Ragged Dick...

I know that this seem be a bit late but I was having a bit of a problem with logging in my account for the past few days. Anyway, problem fixed and now for the next couple of posts that I really have to do...

Well this time around its another book we're reading called "Ragged Dick" by Horatio Alger Jr., a story about a young 14 year old boy named Dick living in old New York in the late 1800's or so it feels like it. Before I actually began reading the story, there were notes about the author and I was surprised that he was an accused pedophile as a priest no less! Times certainly has...NOT changed one bit. Then again all the more eagar to see how this guy can write a story.

In the beginning, Dick was a honest person who works hard as a boot-blacker. He had a hard life in the dark streets of downtown New York City especially in Five Points which is the most dangerous place that includes robbery, murder, prostitution, and other bad things that can happen to anyone. His friends called him "Ragged Dick" because of the way his clothes and his overall appearance looks. He was anything but a normal kid, he had street smarts, wise about telling how people are around him, and an he was like a saint in helping others. But other times he likes to drink, gamble, and watch plays which is why he can't really gain that much money not to mention ever really thinking about the importance of his future. That is until he met a young boy named Frank Whitney and his uncle.

Frank and his uncle were visting the city because Frank's uncle was there for some business, but unfortunately Frank was going to be all by himself until Dick overheard them and decided that he wants to learn more about the other boy's world. From then on, Frank and Dick traveled all around the city checking out the sights but not before Frank changed his ragged looks into a very handsome gentleman. It was the first stop to being what Dick calls "bein 'spectable". While traveling the city they talked about each other's past and what they are currently doing. In the end though it was time to say goodbye and Dick was told to keep the suit. Afterwards, Dick was really thinking about moving on with his life after talking with Frank especially about actually getting a job and having a place of his own.

In his first step to becoming respectable he started to find a room to live in and decided to live in a small building on Mott Street. A lot of things began to change for Dick from here on out. Along with finding a new place, he also decided to help his friend Fosdick who was in the same situation as him. From then on they both lived together and as for Dick another part of being respectable was to have knowledge such as reading and writing. Fosdick knew how to read and write from his father and now he's tutoring Dick on how to do both. Along the way, Dick also started his own bank account to start earning money for whatever the reason it may be in the future.

In the end, "Ragged Dick" became Richard Hunter and his friend Fosdick finally got a job other than being a boot-black. Richard finally got a job he would never expect coming after saving a young boy for a father who works in a print shop in the city. Later onwards with both Dick and Fosdick being successful they both decided to move out from Mott Street to a better place.

In conclusion, I thought the whole story was really cute and touching. Dick did so many things to help his friends and himself. There were times when he thought about other people like his friend Johnny Nolan who has no ambition, Mickey Macguire who beated Dick just because he's a fancy gentleman, or his other friend Tom Wilkins who was about to be evicted along with his family. The person who was more surprising was Dick himself when he strugged from being ignorant to being a lot more wiser about the world. Overall the story of self-improvement was really engaging and funny at times.