Changing Realization and Acknowledgement of Dick's Past

Dick tries to move up along the social ladder and leverage his education to better himself. Dick initially spends lavishly and does not focus on long-term saving. This attitude changes after Dick meets Frank and Frank’s Uncle when Dick learns how to manage his money better and start saving for longer-term goals. Dick encounters Henry Fosdick, a timid young boy who makes his living as a boot-black despite formerly having a well-off lifestyle. Dick decides to leverage the relationship he has with Henry Fosdick to learn, grow, and develop his understanding of the world. His hard work and effort begin paying off, and Fosdick notes that Dick is “’learning fast’”, to which Dick responds happily that he wants “’to grow up ‘spectable’” (Alger). Although Dick is happy to get closer to his goal of educating himself and surpassing his current lifestyle, he often feels pressured by the fact that he is a boot-black and that people do not regard him as a genteel member of society.  his, but is often pressured by the fact that he is from a boot-black background. Even though Fosdick is successfully able to secure the room against Roswell Crawford, Dick asks Fosdick if he is “’willin’ to room with a boot-black’” (Alger). This moment in the novel is surprising to me. Alger stresses the importance of hard work and education in allowing people to better themselves no matter where they start. The instantaneous changes and effects that Dick experiences from working to his new goal of educating himself would make it seem that Dick does not care so much for his past and background. As a result, this point in the novel reveals a sense of humanity outside of the fairy tale-esque mood because Dick ruminates over his boot-blacking background. Going forward, Dick’s interactions with Micky Maguire are the testament to his growth and decision to leave the past behind. When Micky Maguire steals Dick’s Washington coat and Napoleon pants, Dick is startled at first but then quickly realizes this is a moment of relief for him. Dick feels the weight leave off his shoulders and remarks that “it seem[s] to cut him off from the old vagabond life which he [hopes] never to resume” (Alger). Dick realizes that he is a man because he works hard to his goal of securing an education rather than ruminating over his past as a boot-black and the clothes he wears.