‘Rags to Riches’

I have done some research to a story of someone who achieved the ‘American Dream’ but like within Ragged Dick had battles in which they faced. Within Ragged Dick fame fortune or even a stable life does not come easily and, elements like street rats and homeless children of course play a huge role in the book.

A contemporary life story which I find has a few elements of being related to the book Ragged Dick is the super star Kelly Clarkson. Kelly Clarkson is the 2002 winner or American Idol, but the way she came about winning was down to ‘luck’ and ‘pluck’ which relates to the book ‘Ragged Dick’.

Kelly Clarkson had a troubled life when she was younger her parents split up when she was 6 years old with her brother living with her father, sister with her aunt and herself living with her mum. Her mother would work long hours and Kelly was constantly moving. Kelly had to be responsible for herself and was very much neglected as a child as her mother did not have any time for her and Kelly was responsible for making food for herself including pack lunches for school this was all at a very young age of 6. Kelly’s mother didn’t earn a lot of money and on many occasions Kelly would have to make new clothes if she had grown out of her old ones.

But then however one of her friends told her about American Idol and how she should audition and through her talent and determination Kelly Clarkson managed to sing her way to having her own recording contract selling multimillion record al around the word. Her music especially the song ‘Break Away’ expose her hidden horrors of neglect and abuse as a younger child. By her hard work determination and coming from nothing shows how I believe a modern contemporary example of the achievement of ‘The American Dream’.

The way in which I believe Kelly Clarkson’s story links into Ragged Dick is through the ‘pluck and luck’. She has had a lot of luck being blessed with a talent like her voice and hearing about the audition similar to how Dick is often in the right place at the right time, Kelly was to hear about the audition. Pluck resulting in sacrifice and courage. Dick had to defend for himself and learn how to survive with not to the same extent Kelly also had to do as she was basically neglected by her family. Dick gets a tutor to learn more and this also links to Kelly auditioning for the show and in her earlier life making demo C.D’s to try and learn for herself about the industry and what is wanted of her again with Ragged Dick the idea of what is wanted to become a gentleman.

Both work hard and show determination to achieve the American Dream when they have both come from nothing and had to learn to defend for themselves from a very early age going through trial and error to find out how to survive and strive to be better than their parents.

Sources

http://www.free-scores.com/boutique/history_102_biography_Kelly_Clarkson.htm

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=5176