The Yares of the Black Mountain

The aspect I found most interesting from this reading was the comparison of the North and the South. In this story, we see the South as a refuge for the woman and her baby, and a place for the dying baby to gain health. It contrasts greatly with the fast paced North. The baby's mother takes note of this and states, " The kind little act of giving it was something new to her. It seemed as if in the North she too had been in a driving hurry of work since her birth, and never had the time to be friendly" (248). The South represents kindness, yet when we read Uncle Tom's Cabin, the North was seen as a place to escape the cruel south. In addition, Miss Cook complains about the South and upon arriving, notes "The scenery disapoints me...it lacks the element of gradndeur" (240). Ultimately, I found it interesting that these two places, the North and South, represent two totally different things, and although the differences are quite obvious, different characters see these differences in either a positive light, or a negative one.

Ragged Dick

The different gender roles taking place in American literature are very evident in the characters throughout the past stories we have read. Traditionally, girls have been portrayed in the domestic novels as having to be dependent. Gerty and Ellen both relied on a role model type in order to survive. It was unseen for a girl to take care of herself and find work to do, as shown by Capitola. She had to dress up as a boy in order to find honest work. However, in Ragged Dick, Dick supports himself and is very street smart. He shines shoes and knows the city like the back of his own hand. It was unheard of for a girl to have any of his rebellious and self independent qualities.

In reading Ragged Dick, a trait that stood out to me was that men had to be seen in society as being financially stable. Women were supposed the be the ones taken care of, while men brought home the money. Dick shines shoes and that is how he makes his money. He has to find his own way to survive. When a customer complains that Dick's prices are a little expensive, Dick has to get creative in order to get business. He responds, "Well, you know 'taint all clear profit," (253) and immediately sets to work. Boys have to have this aggressive, rebellious behavior to get what they need financially, or else someone else will.