Horatio Algier- Ragged Dick

Within the story, “Ragged Dick,” Horatio Algier constantly stresses the fact that hard work, dedication and honesty will lead to a better life. This is not explicitly stated, however, which makes this an implicit argument. In the story, a young hard working man had begun planning out his future and had set realistic goals about how much he could make, but a turn of fortune, in which he rescued a young child from drowning, made him much more successful. His drive to rescue the child and later modesty about the event led to the father offering him a high paying job in a counting room. The description of the characters modesty, hard work attitude and kindness followed by his success leads to the idea that the American Dream truly does exist and that those who work hard and have traits such as Dicks can be successful. These kinds of stories are truly why Horatio Algier is known for his “Rags to Riches” stories.