How does one write a biography? If we explore the complex and contradictory life of a man do we diminish him, or do we deepen our understanding of our subject, ourselves and all humanity? I am thinking of doing a biographical sermon on Horatio Alger.
According to American Dreams "Horatio Alger captured the essence, emotion, soul and especially the spirit of an emerging America. His books all had the same message: no matter who they were, poor, orphaned or powerless, that if they would persevere, if they would do their best, if they would always try to do the right thing, they would succeed. Through honesty, hard work, and strong determination, the American Dream was available to anyone willing to make the journey.
Alger wrote more than 134 enormously successful dime novels targeted primarily at young boys. In each of his books, the theme was pretty much the same. It usually focused on a young teenage boy, from a poor and disadvantaged family who would overcome numerous obstacles along the way and triumph to build his own American Dream against the odds."
Alger had an impact on America, and his novels reflect the ideas of his Unitarian upbringing, especially the idea that progressive development of character is the key to success in life. But what of Alger's life? The Dictionary of Unitarian Universalist Biography and Wikipedia reveal more about Alger's life before he became a popular novelist, some of which I am learning for the first time. This sermon is getting more and more complex.
Did Alger overcome his pedophilia? The wisdom today is that such behavior is incurable, yet it seems the Unitarians covered up his abusive behavior, and he went quietly away and became a best selling novelist.
Overcoming colonialism through faith and action.
Clyde, I hope you'll post your sermon; I'm also interested in Alger, and I'd like to read it. I read many of his stories as child and they had a big impact on my moral development. I know that Alger's optimism is often parodied and made fun of now, but he really helped me escape the life into which I was born.
Because of their limited understanding of the nature of childhood development and pedophilla, I am inclined to cut the Unitarians of Alger's time a little slack without absolving them of responsibility. I'm less inclined to be a lenient with James Stoll, who has entered UU hagiography as a kind of saint of gay liberation. His story, like Alger's, was more complicated and also included a cover-up--at least, according to Mark Oppenheimer in his fascinating book "Knocking on Heaven's Door." Did you ever meet Stoll? I imagine he must have been a charismatic person...