Today, it isn’t exactly a big deal to see works of fiction using real characters in imaginary situations for any number of purposes, ranging from simple fun and curiosity to making important statements. In my opinion, few authors are capable of skirting this line as adeptly as Doctorow has in this novel, another reason why it remains a classic to this day. In my opinion, this is precisely the greatest beauty of Ragtime: it doesn’t outright declare any doctrines or philosophies to be correct, but rather, it successfully presents ideas which push us to think and come to our own conclusions. These were just a couple examples of how I personally interpreted some of the ideas presented by the author, and it’s quite possible they’ll carry a different meaning for you based on your life experiences and observations. We also get to witness quite a few instances of principled and well-meaning actions carrying desolating consequences, something we see far too much of these days. I think it would take me an entire essay to discuss all the themes, ideas and observations Doctorow puts forth in Ragtime, and many of them I truly believe are still currently applicable in the modern era.įor instance, throughout the entirety of the book we are treated to repetitive events, processes and imagery, showcasing the idea of the American people spinning round and round in circles as time moves on and brings decay with it. However, I do believe the rewards are very much worth the effort put into it. It’s definitely one of those works which requires the reader to put in some real effort, pay close attention to what’s happening, and most importantly, use their brain to derive a meaning from it all. The Undeniable Heft of RagtimeĪs I think you might have gathered by this point, Ragtime isn’t exactly the type of book you can breeze through in a Sunday afternoon without paying much attention. The good, the bad and the ugly all come floating to the surface, and Doctorow dissects the country down to atoms like few ever have before or since. Through their various stories we are taken on an expansive and layered tour of the United States of America, its people, and the forces driving them onward. It was evident to him that the world composed and recomposed itself constantly in an endless process of dissatisfaction. Along the way we are also presented with many episodic tales featuring real people in imaginary scenarios, including Harry Houdini, J.P. Once the stage is set, the story takes a turn for the wilder realms as we follow both sets of characters through the various trials and tribulations they face, seemingly unconnected from each other. After we learn about his life, we are presented with our second set of main characters, a struggling artist and his daughter. The beginning is simple enough, taking us to New York City in 1906, presenting us with a typical American businessman belonging to the middle class, running a business selling fireworks and patriotic bunting. So what exactly is the whole thing about?
As a matter of fact, I think there is definitely some room to argue this book created a new genre of its own, but one most authors aren’t exactly capable of contributing to.
While the book is labelled on most shelves as a work of historical fiction, I don’t think it does the entire scope of it real justice.
Doctorow‘s classic Ragtime comes along, and essentially defies any type of classification we might be attempting to give it. Speaking for the vast majority of books, they can all be classified pretty soundly in at least one literary sub-genre, if not more, allowing us to much more easily curate what we want to read.
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