Ragged Dick

In class, we discussed the stark contrast between typical behavior, manorisms, and allowances for girls and boys during this time. Girls were expected to excel in domestic capacities including, sewing, cooking, cleaning, and generally maintaining the household. No fits or bouts of extreme emotional distress were part of what young girls were supposed to do, because they were supposed to be pleasant at all times. Also, we see that girls need "props" in order to be young ladies. These include a number of things from elaborate dresses and shoes, to writing materials and sewing kits (this took up pages 42 -49 from the text.) I feel as though Susan Warner's, The Wide Wide World is the most extreme example of what it was to be an almost ideal girl of the time. However in many respects, this makes her uninteresting, because she is an ideal, and therefore not easily related to by a large audience. And then there was Capitola, who definitely won me over with her charm and wit. She is a girl however (as is decided in New York) and therefore must have things for a girl of her class and so on page 181. After reading Ragged Dick however we can see right away that boys are allowed more faults than girls. I feel we can assume that this also means men were allowed more faults than women as long as the family was taken care of financially and as long as he wasn't a drunkard. What's more it seems to me as though they aren't considered faults as much as they are traits for men and boys, rather aspects of personality. Men were expected to work hard, be smart, and make enough money not just to take care of themselves but their families too. Women on the other hand didn't go out nearly as much since most of their work was at home.

These young boys in Ragged Dick have faults, and the author is very quick to point them out, yet, he is also clear in pointing out the good aspects of these boy's personalities. This is a rhetorical strategy that appeals to the audience because Dick isn't perfect, just like the average reader. However, he did have some very strong morals when it came to certain issues so readers of this story might be encouraged to still hold fast to certain morals that the text is trying to reaffirm to the audience. This is clearly seen when Dick says at the start of the story, "You don't catch me stealin', if that's what you mean." (p.334) I think the text is trying to say through these characters, that every person has faults, some more series than others, but it is possible to find 'good' even in the oddest of places.