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66 pages 2 hours read

Horatio Alger

Ragged Dick

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1868

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Introduction

Teacher Introduction

Ragged Dick

  • Genre: Juvenile Fiction; Coming-of-Age
  • Originally Published: 1868
  • Reading Level/Interest: Lexile HL660L; Young Adult and Adult
  • Structure/Length: Novel divided into chapters; approximately 120 pages; audiobook length approximately 5 hours and 9 minutes.
  • Protagonist/Central Conflict: Ragged Dick is a classic novel by Horatio Alger that tells the story of Richard "Dick" Hunter, a poor and unhoused bootblack (shoe-shiner) in New York City during the mid-19th century. The central conflict revolves around Dick's struggle to escape poverty and improve his life through hard work, determination, and moral character. Through a series of encounters and opportunities, Dick aspires to rise above his humble circumstances and achieve success in the city. The novel explores themes of social mobility, self-improvement, and the American Dream, and it is often considered a prime example of the "rags to riches" genre in American literature.
  • Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes of poverty, homelessness, social mobility, and lack of empathy for children’s housing and food insecurity

Horatio Alger, Author

  • Bio: Born 1832, deceased 1899; American author known for his prolific output of juvenile fiction and novels for young readers; Alger is celebrated for his stories of young protagonists overcoming adversity and achieving success through moral virtue and hard work.
  • Other Works: Luck and Pluck series, including titles like Luck and Pluck (1869) and Sink or Swim (1870); Horatio Alger's novels often follow a formula of young characters rising from humble backgrounds to achieve success.

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

  • The Rise Of The Self-Made Man
  • The Rewards Of Virtue
  • The Importance Of Appearances

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

  • Develop an understanding of the historical and sociological contexts regarding childhood poverty and social mobility in mid- to late-19th century American society.
  • Analyze paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of The Rise Of The Self-Made Man, The Rewards Of Virtue, and The Importance Of Appearances.
  • Draft and present a creative screenplay that demonstrates an understanding of characterization, setting, and plot elements, based on text details.
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