All myths have origins in what someone once deemed as the truth.
They are usually dubbed myths after many years of either cultural change or intellectual change. Horatio Alger's tale of Ragged Dick was very popular during its time and many people accepted his step by step method to success through hard work. However, most people today would agree success is not as easy to obtain as Alger describes. In fact, some describe Ragged Dick as socially destructive. Harlon Dalton, as an example, argues that Alger's tale is actually destructive to American culture.