Horatio Alger Contemporary

"Horatio Alger hero" is a common phrase in America, referring to the person who achieves success by his own effort in the face of great obstacles. Over 100 books with such heroes were written by Horatio Alger (1834-1899), whose stories of boys overcoming poverty were widely read in the 19th century. Yet Alger's novels are virtually nowhere to be found today. Bookstores don't stock them. The Houston Public Library doesn't circulate them (though it has a collection of them in a separate building for old books of historical interest). Few if any have read them today, even among those who admire heroic literature.


Occasionally, one reads about a famous businessman who was inspired by Alger, such as the stockbroker Victor Niederhoffer, who is a fan of Horatio Alger, and who has a complete collection of Alger first editions. Benjamin Fairless of U.S. Steel and James Farley of Coca Cola are other examples.

One of the perks of living in the United States is having the opportunity to achieve a higher standard of living than one's parents enjoyed. The Horatio Alger Myth is known country wide as being a proud national

 symbol of this economic empowerment. It is true that some Americans are able to achieve this myth within their lifetime, such as Bill Gates, but it is much more common for this goal to be obtained after several generations of hard work. Contrary to popular belief, it is not just the offspring of the upper-class that are able to obtain financial security. There are opportunities for those in the lower-class to become upwardly mobile.

To achieve the Horatio Alger Myth, education is the best route to success. With a high degree one is able to obtain a higher starting position within their occupation. Also, the higher the degree the more experience that person has going into their occupation. With a higher position comes more of an opportunity to associate with ones boss and make a good impression. Along with a higher occupational level comes a better benefits packet, this packet usually includes a good health plan, a pension, and more job security. With job security and a good benefits package, the person who receives them is more easily able to retain their current social standing and their children have more opportunities to increase their social standing.

Although it may seem that the Horatio Alger Myth is unattainable, that is not the case. The hard work that is required to fulfill the myth is slightly different from the hard work that was originally implied, however, the myth still holds true and success is obtainable to even the most humble of people. All that is needed is the drive to succeed and an education.