Suffering In Ragtime

Do you ever think back to when you were younger and think to yourself how much different it was from now? The way people talk, dress, what is normal now that people would look at you weird for doing then? But years go by and some things may change and stay the same but in Thorton Wilder’s Our Town set in New Hampshire 1901 there are many differences and similarity's to our towns in 2017, More than 100 years have passed since 1901 to 2017 and through out those years there have been advancements in technology, society, economics, and so on, so much has changed that it has separated how we lived then and how we live now. Daily life has become easier and easier yet more difficult at the same time for example we no longer have the luxury of waking up in the morning and there would be milk waiting for us on our porch, We also do not have the luxury of doctors coming to our houses in the middle of the night whenever we or someone we know has a cold. However somethings such as Love, Marriage, and Death will always remain universal no matter the era.

E.L. Doctorow’s novel Ragtime is a story involving certain characters, each trying to find his or her place in America. Doctorow focus’s on many themes throughout the novel, however, one theme that he gives to the reader from the very beginning of the novel is the American dream. Many characters throughout the novel individually take diverse journeys in order to fulfill what they might describe as “The American Dream.” Throughout Ragtime several characters venture upon momentous journeys whether they be sensible or unwise, in order to try and achieve their personal pursuit of the American dream.

In the external conflict, Lizabeth and the rest of her “shantytown” confront poverty and unemployment. The African-American population, including the protagonist, faces the worst of the Great Depression. “The Depression that gripped the nation was no new thing for us, for the black workers of rural Maryland had always been depressed” (Collier, par. 3). The already poverty-stricken family scrambles to find basic necessities, such as clothes and work.

The 1920s were a time of social injustices, primarily revolving around racial discrimination. With the revival of the Ku Klux Klan only a few short years before, African Americans lived in fear of lynching and other forms of racism during this period. This form of social injustice was widespread and known by all in the United States, but there was another issue during this time that was not as well known. The West Virginia mine wars had begun in 1920 due to the injustices that the miners had faced for decades. Miniscule wages and dangerous work conditions were only a few of the hardships that the miners had to face. The author of the book Kettle Bottom, Diane Gilliam Fisher, was able to capture these hardships perfectly in her poetry to help shine light on the terrible treatment and the resulting consequences that the miners and their families received during this time. Many of her poems, such as, “Dear Diary,” “Pearlie Tells What Happened at School,” and “Walter and His Mama Talk about Angels,” show the negative impact that growing up during this period of violence and injustice had had on the miners’ children.

The black characters in the novel are all victims of this “separate but equal” mentality; the younger characters yearn for real equality and the older characters have settled in to their lives by accepting their “fate.” The existing structures of society in Bayonne, Louisiana prevent black characters such as Grant Wiggins and Vivian from ever breaking out of their social class; both are forced to remain in their lives as teachers of young black children who will also grow up to live limited lives. Wiggins says of his classroom, “I’m the teacher... and I

To engage a large audience, Staples appeals to readers with his use to two different points of views throughout the essay: societal views and black views. Staples tries to connect with the readers by giving examples of unconscious thoughts that run through the minds of most people when in the same situation as the “white women.” In his opening sentence, Staples calls the women a “victim.” In her own eyes, she herself was “victim” due to the influence of generalized stereotypes presented in our culture. She becomes quick to judge based on Staples appearance: his skin tone. Because of his color, his every action becomes nothing but threats and anxiety on the women. “She casted a back worried glance. To her, the youngish black- broad six feet two inches with a beard and billowing hair, both hands shoved into the pockets of a

We saw prejudice and discrimination throughout the book. For example, when Lafayette’s was charged with a crime due to hi, been associated with who did it. When LaJoe lost her benefits from the state due to her on and off husband using her home address and when collecting unemployment benefits which LaJoe did not claim as income coming into the home. In both instances, the Rivers were treated as if they were liars and criminals. Because of Lafayette being from the inner city, there was this predetermine thought about any youth that lived in the inner city from the court system. LaJoe was treated with disrespect by the welfare office because of the prejudgment they had formed about people that lived in the inner city. Due to the location in which they stayed, the importance of healthy living condition was not a priority to the city. They were forced to live in the vicinity of garbage, broken sewer systems, dead animals, etc. Also, the children were forced to either stay in their apartments or play on the railroad tracks because the city had only a few areas for them to play. These areas had become run down and it was unsafe for kids to play in. It is unsure why the was such neglect for those areas of the inner city, but one could only think that it had to do with how this race has been treated for years.

While there are many important messages in the play Ragtime, I believe the most important one is the message about how women were treated unequally when compared to men and how this is still a relevant theme in the world today. While there are major differences to how the female culture was in the 1900s when compared to now, there are still unjust similarities. Throughout the story there are female characters who represent the growth that women at that time were making however, this growth is slow and I believe it is not yet finished even today.

Mississippi, in the 1950’s, was a tense place to live . Throughout Mississippi at this time segregation was a big problem because it was legal and socially forced separation of racial and ethnic groups (American Cleo 1). Maintenance of segregation came in a variety of forms (American Clio 2). The time period of this novel also had a lot of discrimination against African Americans. A lot of discrimination occurred in factories. Hundreds of fights happened between the whites and blacks. ( ABC Clio American History 3). During this time period people could not even use the same drinking fountain, Bathroom or even sit on the same end of the bus. In the court case of Emmett Till's Murder it was a unfair court case. The time period of this novel also had a lot of discrimination against African Americans. A lot of discrimination occurred in factories. Hundreds of fights happened between the whites and blacks. ( ABC Clio American History 3). During this time period people

Thomas Jefferson once said, “Every generation needs a new revolution.” Thomas Jefferson indicates that every generation needs a group of motivated people hoping to fix the broken pieces in soceity. E.L Doctorow uses Thomas Jefferson’s imperative thought as an occurring theme in the novel Ragtime. E.L Doctorow does so by using three distinct revolutionaries, each with different qualities; the youngster, Mother’s Younger Brother, the significant anarchist, Emma Goldman, and the infamous menace to society, Coalhouse Walker. Although the revolutionaries of Ragtime, Mother’s Younger Brother, Coalhouse, and Emma Goldman are ultimately killed or deported, they benefit America because they fight for the ideals that America claims to hold.

This book described the horrifying conditions in the stockyards and meatpacking industry. The story depicts a young man and woman who have recently immigrated to Chicago from Lithuania. They have a wedding feast at a bar in Packingown. The couple and some of their relatives go to Chicago for a better life but Packingtown, the center of the city’s meatpacking industry, is dangerous, filthy, and hard. It was also difficult to find a job. The couple become a hundred dollars in debt to the saloonkeeper and Jurgis has faith in the American dream that he could just work harder to make more money. They go through struggles with hard laboring jobs such as digging freight tunnels (which resulting in him going to the hospital), getting arrested because of attacking a man for not giving him correct change, he starts to commit crimes such as burglaries and soon gets recruited to work for a corrupt political boss. His spirit soon gets crushed by misery and wanders into a socialist political rally which fills Jurgis with inspiration through a speech. He finds a job as a porter at a socialist run hotel and later reunites with wife. This story is filled with signs of corruption and immorality. A big symbol in this story was the animals and slaughterhouses of Packingtown which represent the working class. Just like the animals were killed with impunity, made to suffer and had no choice about their fate, so were thousands of immigrant workers who lived in poverty. They were forced into capitalism. Waves of animals pass through Packingtown, just as the generations of immigrants continue to eventually be replaced by a new

In Marrow of Tradition Charles Chesnutt uses the Wilmington Race Riot of 1898, as well as other racial issues to set the scene and develop his plot. Plessy vs. Ferguson, and Williams vs. Mississippi are events that went through the supreme court. Captain McBane is an example of a person that causes racial injustice throughout the book. While reading the book, it seems as though McBane’s goal is to make Whites superior to Blacks, in status and power. McBane seems to ignore Blacks and their opinions. \ Captain McBane and Captain Belmont open the newspaper business and immediately are tested. There is an African American, Major Carteret’s servnt Jerry, that applies to work at the newspaper, stating that he is “as honest as any negro in Wellington”.(Marrow

Setting is an important feature of novels. This narration takes place in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1960. A time that saw the segregation of black people and the dominance of white people in the southern United States. In this novel the setting of 1960’s Jackson, Mississippi exposes significant themes such as racial discrimination, social partiality. The setting also supplies decisive insight into character inspirations and views.

However, this anger presented in the novel is not a negative one. The characters are about to burst out of it and as result they will seek improving their conditions and fighting against this inhumane treatment. Many people agree on the fact that the novel is greatly about anger. For instance, Malcolm Cowely believes that the novel is one among the “great angry books that have the power to spur readers on to protest and action.” ( Cowely, American Tragedy p.382-383)

Up until the late 1900?s, the American populace on the whole had assumed a very optimistic view of American history. Glossing over disgraceful events, emphasizing the brighter points in our history, our culture has attempted to ignore the obvious fact that we have had, and still have, our fair share of problems. In Ragtime, E.L. Doctorow unabashedly exposes some of the worst aspects of American life in our more recent history. Doctorow doesn?t hold back anything, providing detailed examples of human cruelty and sacrifice, and the evolution of American society. While critiquing American society was not the sole purpose of his novel, Doctorow does expose and examine many issues that people tended to ignore like