These people are different; or, Horatio Alger's ethnic

Abstract

"These People are Different; or, Horatio Alger's Ethnic Americans" demonstrates that Horatio Alger, Jr. contributed to American cultural perceptions of non-Anglo Americans. In his writing he projected a negative attitude toward anyone foreign to his own Anglo-American background including African-Americans, Irish, Scots, Italians, French and Germans. To Alger these people were of different fiber and were unequal to his heroes because of their origins. Alger's chosen medium, the juvenile novel, ensured that his ethnic agenda passed into American culture. His young audience was susceptible to accepting Alger's stereotypes of the non-Anglos, especially considering the believability of his novels.That realism caused concern among his critics who feared that his enticing propositions of success would lead his readers to seek unreachable fortune. Similarly, as Alger probbed his readers to adopt his ideas of material success he also influenced their opinions of ethnic Americans. It was that interjection of ethnic typing that made Horatio Alger's novels a noteworthy part of American culture.