Horatio Alger, Jr.By Christine Koogle

Mrs. DushelMod 7/8

Thesis Statement

Horatio Alger was a classic American author who wrote novels based on authentic experiences of a rags to riches theme.

Horatio Alger was born on January 13, 1832 in Revere, Massachusetts.

He was born on Friday, the 13th! He died on July 15, 1899. Alger was the oldest of five children, and his family was

cruel to him. Horatio Alger, Sr. and his wife, Olive nee Fenno Alger,

were Horatio's parents. His mother was from a wealthy family: her father was a

merchant, but Alger's immediate family was poor. Horatio's father could only support his family by

becoming a minister at the church.

Horatio’s Childhood

Horatio was home-schooled and tutored until the age of ten.

When he turned ten, he was admitted to the Gates Academy.

After a graduation from Gates Academy at age 16, he was accepted into Harvard. He studied there with a vision of becoming a poet.

At Harvard, he won many titles and awards in poetry, short sketches and academic essays.

Horatio won the title "Class Poet." He called Harvard the "happiest years of his life!"

Horatio’s Schooling

After Horatio graduated from Harvard, he went on a ten month tour around Europe. He headed to new places and fresh ideas came to him. These places influenced Alger in his poetry writing.

Horatio’s Adventures

At age 34, Alger moved to New York City. There, he volunteered at a homeless shelter for boys. This house had "spoken" to Horatio. He began to spend time with the boys that frequented the house. He slept, ate, and often invited them to his home he was renting. Alger came to enjoy the boys so much, they often became the main characters of the 200 novels that Alger wrote.

Horatio’s New York Life

When he was in New York and he befriended poor boys, he made them main characters. These characters always started in the "ragged" way: the way they were when Alger met them. Throughout the book, Alger transforms them into well rounded young chaps and the boys eventually come in contact with better lifestyles and income. All of his books follow the theme "Rags to Riches."

Horatio’s Themes

Ragged Dick Summary

Dick is a bootblack in the streets of NYC. He is quite poor; he has only one outfit and works for 10 cents each shoeshine. After a restless sleep in the streets, Dick encounters a business man, Mr. Whitney, and his visiting nephew, Frank. Because Mr. Whitney has to work, Frank needs a tour from a real New Yorker, Ragged Dick. Mr. Whitney gives Dick new clothes so that he would be appropriately dressed to be in the company of a man of higher class. From that point on, Dick is seen as a respected gentleman. He eventually is able to get a decent room to rent. Dick stays there for 75 cents every week. Dick meets one of his friends, named Fosdick, and they begin to share a room. Fosdick contributes another 25 cents to the rent. So in turn for his rent, Fosdick tutors Dick, for Dick claims to be ignorant. With Dick’s new education, he receives an acceptable offer for a new occupation at an exclusive store. There he becomes an admirable man: Richard Hunter.

Mark, the Match Boy Summary

Mark is a boy who sells matches in New York City. He is trying to earn money to bring back to Mother Watson, a cruel and strict woman, with whom he lives. One day, Mark does not sell many matches. So, Mother Watson does not let Mark come home until 30 cents is brought to her. However, Mark is unable to sell enough matches and decides to not go home to her. He spends the night in a corner on a ferry boat. The next morning, Mark finds one dollar in his jacket pocket. With that money, Mark is able to buy a good lunch. He walks across a nearby plaza and stops in front of an office. Mark is dehydrated and faints. Richard Hunter works in this office and discovers Mark. Hunter takes Mark to his apartment. There, Mark is nourished back to health until Hunter officially makes Mark his ward, an adopted son. Mark is kept well and eventually establishes a job at a bookstore. His life changes when his grandfather locates Mark after an extensive search and offers the match boy a new opportunity.

Conclusion

Horatio Alger based most of his writings on his life. He, himself, developed from a “rags to riches” lifestyle as he grew up in an uneducated family and eventually graduated from Harvard. He travelled to Europe to gain new knowledge for his poetry writing. Alger later used his experiences in New York City, where he volunteered with poor boys, to develop his characters in his numerous stories. Although he was not a famous author Alger wrote more than 200 novels before his death in 1899.

Works Cited

Alger Jr., Horatio. Ragged Dick and Mark, The Match Boy. 1962. Macmillan Publishing

Co., Inc., NY. Print. Curran, Ronald T. “Alger, Horatio.” World

Book Advanced. World Book, 2011. Web. 4 May 2011

Merriam, D.C. “Horatio Alger.” The Literature Network. Jalic Inc, 2005. Web. 4/23/11

“Horatio Alger, Jr.” Bookrags. Wikipedia, 2006. Web. 5/6/11