The objective of this paper is to explore the depth at which the novels Sister Carrie and Ragged Dick support the view of America as a place which offers the possibility of achieving financial prosperity inclusively. The essay will argue that neither text fully validates this but assert that the historical context of each novel cannot be ignored either. Kirk Curnutt, in an essay published in 2011, coined the phrase ‘national ideology of boundless opportunity’ 1in reference to The Great Gatsby but…
Words 3620 - Pages 15