From Rags to Respectability:
Horatio Alger
Rags to Respectability - Horatio Alger 1832-1899 (popular in 1850s)
Ragged Dick Series by Horatio Alger, Rough and Ready, Work and Win
Luke Walton was a character who remained moral and true to his origins helped others in need, despite financial success
Struggling Upward, Mark the Matchboy, From Farm to Fortune, Striving for Fortune
Newsboys were symbols of Social Mobility in 1850s literature;
Hero, benevolent patron, father villain, mother gentle, and minor characters
Hero escapes villain traps by coincidences, generosity from patrons, and heroic wisdom - luck was really the prime mover
Luck, Providence, Chance, Coincidence, Accident in the folktale tradition
Hero ideal worker qualities: fidelity, dependability, desire to help and be useful.
Hero never argues over wages, follows orders so long as they hurt no one else, is cheerful, and would rather sacrifice their own life than lose the boss's money.
Fidelity is often in opposition to true Strand 2 Success, because the interest of the employer may be to keep the worker's pay as low as possible.
For example, Ben Franklin wrote about using the weakness of his employer, against them by quitting and making his own business better.
In some ways Alger stories represent the early 1800s more than the later industrial 1800s, because the most common business model is a small middle-class mercantile house; rather than industrial mining, manufacturing, or mass construction (like railroad barons); so Alger may be sentimental and nostalgic.
Almost a 1700s moral and economic anachronism; in the tradition of merchant, journeyman, and apprentice.
Rather than actually teaching free enterprise, Alger stories dominantly teach morals and manners of Strand 1; but it is the combination of those traditions with social class mobility, that makes Alger a middle-class Strand 3.
social mobility up and down; emphasis on proper neatness, manners, language, clothing.
Patron first gives a good suit (uniform for class elevation), then a watch (for punctuality).
The nice suit leads to conflict with other lower class proletarians, that do not want him to rise above them.
The author Horatio Alger has become synonymous with the self-made man concept. However Alger's heroes were rarely alone and unaided in their success. Rather, Alger boys had chance encounters with benevolent, friendly, and useful patrons that often flat-out gave them money. In fact the boys themselves modestly make no pretense of self-made success, and even profess their indebtedness to their patrons.
“I was lucky.” said Dick, modestly. “I found some good friends who helped me along.”
Alger boys were common only in the fact that they were born poor, but uncommon in their potential abilities and social skill;
Although his heroes transcend classism, racism still applied in the stories (often villains).
Another important point, is that Alger boys only achieved moderate middle-class economic security. Alger boys reach a peak of success as white-collar clerks, that earn an estimated average fortune of $10,000 (by Time Magazine early 1900s standards). At the end of Fame and Fortune, the hero has an annual income of $1,400 and $2,000 in savings.
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Horatio Alger's father wanted him to be a minister, in Revere, Mass. However he chose to write children's books, and tutor children.
He lived most of his life in New York near the Newsboys' Lodging House (basis for many stories)
He sold his books for cheap, and gave money to individuals and charities
His books made his publishers wealthy, but Alger died relatively poor.
After his death, his publishers hired ghost writers and continued to make profits from his works.
There was a back-lash reaction to his books in popular culture at the beginning of the 1900s.
Horatio Alger books declined in popularity, and by the 1940s became obscure
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Even in Horatio Alger's time there was a great growing gap between rich and poor.
Economic expansion was outpacing education, ethics, or even manners for that matter.
A lifetime of hard work often left a man worse off than when he began; due to job related health conditions, poor pay, and price inflation.
There was a gulf between millionaire owners and employees, inflating the cost for a start up business.
This discrepancy made it almost impossible for an employee to open their own business;
because economically a clerk was better off working for a boss, than starting their own business; so Strand 2 Success was limited for most.
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