After the discussions in class I believe that my understanding of the differences between history and fiction has actually gotten worse; no longer are the two completely separate ideas. The line between what is history and what is fiction has become blurred in my mind and the idea of being able to separate them now seem preposterous.
I realize that some may disagree with me when I say this, but I don't think it will ever be possible to dissect the differences between history and fiction in a broad context, possibly even in ragtime. Elements of both history and fiction are so interwoven within each other that it is impossible to distinguish them and that's how they were meant to be. I believe furthering the discussion of attempting to distinguish the two is pointless since they can both take so many forms. There is no need to even attempt since it will only spur a debate that can't possibly end with some ultimate realization, because there simply can't be one. This is just the nature of such concepts; the concepts of history and fiction were created with the ability for them to be defined in different ways so that they could work together in the way they do. That is why ragtime works as well as it does, because it can balance the two without making the events seem awkward or questionable.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Coalhouse Walker
I'd like to start this blog saying that I wrote it last week and never realized I hadn't published it until now.
As readers should we be sympathetic to Coalhouse walker at this point in the novel? My thoughts have been on both sides of the argument at times and I would like to bring together what we know about him so we can come to some conclusions. We know that Coalhouse has lost several things near to him, his car, his ability to marry Sarah when he had the chance, Sarah herself, and perhaps most important, his identity as an citizen and not just a black man. Of course it is easy to feel sympathetic to someone who has lost so much,but can we continue to be sympathetic after his actions of revenge? Can his cause be justified as being a spark that may ignite future change on the road to complete civil liberties for those of color. I believe that while getting a great deal of attention, the actions of Coalhouse will do nothing but reinforce stereotypes of inferior and violent black people. It also strikes me that Coalhouse is directing his attention at people that were not at all involved with the situation. Sympathy only lasts so long and I think that my sympathy for Coalhouse has ran out right now and I believe he truly has gone mad.
As readers should we be sympathetic to Coalhouse walker at this point in the novel? My thoughts have been on both sides of the argument at times and I would like to bring together what we know about him so we can come to some conclusions. We know that Coalhouse has lost several things near to him, his car, his ability to marry Sarah when he had the chance, Sarah herself, and perhaps most important, his identity as an citizen and not just a black man. Of course it is easy to feel sympathetic to someone who has lost so much,but can we continue to be sympathetic after his actions of revenge? Can his cause be justified as being a spark that may ignite future change on the road to complete civil liberties for those of color. I believe that while getting a great deal of attention, the actions of Coalhouse will do nothing but reinforce stereotypes of inferior and violent black people. It also strikes me that Coalhouse is directing his attention at people that were not at all involved with the situation. Sympathy only lasts so long and I think that my sympathy for Coalhouse has ran out right now and I believe he truly has gone mad.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Is Ford being depicted in a negative light?
In class we had quite a heated discussion over chapter 18's depiction of Henry Ford. One side seemed to argue that the book backed Henry Ford, while the other saw him as an arrogant ass. I thought that E.L. Doctorow saw Ford as a man set aside from the general public, one with a great intellectual gift. Ford is quite clearly on a level different from the factory workers surrounding him. Ford has an image that they cannot compare to.
The way Ford spends a minute to rejoice his success with the factory workers was seem by many as an act of arrogant superiority by many in the class, however I saw it as a testament to his dedication in that he would only allow himself a minute to celebrate one of his greatest successes before his demanding work ethic told him to get back to work.
Some argued that Ford was very full of himself and thought of the factory workers as machines. The comments early in the chapter seem to support a conclusion that maybe the average factory worker was a bit of a "fool" in comparison to Ford. While Ford is superior he maintains his image by celebrating their success with the factory workers and does not degrade them for being incapable of doing the same work as him. The chapters about J. P. Morgan seem to solidify this as Morgan and Ford are portrayed as these extremely gifted people, completely unlike the rest of the world. Ford recalls his odd ability to understand how things work without every being taught, an instance that seems to solidify his status. I believe that E.L. Doctorow did see Ford as a smart man and is not trying to depict him as an arrogant ass, but rather as someone that can't help seem slightly arrogant due to his unnatural genius.
The way Ford spends a minute to rejoice his success with the factory workers was seem by many as an act of arrogant superiority by many in the class, however I saw it as a testament to his dedication in that he would only allow himself a minute to celebrate one of his greatest successes before his demanding work ethic told him to get back to work.
Some argued that Ford was very full of himself and thought of the factory workers as machines. The comments early in the chapter seem to support a conclusion that maybe the average factory worker was a bit of a "fool" in comparison to Ford. While Ford is superior he maintains his image by celebrating their success with the factory workers and does not degrade them for being incapable of doing the same work as him. The chapters about J. P. Morgan seem to solidify this as Morgan and Ford are portrayed as these extremely gifted people, completely unlike the rest of the world. Ford recalls his odd ability to understand how things work without every being taught, an instance that seems to solidify his status. I believe that E.L. Doctorow did see Ford as a smart man and is not trying to depict him as an arrogant ass, but rather as someone that can't help seem slightly arrogant due to his unnatural genius.
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