"Helping Himself; Or, Grant Thornton's Ambition" by Horatio Alger Jr. is a novel written in the late 19th century, known for its themes of self-reliance and perseverance. The story focuses on Grant Thornton, a 15-year-old boy from a struggling minister's family. When faced with financial hardships, Grant decides to take charge of his family's welfare by seeking work, demonstrating his ambition to uplift their circumstances while aspiring for a brighter future. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Grant and his mother discussing their precarious financial situation, highlighted by an overdue bill from the local storekeeper, Mr. Tudor. Despite his father's modest status as a minister, Grant shows maturity and determination by proposing to find solutions to their financial woes. He is depicted as a responsible and caring son, willing to sacrifice his education for the sake of helping his family. As he embarks on this new journey, Grant's character is set against a backdrop of social challenges and the unwavering hope for better opportunities, laying the foundation for his quest toward achieving his ambitions. (This is an automatically generated summary.)