her relationship with the doctor's supervisor.
The log book also symbolize a significant part of the history. In the novel, Nurse Ratched reads out various hearsays of the log book that has been
written by a patient who has been a "spy" on other patients. She says, "according to the notes listed by various patients in the log, Mr. Harding has
been heard to say that she 'damn well gives the bastards reason to stare.' He has also been heard to say that he may give her reason to seek further
sexual attention.'" Despite whether the fact that the information is true or not, Nurse Ratched uses the various hearsays from the other patients to not
only humiliate Mr. Harding, but also in a sense manipulate him. Obviously, Mr. Harding does not want people to discuss what he says in the public,
but this is just what Nurse Ratched wants because she

McCarthy: Wrongly Scorned Essay
From 1949 to 1954, the citizens of the United States were overcome with terror of the possibility of being accused of Communism. Joseph McCarthy
was an anti–communist zealot consumed with rooting out perceived Communist spies and activities in the United States. Public opinion indicated that
McCarthy was a bully and a liar. The Senate condemned him for it because at the time, there was no evidence to support him. However, in recent
years, evidence has appeared that confirms the basis of what McCarthy said. There were Communists infiltrating America, and it seemed McCarthy
was the only one who actively trying to find it. McCarthy governed the U.S. people with fear for three year, the Senate censured him, and now is being
proven correct,... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In a later speech McCarthy lowered that number to eighty–one (981). According to World Book Advanced, McCarthy accused many people of high
authority in the government of Communism or harboring Communists, including President Truman, Secretary of State Dean Acheson, General George
Marshall, and Eisenhower. They all denied his charges (Bartlett n.p.). As said in UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History, McCarthy won the Senatorial
reelection in 1952 even after accusing them, and despite having no support from Congress, he became a public icon and people continued to believe
him (Benson 981–82). Soon though, McCarthy's good fortune would run out. In 1953 through 1954 McCarthy's reign collapsed. He lost most of his
influence in the Army–McCarthy Hearings of 1954 (Bartlett n.p.). It is written in UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History that the incident began with
McCarthy's growing suspicions of communists working within the government. He started investigating the New Jersey Army Signal Corps station in
Fort Monmouth, October of 1953 (Benson 982). He claimed that Soviet spies had infiltrated the base, despite repeated investigations finding no
evidence to support him. The Army was in outrage; thus arose the Army–McCarthy Hearings. Conducted on national television, an estimated twenty
million American citizens watched it live. During the Hearings, McCarthy lost nearly all of his supporters by bullying and

Krugman's The Death Of Horatio Alger
Everyone's happiness is different, however in America, each person's difficulty to accomplish it varies as well. Since its creation, the United States
promised to be the land of equal opportunity and granted the people their basic human rights. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
cannot be taken away from anyone in America. However, pursuit of happiness is one thing, achieving it, is another. For many, the American Dream
is something that must require many sacrifices, and maybe it will become achievable. For few, they were born in the American Dream, if they
choose to grow on it, it would require little effort. Today, success has a sort of favoritism when it comes to what class a citizen may be. Success favors
those with a wealthy background, because of the whispered caste system of America.
In Krugman's "The Death of Horatio Alger", the author validates the suspicion of the U.S becoming a caste system. Krugman stated that "America
looks more and more like a class–ridden society, he based his response off the social and financial ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Economic inequality has been steadily growing over the past decades. According to this article, "In more recent years, accumulation of wealth by
economic elites has received greater attention. Not only are the rich becoming richer, but the disparities are growing the fastest at the top. In the United
States, for example, growth in wealth has occurred mainly at the very top of the scale." (Hansen 457). This means that wealth begins to expand and
business owners earn more, however pay more but not a lot more then previously. This would be a good thing, but not everyone in America is a
business owner. In fact, the majority of citizens slightly benefited from the growing economy. While most view the economy as unequal, the upper
class and even U.S representatives consider it fair and justified (Kraus and Callaghan

The Locomotive Firefighters 's Magazine By William Graham...
In the 1893 edition of the Locomotive Firemen's Magazine, William Graham Sumner published a piece on social Darwinism called the "Fruits of
Evolution". In this article William Sumner applies Darwin's law of evolution to labor. He believes that because of the "processes of evolution" human
intellect has become more robust and should be cultivated within the classroom. He argues "that those who command the largest educational
advantages control those of inferior opportunities". By examining the works of other authors Sumner's law of evolution has proven to be false.
Horatio Alger Jr. tells the story about a young boy namedRagged Dick. Dick was a shoe shiner in the bustling city of New York. Like all the other shoe
shiner Dick was poor. He ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
After four years of she was able to graduate with a degree in teaching, however, she could not secure a job. She was unclean. Her skin was oily, her
clothes was not properly fixed, her nails were chipped, and she was overall not a well kempt woman. Because of her uncleanliness she was looked
down upon. The dean of her college even refused to give her the diploma and recommend her as a teacher because she was not clean and properly
dressed. Many people talk about her appearance and regularly reminded her that "soap and water are cheap. Anyone can be clean". Unfortunately,
she could not enjoy the same luxury. She worked eight hours a day doing other people's laundry so that they could be clean and well dressed. She
then had to rush to school with no time to wash unlike her peers. Also unlike her peers she could not go out on walks nor did she have time to rest.
After such a large and tiring day she only had enough strength to walk home and go to sleep. As a result, she was deemed as unfit to be a teacher and
was unable to obtain a steady job for ten years. William Sumner's law of evolution states "that those who command the largest educational advantages
control those of inferior opportunities'. In this story the protagonist has gone to college and received a degree, yet her position in life has stayed the
same. She was still inferior even though she took advantage of the educational system. Her story confirms that

Analysis Of The Best Black, By David Alger
In Alger's views he states that success is measured in certain ways, this is not the case in our time. His opinions are strictly based on his era and his
own experiences. In a perfect world such ideas and ethos would work only to a certain extent. The humanity factor plays a huge role in the
judgement of how we view others. Alger's first message of that everyone is judged on each of our own merit, would be not just a perfect scenario it
would also be fair. I can relate to most of Dalton's examples being a minority or even considered a minority growing up in south west Texas and
trying to be recognized for my efforts and not just the fact that I was a "pretty decent brown boy" playing football. His mention of "the best black"
(Dalton 261) is a judgment of how that student was scene in that point in time. Some may think that somethings may be different or are they still the
same with the rolls being reversed?... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
If only it was that easy, although there are many examples that this can and has happened. There is also a belief in most work forces that working
hard is just not enough. Who you know, where you are from, color of your skin, accent and even opinions can stifle some opportunities. The example
of Collen Powell is a success story and can be justified simply by the structure of the military where there is supposed to be no color on the battle field
other than the color of the uniform which fits Alger's views

Minor Characters in Ragged Dick
The Role of Minor Characters in Ragged Dick
It is impossible for the minor characters in Ragged Dick to have a fair chance at being recognized as decent members of society because of the
emphasis Horatio Alger Jr. places on Dick Hunter. The better qualities of Dick are constantly being reminded to the reader, giving them little room to
disagree with Alger's heroic portrayal of him. Horatio Alger Jr.'s preference to homosexuality also reflects his choice in excluding any useful female
characters in his novel. Minor characters lack understanding from readers because information surrounding them is absent, causing them to be judged
on face value alone. Alger writes Ragged Dick to try and show how respectability can come forth through ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Micky Maguire is another pawn which Alger plays in Ragged Dick in order to make Dick stand out among the boot–blacks and set him above the rest.
Micky fits the typical description of a common boot–black in the city during the time in which Ragged
Dick was written. He seems to exemplify expected behaviour of a young boot–black by his rough exterior, involvement in fights, lack of money, and
disregard for others including their property. Micky Maguire is the enemy of the story, and it is clear that the "hero" must always rise above the
bad characters in order to provide a lesson with the story being told. Dick is known to keep his cool and remain confident around Micky, even when
a fight is breaking out between the two of them (Alger 94). While Micky is indeed a cruel boy as it seems, Dick does bring on some of the taunting
himself because of the cocky manner he upholds when speaking to Micky. Even with Dick being smart–mouthed toward Micky, there is not any
sympathy towards Micky in the novel because of his ruffian ways and rudeness towards Dick. Alger does not give Micky credit for why he acts like
this towards Dick nor does he establish a true reason why Micky turned out to be such a tough street boy. His childish actions are likely caused by
jealously over Dick and not because of sheer hatred (Alger 91). Micky is not given chances like Dick and whether or not Alger sets it up so that option
luck is a rewarded behaviour,

The Death Of Horatio Alger
There is much debate in America about how its society has fallen under the cowl of social stratification resulting in the unforgiving rise of class
inequality. It is becoming more and more clear these days that these beliefs have seemed to turn into truth in the last couple decades. New York
Times columnist and Nobel prize winning economic professor Paul Krugman discusses why and how upward mobility has become increasingly
difficult in the past decades in his article "The Death of Horatio Alger," which was first published on December 18th 2003 in New York City. His
thorough explanation makes it easy to understand just how close the United States is to being a true caste society and the imposing danger of such an
event. Harvard professor... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Paul Krugman writes in indication of past socioeconomic equality in a single paragraph: During the 1930s and '40s, however, America experienced
what the economic historians Claudia Goldin and Robert Margo have dubbed the Great Compression: a drastic narrowing of income gaps, probably as
a result of New Deal policies. And the new economic order persisted for more than a generation: Strong unions; taxes on inherited wealth, corporate
profits and high incomes; close public scrutiny of corporate management–all helped to keep income gaps very small. (145) Now those inequalities have
returned to what they were before the 1930s with the distribution of income being as unequal as it was in the 1920s. In today's world there are
defenders of the current distribution of income in the United States such as the Heritage Foundation, which says that America isn't a caste society
because higher income individuals can possibly have a low income the next year and vice versa (Krugman 146). In response, Krugman states that
countering economists, sociologists, and media outlets rather exemplify that it is more of a caste society than people would believe and the gaps have
become far wider and difficult to cross (146). It is true; however, that America was once a place of substantial inter–generational mobility compared to
today. In 1978 adult men whose fathers were born into the bottom 25 percent, 23 percent of those men made it into

Horatio Alger Myth Research Paper
The Horatio Alger myth is one of the oldest myths in the history of the United States of America. Horatio Alger was a 19th century author who wrote
short stories that all had the same universal theme: a young man rising from a poor childhood to become a successful adult. Alger's stories were
enormously popular during his time and continue to be so today with the term "Alger Myth" become a household saying. The popularity of Alger's
stories is not surprising when one considers America has consistently pushed the notion that anyone can achieve success if they work hard. Every child
in America is told at some point in their life that they can be anything they want to be. This myth is as much a part of American culture as apple pie or
baseball.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
[Logical transition needed here such as "Yet,"] The poverty level in America is absurdly high and produces a large group of children who grow up
in an environment where everybody is struggling to get by on a day to day basis. These children have no actual tangible evidence that somebody
from their neighborhood can achieve the type of success they dream of. The only hope they have comes from the "Alger Myth" or other such fables
that describe rags to riches stories. The "Alger Myth" is thus a useful tool for the American upper–class, in the sense that it gives the lower–class a hope
for their future and in the process helps to prevent any attempt by the lower–class to overthrow the current economic system, which produces this huge
disparity between the rich and poor. [Good. This effectively politicizes and enlarges the issue.] This would almost be an acceptable practice if the
"Alger Myth" was true and everyone did have a chance to succeed regardless of race, sex, or affluence. [Again, emphasize the contrast with a
transition: "But," ] The "Alger Myth", like many popular American myths, is in fact a fallacy as the facts simply show there is no evidence to support
an equal playing field for every

Ragged Dick By Haratio Alger: An Analysis
We all have different definitions of success. Most people allow their definition of "success" to de driven by someone or something else (status quo),
for in Ragged Dick by Haratio Alger written in 1868, the protagonist Dick also last known as Richard Hunter looked at what someone else thought of
a success and tried to attain it. This book tells about a poor boy struggles to become a success. Although Haratio Alger emphasizes the importance of
pluck, luck and virtue, in attaining success, it is clear that success also depends on who you know, how you look, and what you are willing to change.
Even though Fosdick had courage, what really mattered is how and who got him there. I think that as far as achieving success and happiness, it should
be

The American Culture Of Strict Conformity Accounts
An American culture of strict conformity accounts for the rise of the phenomenon known as the Red Scare, as well as its widespread nature and
prominent power. The Red Scare was complicated and a result of many different aspects of American culture. However the American culture in the
1950's was one of strict conformity. This conformist society, created in the late 1940's was created by many early discoveries that uncovered
Communist members as Soviet spies. There arose a prevalent belief that anyone who thought differently was unpatriotic. This conformist nature of
American society thus resulted in few organizations fighting for social justice. The Communist party therefore attracted a wide range of liberals from
different aspects of life. Joseph McCarthy himself, along with many other governmental officials, was able to institute anti–communist laws and
practices under the pretense that an unwavering conformity was the American goal. The conformist nature of American society in the 1950's created
one of the most powerful anti–communist crusades and allowed for a dominant Red Scare.
McCarthyism rose to power so quickly in the late 1940's and the early 1950's because "the perception of an internal Communist threat had just enough
plausibility to be convincing" . Americans feared that communists who would "overthrow the government" were a realistic threat . During World War
Two there were many Soviet spies that had infiltrated many aspects of American covert operations. Alger

Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, and Horatio Alger Essay
Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, and Horatio Alger
During the late nineteenth century rapid industrialization paved the way for extreme economical wealth of many business. In accordance with the
overflowing wealth in the nineteenth century many individuals held similar but yet contrasting views toward the wealth that was created in the United
States. Among these individuals were Andrew Carnegie, Eugene V. Debs, andHoratio Alger.
One of the best–known philanthropists was the American industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who devoted the latter part of his life to giving away most of
the huge fortune he had amassed in the steel industry. Following the principles laid down in his essay "Gospel of Wealth" , Carnegie returned over
$300 million ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The doctrine specifically advocates nationalization of natural resources, basic industries, banking and credit facilities, and public utilities. It places
special emphasis on the nationalization of monopolized branches of industry and trade, viewing monopolies as inimical to the public welfare. Debs
attitudes toward the wealth that was create was that the government should redistribute it, so that everyone could be equal economically. Even though
this idea may seem absurd it can be looked upon as an action of Andrew Carnegie in a less radical form.
Washington differed from both Carnegie and Debs but yet still held one similar aspect that ties him with them. On September 18, 1895, in Atlanta,
Georgia, Washington made his famous compromise speech. In this address he urged blacks to accept their inferior social position for the present and to
strive to raise themselves through vocational training and economic self–reliance. This attitude of able to achieve economically through hard work
contrasts the idea of both Carnegie and Debs. Carnegie believed in predestined wealth. However Washington's attitude was if one works hard, one can
become rich. It also contrasts Debs attitude because Debs believed in the redistribution of wealth. However despite theses differences there is one thing
that ties them together: the redistribution of wealth. Washington founded

Essay on Setting in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is a unique fiction novel about oppression and rebellion in an American 1950's Mental Hospital. In
this highly distinctive novel, setting definitely refers to the interior, the interiors of the Institution. It also refers to the period this novel this was set in,
the 50's, 60's where McCarthyism was dominant. Furthermore, it has great symbolic value, representing issues such as the American struggle of
freedom and conformity. This essay shall discuss the 'setting' & its significance towards Ken Kesey's "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest".
In the novel, setting is important towards the interiors, as the vast majority of the novel is set within the closed, confined space, the interior, of the ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The interiors are also significant as it is a representation of 'how' society applied their expectations of each other. Throughout the McCarthy period,
there was the great threat of the Russians, the communists, who could potentially use nuclear technology to attack America. Also, any person who
unpatriotically supported communism was harshly dealt with. These events were represented in an exact scale model of the Mental Institution. Anyone
who dared to cause an uproar was humiliated in group therapy sessions, or given Electroshock Therapy, or in extreme cases such as McMurphy,
lobotomy. In the hospital, McMurphy represented the rebel, the opposer to the Combine (McCarthyism), the one who wanted to break free of society's
conformity.
Setting is also important, as it refers to the period this book was set in, the 1950's. Ultimately, it is a reflection of what was happening in American
society at the time, and what American society expected from each other. McCarthyism, as started by Senator Joseph McCarthy, was the most prevalent
movement of the 1950's, where there was great momentum for anti–communism and the suppression of the Anti–communist party. Freedom of speech
was suppressed, just like speech and actions were inside the hospital. Here, the

Ragged Dick Sparknotes
Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger. This story follows a young boy, who through hard work, determination, self
–reliance, honesty and good character went
from a homeless black–boot to a respectable, high paying job. This story is filled with examples of what life was like in New York City, telling the us
what he would find and experience in it. In Ragged Dick, This was a time of progress, change and falsehood in American History. This is when people
really started to chase the illusive American dream, and Alger is trying to capture this rags–to–riches vision. The fact that the book takes place in New
York is not enough to understand the full extent of this book. At this time many Americans were going through one of the hardest times in... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
One day Dick made a friend named Frank. Frank is different than Dick, he is not poor he was born into a life of comfort. Franks Uncle Mr.
Whitley, who Dick looks up to because he represents Dick's aspirations in both money and status. Mr. Whiteley gave Dick one of his nephew's
suits and that completely changed Dick's socioeconomic rank. From the moment Dick get the grey suit from Mr. Whitley and gets cleaned up
not only does he receive better treatment, but in a scene where he and Frank are accused of stealing something on a train, they are acquitted
because they did not look like the type of kids that would need to steal. Dick implies that clothes really do make the man, who is largely
determined by what one wears, that although appearances matter in Alger 's world, it 's ultimately inner virtues like honesty, generosity, and
courage that defines one's self and its potential. Looks can be deceiving. When Dick has his suit on he is not known as Ragged Dick anymore.
The bank officer ends up calling him richard hunter. He said that Dick did not look ragged. Now that he is dressing nice it is bringing him more
attention in a positive way. In the poor parts of the streets he is known as Ragged Dick, but when he is around people of a higher social class. He
calls himself Richard Hunter. For example after church he was talking to miss Ida "What is your name? asked Ida, pleasantly. Our hero was about to
answer Ragged Dick, when it occurred to him that in the present

Examples Of Hysteria In The Crucible
"More weight." These were Giles Corey's last words before he was crushed to death for refusing to make a plea in Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Such
a horror seems limited to plays or distant times. Right? This is not the case. While no one was physically crushed to death with stones in the era of
McCarthyism, the damage was done. In both The Crucible and the McCarthy Era people, innocent and guilty alike, were held accountable for giving
names, endured hysteria, and had reputations tarnished. Those that whispered their own, "more weight" were placed under their own set of stones.
One main characteristic of these manic periods was hysteria. In both The Crucible and the McCarthy Era, there was a form of frenzy. In The
Crucible, people were falsely accused of performing witchcraft. In a Puritan society, fear of the devil was very real. As shown here, "
I want to open myself! . . . I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book" (Miller).
This was Abigail's "confession." As religious people, this struck great fear into the community and they searched far and wide for the Devil's
influence. Similarly, during the McCarthy Era, communism was a large fear within the United States. When McCarthy, gave a speech in which he
claimed to have a list of 205 names "that were known to the Secretary of State as being members of the communist party and who nevertheless [were]
still working and shaping policy

Horatio Alger Myth Analysis
The Horatio Alger Myth is a set of messages that essentially state a person will have a fair shot in life and if they do good they will succeed. Barbara
Ehrenreich tested this theory out in Nickel and Dimed where she worked low–wage jobs and attempted to sustain herself. The result of her efforts was
a very different story from that of the Horatio Alger Myth.
Looking at the Horatio Alger Myth it is easy to see that it only pertains to a very idealistic world in which many realities are not true. Barbara
Ehrenreich's experience in Nickel and Dimed is just confirmation of this fact. If the Horatio Alger Myth was true then Ehrenreich who has a college
education and comes from the middle to upper class would do a much better job than her ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The result of such a belief is that a worker will do their best at their job so that they can be promoted, recognized, praised, etc. The consequence of
such a work ethic is the fact that a worker may overexert themselves and actually do more harm than good. Barbara Ehrenreich followed this mentality
herself when she tried to do too much and only ended up exhausted and disappointed because of it. The problem with overexerting yourself in a low–
wage situation is that you will require rest and most likely don't have sick days to use as well as have no way to make up missing a day's wages.
In regards to being recognized, missing days due to exhaustion will definitely mark you as lower merit than someone who comes in every day even
if you do twice as good a job. The other problem with believing the Horatio Alger Myth is the fact that it in a nonsensical way promotes stagnation and
acceptance of a situation. If a worker believes that they are going to one day be recognized for their merit, then they aren't going to actively try and
improve their situation. The problem with this mentality is the fact that most low–wage employers are never going to let you move up the ranks;
instead they are going to praise you and keep you exactly where you are because you are doing such a good job at it. Ehrenreich saw this sort of worker
stagnation and acceptance in Nickel and Dimed when her fellow

"The Cash Boy"
The short story "The Cash Boy" is written by Horatio Alger and it was published in the year 1889. The story is about a little poor boy, which lost
everyone he loved except his little sister. Because the situation with no parents and income, Frank moved to New York for himself, so he could make
some money for him and his sister. His sister stayed in the country and it's Frank who pays for her needs and her tuition. One day at work Franks boss
asks him to send some letters. Frank says yes and now he ventures to find the mailbox at Forty–sixth Street. On his way he helps an old man and he gets
invited inside the old mans house for dinner. During the dinner he is getting to know the old man more and more and it ends with Frank reading for the
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
You have been a good friend to me"
"The Cash Boy" is a good short story, which tells us about a lot of things especial–ly about the main theme and other themes such as The American
dream. It ends with an open ending, which tells us that we do not know what will happen to Frank and his sister, but some things in the short story
lead to a great future, because it is shown that his life will be better, because he is a hard working–man and the extra money from Mr. Wharton.
This also tells us that Mr. Wharton is alone and needs a friend. This reminds a lot about the text "Richard Cory". "Richard Cory" is also about a rich
man who needs company, but no one wants to be his friend, because he is in the upper class. It all ends with his suicide and this can be put into
perspective in this short story with Frank, because in this story Frank is Mr. Wharton's

Myth of Money and Success Essay
Joshua Nooe
Professor Hart
RWS 200
20 October 2011
The Myth of Money and Success
The American Dream is different for everyone, though it is most commonly associated with success, freedom, and happiness. The concept of the
American Dream seems to have dwindled from where it was in the past few generations. It has gone from success, freedom, and happiness to having
lots of money and the nicest possessions. In today's society, we all hope and strive for this dream, but how many actually achieve the American Dream?
Is it a reasonable goal that Americans should strive for, or is it a myth that only leads to self–destruction? According to Horatio Alger and Toni Cade
Bambara, they both believe the concept that the American Dream ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Today, as well as back in the 1800's when the story was written, most people's dreams are to achieve success. This formally became known as "The
American Dream". Although this may seem strange for everyone to have the same idea, it really isn't when you look at it with an open perspective.
Each and every person's perception of success is extremely different and individual, which makes everyone's dreams different. There may be people
who strive for big goals, and there may be others who take it one day at a time, achieving happiness on a less formal level. In comparing the time
period of the story to our society today, there are many similarities and differences to consider. According within the world we live today, people tend
to set much higher goals and expectations for themselves, whereas, in Ragged Dick, it was more of a day–to–day type situation. When people set
smaller, more realistic goals, it results in more happiness and comfort in their lifestyle. However, in today's world, Americans have become so
incredibly competitive and successful, that the standards have been significantly raised to the point where personal happiness is no longer good
enough. After reading a novel like Horatio Alger's Ragged Dick, you subconsciously make yourself realize the important underlying message that he
is trying to portray. To me, this message is to always be optimistic, and no matter how bad your life is, it can always get better if you are honest,

1950s Red Scare Essay
Cole Amadio US II Mr. Metz 12/2/15 1950s Red Scare In the 1950s there was a red scare that threatened the United States with communism and
Nuclear espionage. The scare was questioned if it was conspiracy or not, but it was justified because of the spies and Soviet Union threatening the
United states security. Through decryptions, trials and investigations these threats were justified because of the Venona project, the project was a secret
organization that gathered and decrypted messages from soviet military agency in 1940s, and the HUAC. From the late 1930s to late 1950s the HUAC
took initial steps to find communists and spies in the United States. The House Un– Americans Activities Committee was a big part of the panic of the
scare. The HUAC started investigating Hollywood for communism spies in 1947, the committee held nine hearings, after convictions the
"Hollywood ten" were blacklisted. The HUAC Hollywood investigations were 1 of 50 investigations. After the HUAC's Hollywood probe they
focused on nuclear espionage, they were very successful in finding spies like Elizabeth Bentley. Elizabeth Bentley in 1938 worked for Jacob Golos,
who was a member of the Communist party, while working for Jacob Golos she also worked at the Italian Information Library. Bentley collected and
passed on information about the fascist activity, she then worked for Richard Waldo and secretly took in information and sent all the details to Jacob
Golos. She then started to do espionage for

To What Extent Did Joseph Mccarthy And His Anti- Communist...
The purpose of this investigation is to examine the question "To what extent did Joseph McCarthy and his anti– communist tactics have an impact on
United States society?" I will cover how things in the society has changed. McCarthyism also affected domestic and foreign policies, but I am going
to focus on American society. I will focus mainly the years around the McCarthy era which is 1950 through 1954. To help examine my topic, I will be
using two books. The books are "Defining moments: McCarthyism and the Communist Threat" and "Joe McCarthy and McCarthyism: The hate that
haunts America" The two sources will be valuable because they give a deep understanding of what happened during the years 1950 through 1954. This
books is one of Omnigraphics "Defining Moments" books. Kevin Hillstrom, the author, has written many other books, including books about history.
This also shows this source is valuable because Omnigraphics has a lot of other Defining Moment books that are about history.
The first source, "Defining moments: McCarthyism and the communist Threat," by Kevin Hillstrom, is a secondary source and was published in
2011. Books Kevin Hillstrom wrote and edited has received awards. He not only wrote books about history, he also covered topics about
environmental issues and culture. Although the book itself is a secondary source, it contains primary sources. There are also biographies people wrote
about Joseph McCarthy and other who were associated with McCarthyism. This

Bunnatine Greenhouse Case Study
On the 27th of June, 2005, Bunnatine Greenhouse, a chief contracting officer for the United States Army Corps of Engineers, testified before a
Congressional panel, alleging specific instances of corruption committed by Halliburton Corporation with regard to its operations in Iraq since the start
of the war there in 2003. By testifying, Greenhouse became one of many corporate whistle–blowers that brought government and corporate corruption
related to the reconstruction of Iraq to the attention of the public. Testifying came at a heavy price for Greenhouse, who was demoted because of her
actions. The lead up to the Iraq war would lead to professional difficulties for Greenhouse, who her former boss, Army Officer Lieutenant John Ballard
described

The Death Of Horatio Alger
"The 0.1 percent in the U.S. today account for more than eight percent of the national income" (Freeland). Economic inequality is also known as
income inequality, and it has always been a problem. The gap between the rich and the poor is growing wider and wider because wealth grows faster
than the economy according to Thomas Piketty, and people are not able to move up through economic classes according to Paul Krugman.Economic
inequality is a problem that can be overcome with raise the minimum wage, expand welfare benefits, and provide higher education.
In his TED talk, Piketty forms a simple formula explaining the economic inequality, which is r > g. This means the return on capital is higher than
the economic growth. In "The Death of Horatio Alger," Krugman explains the idea of income mobility in America is less reality now than it was
in the 20th century. Also, it was believed to be more reality in the 20th century than it really was (Krugman). Income mobility means one 's ability
to go from one social economic class to another higher or lower class. The American dream seemed to be a reality as more and more people
experienced just that type of income mobility. The two factors which seem most closely related are economics, and the lack of access to education.
We are seeing more and more dead end jobs that have little or no room for improvement. Then there is the lack of access to education. Higher
education is getting more and more expensive. The difficulty in making

Communism In Joseph Mccarthy's Second Red Scare
"Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist party (Barnes)?" This question was asked by Republican senator Joseph McCarthy
to hundreds of people that he proclaimed were Communists during the late 1940s and early 1950s. McCarthy's words were ones of fear that the
American public gravitated toward to show their hatred for communism. Although this anti–communist effort was only most evident in the mid–20th
century, the McCarthy strategy of creating baseless claims against people continues to happen in today's society. The media has covered and created
false stories that the American public thrives on. Many people see these stories as factual instead of falsehoods. The American population has also
become McCarthy–esque... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
After World War I, America was having economic difficulties. William Wheeler and Susan Becker said, "The Bolshevik Revolution gave many
Americans a convenient scapegoat for their postwar troubles. A few Americans were involved in radical activities, as evidenced by the discovery of
numerous mail bombs intended for thirty–six prominent government leaders. Americans, however, identified communist conspirators as the cause of all
their postwar difficulties" (Wheeler 233). The accusation of communists against America created the first hatred toward the organization. Americans
now believed that communism was not just a factor on the other side of the world. It was now near their homes. The fear of communism was growing
larger and larger with each passing day. During theCold War, the Soviets had created an atomic bomb (Giblin 75). The invention brought the War to
new heights with total destruction seeming inevitable. More and more countries were becoming communist, as well. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s
America was overwhelmed with concerns about the threat of communism growing in Eastern Europe and China ("McCarthyism"). China was taken in
1949 by communist rebels ("Joseph McCarthy"). It was feared that communism would spread around the globe, eventually reaching the United States.
The tension between democracy and communism was at an all–time

Mccarthyism : America 's History
McCarthyism has a lot to do with America 's history, even still today examples of McCarthyism are seen in america . Most victims of mccarthyism
are hollywood actors and famous people because they impact american society more than regular people. Famous people such as Helen Keller,
Leonard Bernstein , Burl Ives, Pete Seeger, Artie Shaw, Zero Mostel, Charlie Chaplin, Langston Hughes, Orson Welles, and Dolores del Rio were
blamed for supposedly being part of the communist party. But that was not all, there was also another 205 average people that were blamed for being a
part of the communist party as well. McCarthy's committee then started investigating the United States Army. His charges kept affecting more and
more powerful people. McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence. McCarthyism
was used to make unfair allegations and using unfair investigative techniques in order to restrict dissent or political criticism. McCarthyism was
developed by Joseph McCarthy, the whole purpose of why he did it was to scare Americans in order to make them not want to be a communist.
McCarthyism led to several people being accused of being part of the communist party all by people blaming them when they had no hard facts that
they were even a part of communism. in the McCarthy trials more than three–hundred twenty people were falsely accused of being communists and in
the Salem witch trials more than 100 people were falsely

The Rhetorical Analysis Of Senator Joseph Mccarthy
In February of 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy made a speech with the purpose of accusing democratic representative, Alger Hiss, of working with the
communist Soviets in order to convince the American people to support the Republican party. McCarthy convinces his audience by using syntactical
devices, such as anaphoras, rhetorical questions, and parallelism.
His use of anaphoras creates an emphasis on the motive of his sentence. For example, McCarthy states, "...groups who have been selling this nation
out... [are] those who have had all the benefits that the wealthiest nation on earth has had to offerвЂ•the finest homes, the finest college education, and
the finest jobs..." By repeating finest before each aspect of life, McCarthy emphasizes the wealth that the men he discusses have been born
intoвЂ•creating conflicting images: the perfect Americans who have had the best lives possible and those same Americans who are sabotaging the US
by encouraging communism. McCarthy repeats this tactic when he states, "here is what he said, not back in 1928, not before the war, not during the
war, but two years after the last war ended." In this example, McCarthy is using anaphora to emphasize that Stalin had said that a communist revolution
can not be carried out peacefully after the last war, meaning there might be another war. This is meant to reveal to his audience why Americans should
not succumb to the calm indifference that apparently always follows a war in order to build up to the statement that Alger Hiss's massive sacrilege of
endorsing communism was able to bring out Americans' outrage from a period of otherwise numbness and apathy.
McCarthy also includes rhetorical question in his speech to make his pointвЂ•a war against communism is imminentвЂ•seem obvious. He states,
"...can there be anyone here tonight who is so blind as to say that the war is not on?" This makes his audience seem ignorant if they do not agree with
his previous statement that a war against communism is unavoidable, which encourages people to not outright disagree with his points. McCarthy
continues to say, "Can there be anyone who fails to realize that the communist world has said, 'The time is now,' that this is the time for the showdown
between the

Ragged Dick By Horatio Alger: Capitalism Analysis
The American Dream is an ideology that, in some people's opinions, motivates people to work hard in order to get ahead. This ideology legitimates
capitalism by creating the assumption that economics are influenced primarily by merit; however, this is an aged idea. Capitalism enables victim
blaming by making people believe in a meritocratic system that does not truly exist, and does not take other factors into consideration that lead to
success, as does the American Dream.
The American Dream thrives on the idea that each individual is responsible for oneself. If one wants to be successful, they can pursue their interest to
whatever length they want; this way, success is measured by the amount of work put in, making the system meritocratic. Capitalism ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Dick is, above all else, an extremely resilient character. He stays up late to study, gets up early to work, saves his money, budgets so much that he
goes hungry and may sleep in the street, and more. The American Dream does not factor in the need for this much resilience to "make it" in
America. Additionally, Dick works without being picky. The society Dick lives in believes that boot blacks are the lowest of the low in terms of
jobs, and many consider that work to be beneath them. Dick takes this work, and does his best so he can push himself forward. Being resilient
enough to take work that most people find disgusting is often not included in the American Dream. Dick also has altruistic friends and
acquaintances. He meets several people that find his resilience and persistence refreshing, and in turn, they help him through giving him extra
money, a place to stay, or a suit. These turns of good fortune are in no way based on Dick's merit, that is, whether or not he is good at what he does,
but rather, his ability to be likeable to people he meets. Dick also seizes the opportunities that come to him, and has the ability to switch jobs or
where he lives to do so. Many people in America do not have this flexibility because of family or other things that tie them down. Lastly, Dick does not
see money as his ultimate goal, but rather, respectability. Many people associate the American Dream

The Horatio Alger Myth
In the current state of America, several issues such as race, gender, sexual orientation and upward mobility are still relevent concerns. The Horatio
Alger Myth of being able to move upward on merit and hard work alone is an ideology of the 1950's that clings to the coattails of America's lower
class even today. Though the thought of moving upwards in society is hopeful, it is not always plausible. The barriers seperating people in the
lower class and upper middle class is growing. What is needed is the Redefinition of upward mobility for pleople of lower income. The Horatio Alger
Myth is still just a myth for most, when it needs to become a reality. The impact of the Horatio Alger myth, is based off an economy that's equal and
fair. Employers... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As Coontz corrilates "Still, I have no illusions that I'd actually go back to the 1950s , and neither do most people who express such occasional
nostalgia" (Coontz, 28). The air that it held of being secure in ones job, future and family was something that everyone could take a security in.
Even if that security wasn't something that would have essentailly come to them. People of minorities weren't treated fairly, neither were women.
However the ideal of a white man in the 1950's, working and being able to live comfortably with a family and send his children to school was
something that everyone wanted to attain, and still want to attain today. Even as the bridges are closed between racial and gender profiling and
stereotyping are closing, even if their not closed completely. Financial stability and the gap between the working and upper classes in America is still
growing more and more distant as the economy continues downward. The Horatio Alger myth is still going strong, and ideally as perfect as that
situation is. The Myth in question needs to change to suit the changes of America, or America needs to become a place like the myth where you can
move up in the world with hard work and merits

Comparing Alger And Herrick: A Literary Analysis
A very similar story concept can be found in the novels of Horatio Alger's Ragged Dick and Robert Herrick's The Memoirs of an American Citizen.
The two authors both approach the notion of the American Success Myth through a young man with humble origins. This main character is then given
multiple opportunities to raise himself out of poverty and achieve success. In addition to being given favorable circumstances, the books' protagonists
demonstrate some identical personality traits that are required in accomplishing success, such as diligence and bravery. The stories, however, differ in
their representation of what success is. Herrick illustrates that there are two types of success, while Alger decides to define it as only one. The Memoirs
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Despite the multiple confirmations from other powerful companies that unethical business practices are required in acquiring a success of wealth,
Harrington begins to hesitate in his previous convictions to do so. He tries to rationalize to himself and others that his immoral business
processes to gain a success of wealth did not come at the price of harming people. This is done by regarding his success as beneficial to society
because his company provides its workers a chance to earn a living and support their families. Harrington's loved ones, however, are not convinced
of this and his choice to carry on with dishonest dealings eventually pushes them away. One example would be May and his brother, Will. After a
final attempt to persuade him to stop any more unethical business acts was unsuccessful, May and Will no longer associate themselves with
Harrington. They refuse to accept his "dirty" money, even when Will is sickly and needs it. Harrington is deeply hurt by such a rejection and seeks to
win back their approval. When he fails, the dissatisfaction with his wealth grows. All the large sums of money he earned means nothing if Harrington
could not help those that he care for. His unhappiness increases and the doubts about his life choice for pursuing a success of wealth solidify

The Lesson By Toni Cade Bambara And Horatio Alger
Success is the chance to go out there and use the resources available to take advantage of opportunities that most people do not. Usually, things
happen in life and it can prevent the process of obtaining success. In the readings, "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara and "Horatio Alger" by
Harlon L. Dalton conveys the message that success is not always an everyday thing and it takes opportunities for it to become part of life. In "The
Lesson", an angered girl named Sylvia is taken on a field trip to a toy store with Miss Moore to learn a valuable lesson. The lesson is to become
successful in society because it is the only way to make it to the top. On the other hand, "Horatio Alger" shows more of a realistic viewpoint where
success is not as... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Dalton states, "Black folk certainly know what it is like to be favored, disfavored, scrutinized, and ignored all on the basis of our race. Sometimes we
are judged on a different scale altogether" (273). Dalton is trying to state that African Americans know what it is like to be judged and because of
this it creates a road block. In addition, race has become a universal problem that people tend to cause huge tensions and the way "Horatio Alger's"
essay states it is that everyone is equal would not be true. On the other hand, Sylvia seems to be under the paradox that Dalton has stated about
race. Sylvia throughout the story goes on a field trip to a toy store where she sees items that cost a lot of money from the glass window, but when
she enters the store an issue occurs. Sylvia states, "Not that I'm scared, what's there to be afraid of, just a toy store. But I feel funny, shame. But
what I got to be shamed about? Got as much right to go in as anybody" (269). Sylvia is afraid to enter the store because the fear of race keeps
occurring in her mind. It is a huge issue because African Americans had many different views and it made them feel insecure. Also, Sylvia knows
that the toy store is fancy and expensive, which triggers her to back off because she is from a poor background. Race has a huge impact on society,
no matter what way it is looked at and Sylvia's fear expresses that of many at the time.
Secondly, chances are

Ragged Dick: Or, Street Life in New York with the Boot Blacks
Ragged Dick: Or, Street Life in New York with the Boot Blacks Ragged Dick: Or, Street Life in New York with the Boot Blacks tells the story of a
young teenage boy trying to survive as a boot black on the streets of New York during the period of industrialization. Ragged Dick: Or, Street Life in
New York with the Boot Blacks overall is very accurate in its portrayal of the era. Several examples throughout this work can be used to justify this
such as Dick's occupations, his enjoyment of theatre, his rags to riches story, the adversities some individuals struggle through, the emphasis on the
suite making a professional, and the hard economic times. However, throughout this book, although not abundant in my opinion, there are also ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Another theme I found helped portray the era Dick is living in is his love for the theatre. Author Horatio Alger Jr. states, "He (Dick) was fond of
going to the Old Bowery Theatre."# According to Robert W. Rydell and Rob Kroes in Buffulo Bill in Bologna, "With it's legion of famous
performances and a host of Burlesque entertainers, vaudeville, by the turn of the century, had become a staple in the lives of millions of Americans."#
"According to one study, roughly 15 percent of America's urban population attended at least one vaudeville show a week, enabling theatres to gross
around $20.000 per week."# With theatres becoming very popular in American Culture during this era it only makes sense that Dick also had a love for
the theatre and would often spend much of his income earned throughout the day shining boots at the theatre. Dick states that by going to the theatre he
could, "see the bearded lady, the eight–foot giant, the two–foot dwarf, and other curiosities, too numerous to mention."# Another aspect of this book
that I found to be accurate in select individuals lives throughout this era was the rags to riches aspect of the book. As we learned from several of the
characters throughout this book such as Mr. Whitney and even Dick himself at the end of the novel, hard work, ambition, and character throughout this
era led to some tremendous success stories. Mr. Whitney states, "I hope, my lad, you will prosper and ride in the world. You

Ragged Dick, By Hoatio Alger

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Ragged Dick, By Hoatio Alger