E. L. Doctorow's "Ragtime"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that E. L. Doctorow's novel "Ragtime" captures the essence of prejudice and racism, which permeated American thought and society during the turn of the 20th century, a period of great change and expansion. The author points out that, through the characters of Evelyn, Emma, Coalhouse and Willie, Doctorow emphasizes the depth of prejudice and how it influenced society. The paper relates that this novel raises social awareness as it illuminates the struggles that exist when people of different nationalities and beliefs come together; with recognition of these social ills comes the responsibility to correct them, a challenge that has its own price.

From the Paper:

"An example of social distinction can be seen in Coalhouse Walker. Coalhouse experiences racism when a group of firemen vandalize his brand new Ford. When Coalhouse seeks redress, he is encouraged not to make a fuss about the incident and when he does fuss, he is promptly arrested. In addition, when Father tries to help in some way, he is told, "When you a property owner in this city walks into court with a Negro, a charge like this is usually dismissed" (210). Here we see how a certain attitude toward African Americans is difficult to overcome, despite circumstances."

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