Frank and Fearless or, The Fortunes of Jasper Kent

Horatio Alger, Jr.Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 2.2

Word count: 265K words
Chapters: 27

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971, and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. Frank and Fearless; or, The Fortunes of Jasper Kent by Jr. Horatio Alger. Author: Alger, Horatio, Jr., 1832-1899. Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Oct 20, 2006

Editor's review

This is a typical coming-of-age novel by Horatio Alger Jr., telling how the protagonist Jasper Kent, through honesty, courage, and diligence, struggles against adversity and gradually changes his fate. Alger's works are known for the narrative pattern of "a poor boy rising through character and effort," and this book likewise revolves around opportunity, temptation, and moral choice, with brisk plotting and clear-cut good and evil, carrying a strong inspirational flavor. Its reading value lies partly in the story's smooth readability and partly in its significance as a cultural specimen: such novels shaped the American popular imagination of individual striving and offer an accessible entry point for understanding nineteenth-century juvenile literature and social mentality. As a public-domain ebook, it suits English extensive reading and also discussions of the value assumptions and simplifications behind "success narratives." While reading, enjoy the momentum of the plot and also notice how luck and character are arranged.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Learners seeking English original coming-of-age stories for extensive reading practice
Readers studying nineteenth-century American juvenile literature and inspirational narratives
Young readers who enjoy adversity-to-success plots with clear good and evil
Teachers needing public-domain English fiction texts for teaching or adaptation reference

Not a good fit for

Serious literary readers seeking complex psychology and ambiguous themes
Adult readers averse to didacticism and idealized endings
Primary and secondary students still at the beginning of English reading who need extensive annotation

Reading tips

Read chapter by chapter, and after each chapter retell the plot in two or three sentences to consolidate English comprehension.
Pay attention to the protagonist's choices each time he faces temptation, and sort out the logic of his character setup.
After finishing, compare with contemporary coming-of-age stories and discuss the changes and continuities in inspirational narrative patterns.
You may excerpt English expressions that portray character as material for writing patterns.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

I haven't read other Alger works. Can I read this one directly?

Yes. Alger's novels are mostly independent stories, with no continuous relationships among characters and plots that must be connected. Reading this book directly will not cause comprehension problems; once familiar with his narrative pattern, it is actually easier to get into.

Is this book suitable for children to read independently?

The plot itself contains no obviously inappropriate content, but the English original is somewhat difficult for primary and secondary students, and the values are expressed rather directly. It is recommended that parents or teachers accompany the reading, or that children try it independently after gaining some English foundation.

Are the depictions of success in the story realistic?

The work emphasizes honesty and diligence, but the plot often advances through accidental opportunities and help from benefactors, and the path to success is rather idealized. When reading, treat it as a cultural narrative rather than a practical guide, and notice the simplifications and omissions.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Horatio Alger, Jr. Author · American · 1832–1899

Horatio Alger, Jr. (1832–1899) was an American writer, born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and died in Natick. He is known for his "rags-to-riches" novels, in which poor boys rise through diligence, integrity, and opportunity. His best-known work, Ragged Dick (1868), depicts the street life and struggles of a New York bootblack. The library holds 101 of his works, including Charlie Codman's Cruise, Dan, the Newsboy, and Bound to Rise; most were written for young readers, with brisk plots and an optimistic tone that typically rewards honest effort. These books deeply influenced nineteenth-century American "self-made" culture, making the "Alger hero" a popular symbol of striving. Public information on other details of his life is limited.