He's a 19th Century Man, but He Doesn't Want to Die One
Ragtime consists of many different times in history. We see Father, an explorer who has traveled the world, only to find he doesn't belong, Coalhouse Walker, who represents the changing themes in music, as well as the racial tensions that will escalate years down the line. On top of all of this is the cynical narrator, viewing everything from a view on high, only letting those who represent later ideas speak their own voice. Three completely different themes merge into one book. In this book, Doctorow tries to explore the effects of newer and older sets of ideals being thrust together in one area. The main theme that the book portrays is early 20th-century Modernism. The book is set in an era where ragtime music is first being developed, the most famous composer of these still being alive while the story takes place. This means that the world is on the crux of a social transformation, which unfortunately comes prim...