Ragged Dick

Written by Horatio Alger ‘Ragged Dick’ is the 1st novel in a six-volume series. It is a Bildungsroman that analyzes urban poverty while emphasizing the Protestant work ethic. The story is about a fourteen-year-old bootblack named Dick, who smokes, occasionally drinks, and sleeps on the streets. Even though his circumstances, he’s determined to turn over a new leaf and become respectable.