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Cast Upon the Breakers
Well good by Rodney! I leave school tomorrow. I am going to learn a trade.
- GenresChildrens
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1893
3 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Horatio Alger Jr.
448 books96 followersHoratio Alger, Jr. (January 13, 1832 – July 18, 1899) was a prolific 19th-century American author, most famous for his novels following the adventures of bootblacks, newsboys, peddlers, buskers, and other impoverished children in their rise from humble backgrounds to lives of respectable middle-class security and comfort. His novels about boys who succeed under the tutelage of older mentors were hugely popular in their day.
Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, the son of a Unitarian minister, Alger entered Harvard University at the age of sixteen. Following graduation, he briefly worked in education before touring Europe for almost a year. He then entered the Harvard Divinity School, and, in 1864, took a position at a Unitarian church in Brewster, Massachusetts. Two years later, he resigned following allegations he had sexual relations with two teenage boys.[1] He retired from the ministry and moved to New York City where he formed an association with the Newsboys Lodging House and other agencies offering aid to impoverished children. His sympathy for the working boys of the city, coupled with the moral values learned at home, were the basis of his many juvenile rags to riches novels illustrating how down-and-out boys might be able to achieve the American Dream of wealth and success through hard work, courage, determination, and concern for others. This widely held view involves Alger's characters achieving extreme wealth and the subsequent remediation of their "old ghosts." Alger is noted as a significant figure in the history of American cultural and social ideals. He died in 1899.
The first full-length Alger biography was commissioned in 1927 and published in 1928, and along with many others that borrowed from it later proved to be heavily fictionalized parodies perpetuating hoaxes and made up anecdotes that "would resemble the tell-all scandal biographies of the time."[2] Other biographies followed, sometimes citing the 1928 hoax as fact. In the last decades of the twentieth century a few more reliable biographies were published that attempt to correct the errors and fictionalizations of the past.
Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, the son of a Unitarian minister, Alger entered Harvard University at the age of sixteen. Following graduation, he briefly worked in education before touring Europe for almost a year. He then entered the Harvard Divinity School, and, in 1864, took a position at a Unitarian church in Brewster, Massachusetts. Two years later, he resigned following allegations he had sexual relations with two teenage boys.[1] He retired from the ministry and moved to New York City where he formed an association with the Newsboys Lodging House and other agencies offering aid to impoverished children. His sympathy for the working boys of the city, coupled with the moral values learned at home, were the basis of his many juvenile rags to riches novels illustrating how down-and-out boys might be able to achieve the American Dream of wealth and success through hard work, courage, determination, and concern for others. This widely held view involves Alger's characters achieving extreme wealth and the subsequent remediation of their "old ghosts." Alger is noted as a significant figure in the history of American cultural and social ideals. He died in 1899.
The first full-length Alger biography was commissioned in 1927 and published in 1928, and along with many others that borrowed from it later proved to be heavily fictionalized parodies perpetuating hoaxes and made up anecdotes that "would resemble the tell-all scandal biographies of the time."[2] Other biographies followed, sometimes citing the 1928 hoax as fact. In the last decades of the twentieth century a few more reliable biographies were published that attempt to correct the errors and fictionalizations of the past.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 14, 2021
Not untypical of the genre, except possibly in the number of random coincidences that send the story off into yet another unexpected turn... For a boy with no prospects, Rodney certainly finds quite a number before his year or so is out! People, items, and plot twists conveniently appear and disappear as needed, and it doesn't strike anyone as odd when a random villain from New York appears in the same Montana town that our hero ends up traveling to. :P Of course nothing can keep a boy of character and industry down long in these books, but I did want to bang my head a little when a couple of the antagonists randomly begged pardon at the end for seemingly no reason...
The young bootblack Mike was definitely the highlight of the book for me. :D
Content--mentions of theft and kidnapping; some stereotyped dialogue; one use of "n--"
The young bootblack Mike was definitely the highlight of the book for me. :D
Content--mentions of theft and kidnapping; some stereotyped dialogue; one use of "n--"
February 20, 2020
So, there's a sixteen-year-old boy, Rodney, whose guardian steals his fortune then runs off to Canada. This means that Rodney has to leave boarding school and find a way to support himself. Just in time, he lands a job at a store, but another boy named Jasper becomes jealous of him. This is where things get interesting. Jasper steals some goods from the store and frames Rodney, who is disgraced and promptly fired. Is Jasper satisfied with that? NO. He keeps tabs on Rodney, rejoicing when his "rival" has to resort to selling papers in the streets and writing anonymous letters to people who hire Rodney afterwards, with varying degrees of success. Jasper is eighteen in the story. When it finally sunk in, I realized that this situation is more messed up than I thought when I read it years ago. Since Jasper is kind of crazy, the only solution seems to be for Rodney to leave the city.
And so Rodney goes out west. This is where he becomes ridiculously lucky and extremely rich so he can live happily ever after. His guardian even comes back and tries to repay the stolen fortune, but by then, fifty thousand dollars is small potatoes. The end.
One thing I really didn't like about the book is a very minor character from the western segment. He's the only person of color in the story. That's not surprising, but what is upsetting to me is how this character is portrayed. He's described from the onset as ugly and deformed, and his personality can be summed up as cowardly, blindly subservient, and immoral. Some random cowboy uses the n word when talking about him. But hey, it's a book from the early 1900's. I love cheap dime novels from that period, and every once in a while, I'm gonna find stuff that bothers me about that time period.
And so Rodney goes out west. This is where he becomes ridiculously lucky and extremely rich so he can live happily ever after. His guardian even comes back and tries to repay the stolen fortune, but by then, fifty thousand dollars is small potatoes. The end.
One thing I really didn't like about the book is a very minor character from the western segment. He's the only person of color in the story. That's not surprising, but what is upsetting to me is how this character is portrayed. He's described from the onset as ugly and deformed, and his personality can be summed up as cowardly, blindly subservient, and immoral. Some random cowboy uses the n word when talking about him. But hey, it's a book from the early 1900's. I love cheap dime novels from that period, and every once in a while, I'm gonna find stuff that bothers me about that time period.
February 15, 2013
it is ok not that intresting .to me mabey it is intresting to you but it is not to me
November 26, 2009
On His Own was originally published in 1893 and presents a more optimistic and self-reliant outlook than I have find in current young adult literature. Rodney Ropes is a wealthy student until his guardian loses Rodney’s money and leaves town. Rodney is forced to leave school and heads to New York to find work. Rodney keeps an optimistic attitude even though finding and keeping work proves difficult. Rodney doesn’t let his troubles stop him from helping others and that finally leads to an opportunity that brings Rodney steady work and friendship. At times Rodney’s cheery, optimistic attitude seems unrealistic, but his character traits are certainly worth emulating. As fitting in this type of book, it has no objectionable material and would be rated G as a movie.
June 20, 2013
its very good teaches lessons in humility and honesty. One conclusion a came to after reading this book was that when you have a friend it is easier to go through problems. Very i recommend every person to read it.
December 25, 2015
It's not a great book by any means, and I didn't learn anything from this when it was required reading at school.
March 23, 2016
Written simplistically, with good lessons and an excellent role model in the main character. I would recommend this to anyone.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews