This novel is written by an American writer E.L.

Doctorow who famous for his novels

which include Welcome to Hard Times and The book of Daniel which was nominated for a
national Book Award. Indeed "From Ragtime" is not directly about ragtime music but mentioned
as a link of America at the beginning of 20 century. The author of novel obviously admired by
music, with the mood and its rhythms of life that time.
The composition consists of exposition, complication, climax and denouement. A ragtime
musician driving a brand new car arrives looking for Sarah. Mother invites the man in but
quickly returns to say that Sarah does not wish to see him. Coalhouse Walker Jr., arrives every
Sunday and asks to visit Sarah. Although Sarah continually refuses to see him, Mother warms to
the idea of entertaining him despite Father's objections. "He is well-spoken and conducts himself
as a gentleman ... When Mr. Roosevelt was in the White House he gave dinner to Booker T.
Washington. Surely we can serve tea to Coalhouse Walker Jr." During Coalhouse's next visit,
Father is routinely annoyed but perks up when Coalhouse plays a few ditties on their piano. After
Father makes an inadvertently racist statement, Coalhouse leaves, disappointed to still not have
seen Sarah.
The text is more belongs to a psychological type, because author is more interested in
feelings and relations of his characters. The conflict between young people is very deep but we
don`t know why. Most information is left behind the lines. The system of characters is not so big.
The main character is Coalhouse Walker. He was described both indirectly through actions and
speech and directly "He was a stocky man with a red-complected shining brown face, high
cheek-bones and large dark eyes". Sarah is a minor character. She doesnt want to see
Coalhouse Walker for reason proud to go down. She has a child, has no money, her heart is
broken and she lives in an alien family. At that Sarah is an introverted person. She doesnt tell
family about her problems and they have no idea of Sarahs past. The family used in this novel
could be seen as to portray the standard American family of this time.
The story is written in the third person narration in a simple language. The author also
used some terms which describe the professionalism of the pianist: rag time, rag, piano, tune, in
need of a tune, octaves, and keyboard.
The author used some stylistic devices such as inversion "such was the coming" with
the help of which the narrator makes us realize that everybody in the house was surprised by
Coalhouse Walkers visit. Metaphor "the warmth of the comer" - which proves the fact that
Coalhouse Walker was not nonchalant towards his baby and that he wanted to be again with
Sarah and their child. Simile - melodies like bouquets", "chords like flowers" - prove that
everybody in the house was inspired by the beauty of the piece of music played by Coalhouse
Walker and that they couldnt remain indifferent to it. Epithets "thumping, robust, vigorous,
intricate" prove that Coalhouse Walker plays that moment with great feeling and emotions.
The major theme of the text is ''race relations''. Although slavery was abolished in the
Untied States more than 50 years earlier, segregation and discrimination are commonplace.
Doctorow lead readers into this theme through "gentler" unintentional racism. When Father
assumes all "coon music" must include "smiling and cakewalking," he illustrates his racial
ignorance. He is describing this kind of music, in which white men don blackface and act out
racially demeaning caricatures of African Americans. Some middle-class white Americans such
as Father who had little contact with black Americans considered these performances the
epitome of black culture. It is the conflict between Americans and between different social
groups.
Coalhouse Walker is a real symbol of that time, he managed to become prosperous
pianist, which bring a stable salary and with his persistence achieves of respecting.