Is the American Dream for Anybody?

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• 1. Ragtime – Music and History; Critique and the Unique Narration….
• 2. When Literature Meets Cultural History; Ragtime as a Work of Midfiction; Doctorow's Style...........
• 3. Characters; History is Fiction........
• 4. Kleist, the Forgotten Genius….
• Conclusion.........

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of Edgar Lawrence Doctorow's novel Ragtime (1975), exploring its genre, historical context, diverse characters, and the immigrant experience in early 20th-century America.

• The relationship between music and history in Ragtime and the unique narrative style of the novel.
• The blend of real and fictional elements in Ragtime as a work of midfiction, and Doctorow's mastery of the historical novel genre.
• The social and historical context of the novel, focusing on the experiences of African-Americans, immigrants, and the upper-middle class.
• The influence of Heinrich von Kleist's short story Michael Kohlhaas on the character of Coalhouse Walker and the exploration of themes of revenge and justice.
• The role of symbols, themes, and motifs in connecting Ragtime to American historiography and sociography.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter examines the title of the novel, "Ragtime," as a reflection of its structure, which is similar to the music of that genre. This chapter will explore the novel's themes and techniques, with a focus on the symbolic mirror and the mirrored image-pairs of Coalhouse Walker and Scott Joplin, and Harry Houdini and Al Jolson.

The second chapter explores Doctorow's writing style and other works, focusing on the semi-historical novel genre and its use of real and fictional elements. It examines how Doctorow blends historical accuracy with a creative storytelling approach, placing him within the context of contemporary American novels.

The third chapter delves into the social dynamics of the novel, examining the different social groups represented, including white Anglo-Saxons, immigrants (primarily Jewish), and African-Americans. It analyzes the status, treatment, and opportunities faced by these groups in early 20th-century America, highlighting the themes of social injustice and discrimination.

The fourth chapter explores the influence of Heinrich von Kleist's short story, Michael Kohlhaas, on the character of Coalhouse Walker. It examines the similarities between the two protagonists and their struggles for justice, highlighting the evolution of the themes of revenge and violence in literature.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This thesis focuses on key themes and concepts such as historical fiction, midfiction, social commentary, cultural history, immigration, racism, social injustice, revenge, and literary antecedents. The analysis centers on Edgar Lawrence Doctorow's novel Ragtime, and it draws on key figures like Coalhouse Walker, Scott Joplin, Harry Houdini, Al Jolson, and Michael Kohlhaas. Key texts like Jacob Riis's How the Other Half Lives and Heinrich von Kleist's Michael Kohlhaas will be analyzed to further understand the social and literary contexts of the novel.