Analysis of the text Ragtime

The text under analysis is an extract from a novel Ragtime be E. L. Doctorow, a wellknown 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 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 New Rochelle family. The Mother of the
family lets him in but Sarah doesnt want to see Coalhouse Walker so he has to go away. While
waiting for Sarah he sees a little black baby in a carriage and understands him to be his son.
Coalhouse Walker visits them every weekend but Sarah doesnt come down from the attic where
she lives. When the Mother understands him to be a respectful and rich 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 doesnt 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.
The main character of the story is Coalhouse Walker Jr. His character is round and static.
He is stable throughout the extract. He comes to visit Sarah every weekend in spite of the fact
that Sarah refuses to see him. That proves him to be stubborn and persistent. The author uses
indirect method of characterization; E. L. Doctorow just gives clues about what kind of person
Coalhouse Walker is through his words, actions and reaction of the other characters to him. The
author just tells us about that Coalhouse Walker is a black pianist. Coalhouse Walker comes to
the New Rochelle family on a new T-Ford. That time it was unusual for a black man to have
such an expensive car so that proves him to be quite prosperous man. The way he speaks to the
Mother is respectful and disturbingly resolute: he seems to be a self-important person. It is not
difficult to understand that Sarah is his girl-friend and that the reason of his visits is the desire to
make Sarah forgive and return to him. It shows him to be a one-woman man. The author also
comments on the way Coalhouse Walker comes to the New Rochelle family. He comes there
always knocking at the black door. That proves him to be a respectful man and that he
conducts him as a gentleman as that time the neighbours wouldnt approve so frequent visits of a
Negro. Coalhouse Walker is also asked to play the piano. He feels nervous as the author gives
detailed comments on the way he rises, places the napkin, goes on the piano, twirls the piano
stool and tunes the piano. Coalhouse Walker is also shown as a proud man as he thinks him to be
self-made. The Fathers question about his knowledge in coon songs makes him aggrieved.
As for Sarah. She is a minor character. She is a dynamic character as in the beginning of
the extract she doesnt want to see Coalhouse Walker, later while listening to their conversation
in the parlor and listening to his playing ragtime she makes an attempt to see him, she opens the
door but she is too proud to go down. Moreover Sarah is an introverted person as she doesnt tell
anyone in the New Rochelle family about her problems, the family have no idea of Sarahs past.
It is natural that she is insecure because she has a child, has no money, her heart is broken and
she lives in an unknown family with no friends around her.
Another main character of the extract is the New Rochelle family. Their characters are
dynamic: in the beginning their attitude to Coalhouse Walker is indifferent even it seems that
they are not so glad to see him in their house so often. But later their attitude changes completely
so they even invite Coalhouse Walker for a cup of tea. It is unusual for them to do that because
they are prosperous aristocratic family and Coalhouse Walker has seemed for them to be just a
black pianist. But the Mother of the family who turns out to be a very wise and kind woman

finds it to be important. She wants to help that two young black man and woman. She insists on
serving Coalhouse Walker tea while the Father questions the propriety of this. The Mother
manages to persuade the Father mentioning that Mr. Roosevelt gave dinner to Booker T.
Washington in White House. That makes the Father feel as if he is as important person as Mr.
Roosevelt and he likes this idea that even he doesnt notice that it has been the Mother who has
suggested that. It proves the Mother to be a cunning person. The New Rochelle family is a kind
and courageous family. They dont think about neighbours reaction to the fact that a black
woman with a baby is given a shelter in their house and that a black man comes to them every
weekend.
The author uses the third-person narrator, which means that the narrator doesnt
participate in the story, he is a reporter of actions and speeches. The story belongs to historical
fiction literary trend. Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually
real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the main characters
are fictional. In the extract the characters mention such famous people as Theodore Roosevelt,
Booker T. Washington and Scott Joplin.
The story is written in simple language. The author uses common literary words so the
text is easy to read. In the beginning of the story the author doesnt call Coalhouse Walker by
name, E. L. Doctorow writes just a pronoun he. That creates the feeling of alienation. While
describing Coalhouse Walkers first appearance the author uses retardation. He describes the less
important part of the message such as looking right and left as if trying to find a particular
address; he turned the car around at the corner and came back. Pulling up before the boy, he
idled his throttle and beckoned with a gloved hand. The main part is at the end of the paragraph,
so the reader is kept is suspense. Only after his description of his movements we know that he is
looking for a young woman. The author also uses the repetition always while telling about
Coalhouse Walkers visits to underline his persistence. Coalhouse Walkers great ability to play
the piano is shown through the similes small clear chords hung in the air like flowers. The
melodies were like bouquets. The metaphor there seemed to be no other possibilities for life
than those delineated by the music underlines his skill. Epithets thumping, robust, vigorous,
intricate prove that Coalhouse Walker plays that moment with great feeling and emotions.
The syntactical pattern is not very difficult. The author doesnt use direct speech in order
not to distract the readers attention and to make him read at one breath.
The subject of the extract is social changes, social situation of the beginning of the 20th
century, racial relation. As for the conflict, it is the conflict between generation, between
Americans of different social groups. After analyzing the text it becomes clear that the main idea
is that people shouldnt give up. Our life is full of unexpected events and it may abruptly change
and in any case we should be strong and brave. I think that Coalhouse Walker is a real hero of
that time, he managed to become rich and prosperous pianist, it doesnt matter for him so much
that he is black. Developing his skills is much more important thing in his life. And he also
doesnt give up trying to make Sarah forgive him for having left her. For me such people as
Coalhouse Walker are really worth being respected.