Time Period
In Ragtime, many of the characters and their actions can represent common viewpoints during the time period. For example, Father likely represents the traditional viewpoint coming into the Ragtime era. Mother on the other hand, represents the more progressive ideas that were new during the time period. As the time period progressed, the ideas became stronger, similar to the way she became more independent after Father's trip to the arctic. Eventually, by the end of the time period, most of the traditionally ideas die out, similar to the how Father literally dies.
This correlation may be an explanation to why the novel ends so abruptly. At the beginning of the novel, there are no disturbances to the traditional viewpoint. Once Coalhouse and Sarah are introduced though, everything changes. This is when we see the effect they have on society. Their actions may kind of represent the influential social events that happened during the Ragtime Era, and the results can be seen in Mother. As stated in the previous paragraph, Father dies but Mother lives, which could indicate how the old ideas rotted away by the end of the time period. For this reason, Doctorow may have ended the novel with Coalhouse's death. It represents that the protests and political action of the time period ended, which ceased the change of viewpoints.
At the same time though, the ending of the novel doesn't make much sense. I feel like this could also have sort of the opposite meaning of the pervious point. I think that maybe Doctorow ended the novel so abruptly to show that time periods do not end with the end of one event because that would not make sense. Time periods tend to have active effects on people before and after the actual points of conflict. There were already progressive movements before the modernist era, and many traditional beliefs persisted after the era. Additionally, in the example of a war, many soldiers are sent to certain places before the war starts, and their families are affected. After a war has finished many people still face consequences from during the "actual" war.
I like this interpretation of the characters and the meanings they have in relation to the story. Like I said in class, the ending of the book felt kind of off to me as well since everything felt so abrupt. I also didn't like how Father's death in particular was settled in basically a single paragraph. But with this interpretation of Father representing old ways (like we said in class) but his death representing the end of an era, it makes it feel a little bit more appropriate. Perhaps he was killed off in the way he was to show how quickly time periods change or how harshly eras are distinguished in the history books. I agree with you on the last part still, so this was just speculation.
ReplyDeleteI really like this idea, and I agree. I think Doctorow is using these fictional characters to portray some sort of social commentary, which would make sense considering your idea. With certain characters representing common viewpoints at the time, Doctorow is able to make social commentary through these characters about those common viewpoints. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteI certainly agree that Doctorow uses his fictional characters to send messages about the social makeup of the time and how it's changed since then. I think both of your points are worthy and it may even be a combination of the two. Doctorow wants to make a point of the progress and changes being observed (Mother's story), but at the same time how many go unnoticed (Coalhouse's story). Old ideas die out, new ones come in, and some are brushed aside as the lines of history blur. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHi Lukas. I completely agree with the analogy of mother and father and progressivism and conservatism. However, the ending of the book is still confusing to me (though I don't think it will ever make sense). A lot of people during the class discussion compared the ending of the book to the ending of an era, but eras don't end one instant and start the next; it's more subjective, so I don't really think the comparison makes sense. Seyed mentioned that it could be representing how history books put stark timelines on eras, and Doctorow is poking fun at that, and I think this is an interesting idea.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your point on how father and mother represent the ideas that they hold, and father's death compared to mother's living symbolizes moving forward. I hadn't thought about it that way, and it makes complete sense. Great post!
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