Mother
The introduction of Ragtime presents the reader with a family that the book apparently centers around. They are portrayed as almost boring, run-of-the-mill, literally nameless; they are essentially the ‘average American family’. However, very quickly we learn that this family has some quirks that separate them from the average family. Naturally, Father is a purveyor of patriotic products and a part of Peary’s polar passage ( 😂 ). To Mother, Father is a virtuous, diligent man, but her view on him changes when he embarks on his voyage (more on this later). There is also Mother’s Younger Brother, who is quite the character (that I will not be delving into). And finally, the Mother. Prior to Father’s departure to the North Pole, she is the stereotypical housewife. She respects Father, who she sees as a hardworking caring man, and she seems to be content, but nothing more. All of this changes in a very drastic way, however.
Mother’s life takes a radical turn when she finds a live baby buried in her garden (this part is almost unbelievable!). The timing of this event is impeccable… just as Mother sees her satisfaction in life dwindling away, a young child in distress is placed into her life in an almost fantastical manner ( 🤔 ). This is where Mother goes through something of a reawakening, in many different manners. No longer is she ‘just content’ with her life; Mother finds a purpose in taking care of the child and the mother, and she becomes very invested in their lives. She feels she has a sense of responsibility, that she has to ensure the pair thrive.
Upon Father’s return, he is, to say the least, confused about this newfound situation -- both the people living in the house and the changes Mother has gone through. To Father, Mother seems like almost a different person, with new values and a revamped personality. Father states his disapprovement, and the gap between Mother and Father grows even more. During his trip, Father seems to have had little character development, while in the same time frame, Mother has become happier, found a purpose, and more independent. This is quite a predicament for their marriage ( 😔 ) … in the coming chapters, I hope to see more of what comes of this.
I agree that Mother's character had quite the development throughout the book. She gains some sense of independence while Father is gone. She is a new woman when Father comes back, and he doesn't necessarily know how to comprehend this change. I also like your use of emojis to help the reader in understanding your feelings on the topic. Great post!
ReplyDeleteMother's development is representative of the changing ideals of the time. The baby and Sarah are in a way vessels to convey this idea, especially the baby. It is a metaphor for the new ideas coming into their lives, and Mother chooses to adapt while Father is stuck in the past and has difficulty adjusting to their presence.
ReplyDeleteHi Ethan, I also found the stark contrast between Mother and Father's development to be quite interesting. Obviously Mother is the one adapting to change and finding happiness and fulfillment while Father is the one who is now not content with life because of how he cannot accept change. So one would conclude that Doctorow is telling us that happiness relies on accepting our environment and making the best of it.
ReplyDeleteMother seems to be growing into the future, developing new values and habits. On the other hand, Father seems to be confused with the change going on. The change that Father observes is very sudden for him and thus, his relationship with Mother is strained, resulting in them growing farther and farther apart. I like how you described this family as the general, nameless, American family. Their story and the change they experience can be expanded to represent countless families in the United States at this time. Great blog, Ethan!
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