The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists chronicles the tale of Frank Owen, a traveling socialist visionary making his way from town to town in the name of the socialist revolution. When spring arrives, Frank Owen decides to settle in the quiet town of Mugsborough, and joins a group of workmen who are painting the home of a wealthy neighborhood resident. Owen is quickly befriended by two fellow workmen: Bodgit and Scarpy. Scarpy is thin and nearly emaciated. When the men break for lunch Scarpy never has much to eat; only a bit of bread, or a biscuit and tea. Owen inquires as to why he's so thin and undernourished. Bodgit explains that his pay has been severely cut, and he barely has enough to feed his wife and three growing children at home.
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Owen empathizes with Scarpy. He recalls his own childhood: his father was often on the road working as a farm hand for small sums of money, and Owen and his mother often had little to eat. Owen can remember a time when his mother looked just as undernourished and emaciated as does Scarpy.
Owen encourages the men to unionize and demand higher wages. They all think his idea is absurd: if they demand higher wages the boss will just replace them with workers that are less troublesome and more eager. As Owen continues trying to politicize the workmen, things begin to unravel for other members of the crew. Scarpy becomes so ill that he can no longer continue to work. As a consequence, his son goes to school without breakfast. His learning and social behavior suffers. He begins fighting boys at school and stealing their food and allowance money. Eventually, he is expelled from school and told never to return.
Owen other close friend, Bodgit, likewise suffers ill consequences due to his extremely low wages and harsh working conditions. Bodgit lives in a two story shabby little shack on the outskirts of town. It's small and old, but sufficient space for he and his family. When he can no longer afford to make his rent payments regularly, he's forced out of his home and has to move into the slums. His new apartment is a flea-infested, rodent-dominated nightmare. He wakes up daily with dozens of fresh flea bites all over his scalp and skin. He contracts scurvy, and becomes hysterical with fever and pain. He collapses to his death on the job one day; paintbrush in hand.
Though the workmen continue to suffer exploitation at the hands of their boss, Owen is unable to mobilize them into any form of organized labor. In the end, he realizes that he can serve his socialist aspirations better elsewhere. He bids his new friends farewell, hoping and believing that one day the seeds of socialist revolution which he has planted in them will take root, and blossom into bold and fearless action. His final act of communion with his friends is to attend the simple, backyard memorial service in honor of his departed friend Bodgit. After the funeral, Owen continues his travels alone, and the crewmen go back to painting the house.
Best part of story, including ending:
The strong political narrative often overshadows the characters. Bogdit, Sparky, and Frank stand out as authentic characters whose working class struggles ring true. Scarpy is a particularly sympathetic character. At times it seems as though Scarpy is the main character. Owen recedes into the role of narrator. The book reads somewhat unevenly due to the ebbs and flows of characterization. This results in an overall disappointing read.
Best scene in story:
Owen is surrounded by workmen who are breaking for lunch. He's involved in an elaborate political monologue and has his audience captivated. A worker outside announces that the boos is on his way over to inspect the home and mark the worker's progress. Immediately the group disbands and recommences work. Bogdit, however lingers near Owen. He remarks under his breath that surely what Owen has to say is more important than whatever the boss might have to say. Owen nods at him knowingly. This small, covert social interaction serves as a kind of pact between Owen and Bogdit, one which holds the promise of future progress.
Opinion about the main character:
Frank Owen is a likable character, an archetypical visionary who is realistically drawn. His sentimental nature is particularly strong: he openly weeps at the misfortunes of his friends and colleagues. Owen's nomadic lifestyle adds a degree of melancholy to his character. It's clear he'll never really have a place to call home.
