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.