The Perpetuation of Racial Stereotypes
Racial discrimination and injustices are prevalent in today’s world as well as the world of the past. Acts of racial discrimination can include a person from a different racial group being treated more favorably in similar circumstances, a rule or policy set by an employer places people from certain racial groups at a disadvantage, or insulting remarks or behaviour due to one’s racial identity. Racial discrimination may also occur when someone is treated unfairly because they associate with people of another race.
Though our world today is not perfect and there exists several cases of racial discrimination, this phenomenon was far more common when Doctorow wrote Ragtime. The heavy presence and occurrence of racial injustice was an influential and invisible hand guiding the plot of this story, allowing Doctorow to incorporate narratives regarding these racial biases. On the second page alone, he writes, “There were no [N-word]. There were no immigrants,” depicting the family's denial of "the other." We are also met with Father’s racist rhetoric in the beginning of the story, which is later silenced by his death in the final chapter, a symbol that those who are unable to adopt the ideals of a new era will ultimately sink as a ship brings over revolutionary ideals.
The racial imbalance continues throughout the novel and is further depicted through the tale of Coalhouse Walker and Sarah. Coalhouse Walker is a stubborn black man who works hard to elevate his status by speaking eloquently, dressing lavishly, and owning a car, which, at the time, was rare even for white men. The rarity of car ownership, especially by a black person, angers those working at the fire station, causing them to falsely tell Coalhouse of a toll he must pay. The headstrong Coalhouse refuses, assuming the fabrication of the toll is racially charged. It is this pivotal moment in which Coalhouse leaves his car, only for the firemen to vandalize his car and destroy his pride, setting off Coalhouse’s rampage.
Coalhouse initially intends to sue the firemen, yet his case is refused by lawyers and marked as insignificant, another instance of racial discrimination throughout the book. As time goes on, Sarah, Coalhouse’s fiancé, attempts to petition the United States government, only to get hit in the chest with the butt of a rifle and jumped by a Secret Service worker. She later contracts pneumonia and dies. Sarah’s death too is an occurrence of racial injustice and prompts the militarization of Coalhouse’s mourning. He demands for his car to be repaired and for the men responsible for the damage to be turned into his possession. After the refusal of these demands, he, accompanied by his gang of black men and Younger Brother in black face, becomes vicious. Doctorow’s depiction of this insurgency can be used to fuel racist rhetoric, as it perpetuates the stereotype that angry black men become violent and are a threat to society.
You frame the Coalhouse conflict in a nice and clear way--often when we talk about the conflict, we slip into debates about whether it's "worth it" for "just a car." As you note, Coalhouse understands from the very moment the harassment starts that it is racial in nature, and for that same reason he is not surprised when the police won't back him up. He still makes the effort--he does the due diligence to show that he did "exhaust all legal options" before resorting to vigilantism, but it's clear throughout that Coalhouse gets what's going on, and calmly calculates his options as he tries to deal with it. There's never a moment where he considers that the toll might be "real"; he knows this is racist bullying, and that his "proud" public demeanor (car, suit, general style) is a "provocation" to these racist thugs. It's never a question of *what* is happening here; it's a question of what he can do about it, when law enforcement is not on his side. Declaring one's independence from the government that fails to provide such protection is an extreme reaction, for sure, but there is a clear logic to it.
ReplyDeleteHi Zainab! Great job on your blog post. I enjoyed reading your analysis of the various racial stereotypes in Ragtime, specifically in the storyline involving Coalhouse Walker. It is really important to understand the racial discrimination to understand Coalhouse's motivation in the fight for his car. At a surface level view, it seems as if Coalhouse is mad because his car, a symbol of his status, is destroyed. However, looking at the racial discriminations you described in your post, we see that there is more to the story. Coalhouse is a proud man, but his fight is about systemic oppression, not a status symbol. He worked hard in society to build himself up and afford such a nice car, especially considering his race. When the same oppressions he overcame to get the car in the first place cause his car to be destroyed, Coalhouse becomes empowered to fight for his rights. Rather than a fight for a car, Coalhouse is fighting against racial injustice.
ReplyDeleteAlso: I loved your metaphor about the sinking ship in the first second paragraph <3
I think you did a really good job providing insight into the context surrounding Coalhouse's plot! I definitely agree with the argument you made in the last sentence that a character like Coalhouse's could easily be held up in the wrong context to back up a racist generalization (indeed, in the world of the book, this is exactly what Booker T. Washington fears). That being said, I think Doctorow isn't necessarily trying to follow this stereotype so much as deconstruct it--he spends a lot of time giving us insight into the life Coalhouse lost in his quest for justice, the obstacles he faced trying to address it fairly, and the unique character traits that set him apart, showing us the complex, three-dimensional man beneath society's racist projections.
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