Summary Of Horatio Alger Myth

Horatio Alger, a short essay written by Harlon Dalton in effort to debunk the myths commonly seen in the classic American hero. It begins with discussing the main ideas conveyed in these stories and how they create a “socially destructive” narrative. The author objects to three main concepts that are portrayed in the Horatio Alger myth. The first idea of these stories is that everyone is only judged based on their own actions and accomplishments (Dalton). The author argues this notion as being simply inaccurate due to the fact that there are many characteristics, such as race, gender, and sexual orientation, in which we are constantly judged by in reality (Dalton). The author then discusses the idea behind the second message portrayed in the