Throughout the Progressive Era in America, the rapid build of industrialism lead to harsher distinctions between immigrant laborers and skilled, specifically, American workers and the continued unjust treatment of African Americans. As millions of people piled into cities, accounting for 42.1 million Americans living in cities by 1910 compared to the less than 20 percent who lived in urban areas in 1860, conditions in both the workplace and at home, worsened for those apart of the lower classes. Technological rises, such as the skyscraper, brought the fall in morale in cities through the flourishment of brothels, slums, pollution, disease, and corruption. Within the novel, Ragtime, the reader is exposed to these mistreatments of immigrants
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Coalhouse Walker, a character in Ragtime, provides the reader with an important view of how race was seen during this changing time in American society. Due to his unique way of carrying himself not commonly seen in African American men during this time due to the social norms put on them, Walker carries himself with a sense of pride. This ultimately becomes a prime example of how many unique individuals during this time challenged the expectations that the white people around had of them. Unfortunately, due to the mistreatment and cruelty he undergoes by the firefighters, who destroy his car, Coalhouse gives in to the stereotype that the white men wanted him to, and turns to violence as his revenge. After the accidental attack of his love, Sarah, by Secret Service men, and her ultimate death, Coalhouse puts his focus on the injustice he was subjected to and blows up the Emerald Isle Firehouse, killing four volunteers in his fit of rage. Regrettably, being a different skin tone or speaking another language was not a benefit during this time, but instead was a heavy burdened that caused many to fail in their attempts to succeed. Ragtime offers the reader a harsh dose of reality as it says, “One Hundred Negroes a year were lynched. One hundred miners were burned alive. One hundred children were mutilated. There seemed to be quotas for these things. There seemed to be quotas for death by starvation.” (Doctorow
Coalhouse Walker, a character in Ragtime, provides the reader with an important view of how race was seen during this changing time in American society. Due to his unique way of carrying himself not commonly seen in African American men during this time due to the social norms put on them, Walker carries himself with a sense of pride. This ultimately becomes a prime example of how many unique individuals during this time challenged the expectations that the white people around had of them. Unfortunately, due to the mistreatment and cruelty he undergoes by the firefighters, who destroy his car, Coalhouse gives in to the stereotype that the white men wanted him to, and turns to violence as his revenge. After the accidental attack of his love, Sarah, by Secret Service men, and her ultimate death, Coalhouse puts his focus on the injustice he was subjected to and blows up the Emerald Isle Firehouse, killing four volunteers in his fit of rage. Regrettably, being a different skin tone or speaking another language was not a benefit during this time, but instead was a heavy burdened that caused many to fail in their attempts to succeed. Ragtime offers the reader a harsh dose of reality as it says, “One Hundred Negroes a year were lynched. One hundred miners were burned alive. One hundred children were mutilated. There seemed to be quotas for these things. There seemed to be quotas for death by starvation.” (Doctorow