Ragged Dick

In many of the stories that we read about little girls one of the main goals for these young women was to portray the “perfect” image of how a little girl should be, and were taught how to behavior and what was expected of them. The narrator of Ragged Dick tells the reader that even though Dick is not the “perfect” little boy he is still a good person, “I do not consider him a model boy. But there were some good points about him nevertheless” (342).

We have talked about how “good” little boys and girls are defined by how society expects them to act. In the text we see many times that Dick is praised for being an honest and cunning young man. When deciding if Dick is a suitable tour guide for his nephew the man described Dick as, “Still he looks honest. He has an open face, and I thin can be depended on” (361). Such traits are what make Dick a well-liked and good boy. There is also an emphasis on the idea that through hard work one is able to achieve success. Frank tells Dick that even though Dick may not have all of the luxuries that other boys have, if he works hard then Dick can become a respectable man in society, “A good many distinguished men have once been poor boys. There’s hope for you, Dick, if you’ll try” (394). There are clearly difference in how society is trying to teach young girls and boys to behave.