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Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow . McElhaney. NYC, 1902 Upper Class Mentions Flags and Patriotism New Rochelle Large populations in the city activities Theodore Roosevelt Racial issues “No Negroes No Immigrants”. The truth about society is not publicized Scandals do exist. Setting:.
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Ragtimeby E.L. Doctorow McElhaney
NYC, 1902 Upper Class Mentions Flags and Patriotism New Rochelle Large populations in the city activities Theodore Roosevelt Racial issues “No Negroes No Immigrants” The truth about society is not publicized Scandals do exist Setting:
Father: middle Class Flag making business Fireworks Wealthy Amateur explorer (9) Planning a Trip to the North Pole with Peary “Burly man with strong appetites” (11) Mother: Large Blonde woman Little Boy: P6 little boy is smart Reads the newspaper Grandfather Narrator- Child in the Family Uncle (Mom’s younger brother) “mother’s Younger Brother P4 “Lonely, withdrawn young man, with blonde Mustache “Thought to be having difficulty finding himself.” Characters
More Characters • Stanford White • Famous architect, lover of Nesbit, shot by Thaw • Evelyn Nesbit (wife of Thaw) • “She was an artist’s model and aspiring actress” • Harry K. Thaw (rich playboy) • “He was a violent man who all his life had created incidents in restaurants.” • Pg. 6 Long Island sound brother is walking in the marshy area
Houdini • Pg 7 Houdini makes a visit • Vaudeville Act(link) = popular entertainment at the turn of the century 1880s-1930s, variety show, music, dance, sketch comedy • Houdini was a very popular escape artist of the early 1900s, performed in Vaudeville (pictures of Houdini) • Car over heats a “Pope Toledo Runabout” • “His audiences were poor people- carriers, peddlers, policeman, children…” • “Warn the Duke” • As Houdini leaves the home the little boy runs up and says: • List of escapes: • Chained to a latter • Roped to a chair • Handcuffed • Legs put in irons • Tied up in a straight jacket • Bank vaults • Nailed up barrels • Locked in a roll top desk • Galvanized Iron boiler…
Peary Expedition • P 10 Readers find out the father is an Amateur Explorer and will be going to the North Pole with Admiral Peary expedition on the Roosevelt.
Sub-Plots • Mother’s Brother is in love with Evelyn Nesbit • Love Triangle: Evelyn Nesbit, Harry Thaw, and Stanford White Scandal • Mother and Father’s Relationship • Immigration- commentary on how immigrants live? • Immigrant Family- how they must struggle to survive. • Immigration/Urbanization- commentary on how immigrants live in NYC
Chapter 2Discussion of Father and Mother’s marriage • Things are not good with Marriage • Houdini’s visit interrupted coitus • We find out about Father’s “Strong Appetites” P11 • “The marriage seemed to flourish on Father’s absences.” P12 • Mother said, “These are the happy years and ahead of us are only great disasters.” P13 Immigrants • Father makes a commentary about the immigrants he sees as he is sailing out of New York harbor • “ Yet aboard her were only more customers, for the immigrant population set great store by the American Flag.”
Mameh: Immigrant mother Sews clothes for money Petite, dark-eyed, wavy brown hair, Sang softly Tateh: (the dad) Immigrant husband and father Peddler in the street A Socialist The little girl: Daughter sewed clothes Very young Daughter had to go to school by state law Ch 3 page 15 new plot begins with family of immigrants Mameh, Tateh the father, and the little daughter little girl Mameh worked and had to sell her labor Lecherous Owner liked Mameh and gave extra $ for sexual favors. Mameh felt so poor needed to respond to owner’s sexual advances Characters Immigrant Plot
Ch 3. P 14Subject of Immigrants • Most immigrants come from “Italy or EasternEurope” • Ellis Island is described. • Mentions hostility of old immigrants toward new immigrants P15 • Description of the Morgue really means the immigrant lifestyle was difficult and hazardous • Immigrants live in tenement buildings- which are very hazardous, no air, hot, no running water, lots of death
Henry Frick and Andrew Carnegie • Mention of Henry Frick, one of Andrew Carnegie’s managers in the Steel Industry, Anti-Union and was very harsh on the workers, didn’t have one bit of sympathy for him. • Workers try to kill Frick