Nancy Yare

The character of Nancy really stood out to me during the story because of the way she redefines girls in 19^th century literature. Nancy is part of the Yares family, who is described as having “peculiar low voices” and being “the poorest of the poor” (258). Nancy however, stands out from past girl characters that we had read so far. The widow took “little interest in the gaunt, silent Nancy,” but Nancy, we soon find out, is not a typical girl that makes toast for her mother (261).

Nancy turns all of the theories of what little girls were supposed to be like during this time on its head. Her mother says that “one day Nancy was dumb all day—not a word” and then goes to describe how Nancy was so quiet because she had an idea to build a house for her brothers (263). Nancy followed through with her idea though, and built a cabin in three days. Davis acknowledges what the reader’s reaction was probably like at this time and says, “yes, it seems impossible for a woman” (263).

The hard labor and endurance that Nancy demonstrated by building this house for her brothers shows the drive that women have during this time to be seen as equals. Davis uses Nancy as a “vessel” as well, in order to push women and girls during the 19^th century to be proactive, instead of sitting at home wondering what is going on with the war. Nancy’s idea was groundbreaking, which gives an example to the female audience that women can have good ideas and can even implement them. Capitola and Nancy both defy what authority tells them is proper and make a difference in their lives, rather than feel sorry for themselves.

Boys versus Girls

In the story of Ragged Dick, boyhood is clearly displayed as an opposing force to the stories that we have seen of girls and women of the 19th century. Dick is referred to as “our hero” throughout the story, which reinforces this new idea of what boys were supposed to be like at this time. However, under this façade of being a “hero” Dick represents more than just qualities of a boy.

Earlier in our study of children and childhood during the 19th century it was said that within children’s literature a common element is to teach a moral lesson. Ragged Dick seems to be doing the same thing as in the other stories by presenting the character and showing the one fatal flaw that the character has. It is said that, “our ragged hero wasn’t a model boy in all respects” and it goes on to talk about how he swears, he plays practical jokes and he liked to live extravagantly (255). Later on it also discusses how he enjoyed gambling and smoking, which were not acceptable for boys to be doing. However, the one major difference I see in this compared to the previous stories about little girls and their flaws are how the author deals with the flaws and how society views them.

For Ellen Montgomery she was taught how to hold back her feelings and take care of her mother. For Gerty she had to learn the ways from Mrs. Sullivan on how to be a lady and learn how to clean the house. For Capitola she was forced to fix her flaw of dressing as a boy and dress as a girl. But for Dick he seems to be able to feed one of his greatest flaws, extravagance. Dick is taken to get new clothes, and not just pants and a shirt, but down to every detail even a handkerchief. It seems as if this piece of children’s literature suggests that boys not only have flaws, but also can keep them. Dick’s “Cinderella” story ends with him getting the extravagant life he wanted.

The Redefined Mother/Daughter Relationship

The first half compared to the second half of the story feel like night and day, with the first half being light and the second half having a dark, eerie feeling. The passion for liberty that Sybil fought for and was extremely vocal about in the beginning of the story was lost when she was going insane. She began to be defeated by the confinements because “it is hard to live with no object to give zest to life” (239). She was being forced to go insane and was not allowed to know why, which adds a new dimension different from the stories we have read.

Not only did insanity affect Sybil’s outlook on life, but it also forced the audience to look at an uncomfortable issue head on. Alcott’s story differs from the previous stories we have read, because it does not just focus on the “typical” mother and daughter relationship with a father, who is rarely seen. Rather it focuses on the darker side of life, where Sybil is “surveyed as if [she] were a spectacle” (241). Sybil’s mother was technically there in the house with her, but neither knew that who the other one was. This distant relationship gives the reader a new understanding of a mother daughter relationship because there was a magnetic force that seemed to be drawing them to each other, but they were never given the opportunity to meet. Sybil had an “irresistible fascination” (240) with the upstairs room, which does not seem coincidental. This story gives a new perspective on the relationship by showing that a mother’s most important job might not always be to teach their daughters how to make perfect toast.