Rough and Ready

Horatio Alger was a writer who specialized in the “rags-to-riches” narrative. “Rough and Ready, or Life Among the New York Schoolboys” is a classic of its type. It is the fourth installment of the “Ragged Dick Series” by the Harvard-educated author. Alger again continues with the theme that social disadvantages should be no barrier to self-improvement. Alger’s chief protagonist is a principled, disciplined, and honest type who strives to overcome his unfortunate circumstances to live a rewarding and fulfilling life.

The plot centers around down-on-his-luck newsboy Rufus Rushton, who is forced to protect his sister, Rose, from the anger and abuse of their alcoholic stepfather, James Martin. Through hard work and ambition, Rufus manages to find a home for his sister far away from the attention of Mr. Martin. Meanwhile, Rufus focuses on selling newspapers and his business begins to prosper. Unfortunately, Mr. Martin lurks in the shadows, awaiting an opportunity to kidnap Rose and make her and Rufus's life miserable once more. The plot twists and turns in typical Alger fashion. The prose sparkles and vividly captures a colorful yet disturbing world. Thankfully, for most of us, it is a world that no longer exists outside of the pages of this book.