Horatio Alger, an American writer, whose most popular 19th century works were intended for children, depicted stories of extremely poor boys whose virtuous deeds or hard work landed them better financial security. (source)
So the idiom means just what it sounds like - people or stories about people who begin their lives in extreme poverty and end up comfortable and wealthy, often through hard work or exceptional talent.
Here are two real-life examples of rags to riches:
Comments
Post a Comment