• Blog – In what way does Cruz’s story contrast the idyllic themes of Alger? Are they also similar in some ways?

In Alger's story, it takes hard work and being a good person for Dick to get somewhere in life, while in Cruz's story, it merely takes the color of his skin. The story of Ragged Dick never touches on the ideas of the other factors that play in to moving up in society, such as race and education, it only says that being a good, hard working person will move you up, regardless of other factors. Cruz's story is in great contrast to the ideal Alger sets.