How Does The Jungle And Alger Convey Alternative Realities Of The American Dream

In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Horatio Alger’s Ragged Dick differentiating versions and explorations of the American Dream are illustrated through the fictional lives of characters through syntax and imagery, with influences by historical context and the authors background. Horatio and Alger convey alternative realities of the dream, by conveying their character's journey to success, and the outcome they succumb to. The myth of American is exposed within the two in the hope that lives in both. The American dream and the myth of the frontier dates back to early European immigrants escaping poverty and religious persecution to come to the unknown lands of now America. This is apparent in explorer John Smith’s A Description of New England.

He would work, for his part, and the women would work, and some of the children, doubtless – they would live somehow. Jurgis, too, had heard of America. That was a country where, they said, a man might earn three rubles a day; and Jurgis figured what three rubles a day would mean, with prices as they were where he lived, and decided forthwith that he would go to America and marry, and be a rich man in the bargain. In that country, rich or poor, a man was free, it was said; he did not have to go into the army, he did not have to pay out his money to rascally officials – he might do as he pleased, and count himself as good as any other man. (Sinclair 25)
In addition, Ragged Dick explores the same conflict yet in a much different way. Haratio’s novel is a ragged to riches depiction of The American Dream, which does not only start with a sense of hope, but ends with success. He depicts the protagonists, Dick, a homeless child bootblack, as hard-working, morally upright, and positive to display his version of the American Dream. Dicks fortunes improve because he works hard, and he takes advantage of every

The contradicting views of these two writers is evident in their depictions of the American dream throughout the context of their novels and outcome for their characters. Sinclair explores the lies of the American dream. This may be traced back to his early life. Sinclair from a young age, dealt with an alcoholic father, split up parents, and poverty. However, he was also able to witness two social settings because his maternal grandparents were wealthy. This greatly affected many of his novels, as well as The Jungle. A said before, Sinclair's background as an active socialist and writer gave him insight in the mistreatment of the unprivileged. Granted that, he has witnessed these disgusting and horrific happenings in his own life and attempts to expose them through his fictional writing. Sinclair has the background and connection to people life Jurgis and Ona. Contrary, Horatio Alger proudly displays his believe in the American dream in Ragged Dick through Dick’s transformation from a bootblack into a businessman who “sits at a desk”.. However, Horatio is his personal life is a Harvard graduate, and a writer who studied classical literature. He came from a high middle-class family, and had access to personal tutors as a child. He never had to deal with poverty. Although his life may not have been perfect, his believe in this perfect materialistic American Dream achievable for all may be because