The Tin Box, and What it Contained

"The Tin Box, and What it Contained" by Horatio Alger, Jr. is a novel likely written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around Harry Gilbert, a hardworking boy who faces challenges stemming from his socio-economic status as he interacts with the arrogant wealthy boy, Philip Ross. The novel explores themes of class conflict and morality as Harry navigates his responsibilities at home and his job at a grocery store amidst the disdain of the privileged. The opening of the book introduces Harry Gilbert, a fifteen-year-old boy who works at Mead’s grocery store to support his widowed mother after his father, a sea captain, disappeared years ago. As Harry goes about his day, he encounters Philip Ross, a haughty classmate who refuses to share the road and insists on maintaining his position in the middle, leading to a collision between their carriages. The altercation sets the stage for further conflict, as Philip’s haughty behavior and the fallout from their encounter initiate a series of events that will test Harry’s character and resilience amid class prejudice and moral dilemmas. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Horatio Alger Jr. was an American author who wrote young adult novels about impoverished boys and their rise from humble backgrounds to middle-class security and comfort through good works. His writings were characterized by the "rags-to-riches" narrative, which had a formative effect on the United States from 1868 through to his death in 1899.