Ragtime novel

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16 October, 2011
Ragtime Book report
Part 1
Baron Ashenazy is the new name that Tateh baptizes himself when he transforms himself from a low class Jewish immigrant to a reputable Americanized film maker with massive wealth to show for his success. Baron Ashenazy aka Tateh is very significant in the novel as he clearly depicts the extent that lower class individuals are willing to go to be regarded as of high social standing. Tateh picture the wealthy in the society as sophisticated and this compels him to integrate a sophisticated name ‘Baron’ with his Jewish name ‘Ashenazy’ so that he can be regarded as sophisticated. Mathew Henson is introduced to the reader in chapter 10 as Peary’s helper during his effort to explore North Pole. Mathew Henson an African American met with Robert Peary while performing his duties as a clerk and this encounter brought change to his life. Doctorow utilizes Mathew Henson to portray the negativity of racial segregation. This is because even though Henson contributed to the success of the North Pole journey in equal proportion with Peary, Peary gets all the glory while Henson garners nothing due to his black race (Doctorow 84). On the same note, Henson portrays the inequality that existed between black and whites during the 1900s. The ship called "The Roosevelt" is introduced in chapter 2 as the designated means of transport that Peary’s crew uses during their journey to the North Pole. Aboard this ship was Father who is overcome by the evident desperation in the immigrant faces. It is at this time that he realizes that though his American dream has somehow been realized there are millions who are suffering in the name of chasing the American dream (Doctorow 26). The ship is significant in the novel because it lays the foundation that Father analyses the different struggles that immigrants have to endure. Additionally, it is aboard the ship that the reader is able to see the reality of racism as Doctorow writes "Peary defined the virtues of Esquimos as loyalty and obedience, roughly the same virtues one sought in the dogs." (Doctorow 62).
Doctorow has tried to integrate history and fiction in ragtime by introducing renowned individuals in this novel such as Theodore Dreiser. The unnamed family in New Rochelle encounter numerous historically famous individuals among them Theodore Dreiser who is also undergoing internal struggle of self realization. The entire novel is about change as most characters struggle to attain self sustainability, therefore, Theodore expound on this theme of change. Doctorow presents Theodore as restless as he constantly shifts the position of his chair, but he does not seem to attain satisfaction. Doctorow first introduces the famous historical figure Archduke Franz Ferdinand in his novel to let the reader understand the atrocities of World War. In the novel Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Co...