The Analysis of the Extract from “ragtime”

The Analysis of the extract from “Ragtime”

The text under analysis is an extract from a novel “Ragtime” by Edgar Lawrence Doctorow, a well-known American writer who is also famous for his other novels which include “Welcome to Hard Times” and “The Book of Daniel” nominated for a National Book Award.

The subject of the extract is social situation and social changes of the beginning of the 20th century, particularly racial relations. As for the conflict, it is the conflict between generations, between Americans of different social groups.

The events of the story take place in New Rochelle, NY, where white people live. The story starts with a young black man coming up on a new T-Ford to one of the houses where New Rochelle family lives. The man whose name is Coalhouse Walker Jr. is looking for a young black woman Sarah who is given a shelter by the family mentioned above. The Mother of the family lets him in but Sarah refuses to see Coalhouse Walker so he has to go away.  While waiting for Sarah he sees a little black baby in a carriage and apparently understands him to be his son. Coalhouse Walker visits them every weekend but Sarah doesn’t come down from the attic where she lives. When the Mother sees that he is a respectful and wealthy man she decides to invite him for tea. The author gives a detailed description of the way they serve him tea. The family asks Coalhouse Walker to play on the piano and he plays ragtime music so perfectly that even the whole family comes down to the parlor to look at him. Coalhouse Walker sees all members of the family but he doesn’t see Sarah. Then the Father asks him whether he knows some of coon songs which seem for Coalhouse Walker of a lower degree. All these facts seem to be unpleasant to him and he abruptly leaves the family.

What is interesting about this extract and the novel in general is the method of narration that the author resorts to. It is often described as similar to the musical genre ragtime. Thus, it should be pointed out that the author uses sentences that are too short and then sentences that are too long alternately. Likewise, the music of ragtime genre sounds sometimes quick and short, and sometimes long and steadily.

It is also worth mentioning that the story is a third-person narration and the author depicts all the events through the perception of the boy who met the main character first, the observer-author. The facts and actions are described the way a little boy would see them and the characters are referred to as a little boy would name them. Therefore, he names the mistress of the house “mother” etc. He is only a reporter of actions and speeches and does not directly participate in the performance. What is also peculiar in the chosen narrative method is that the narrator never gives any evaluative judgment and never supposes anything. So there are no suppositions in the extract. Instead, the author uses a variety of implications. Many facts remain unsaid and up to the reader to guess. For example, when Coalhouse Walker Jr. entered the house and kneeling beside the carriage where Sarah’s baby slept staring at him. We can only suppose that the baby inside the carriage is his son.