In class
a few days ago we were discussing the character of Coalhouse Walker Jr. and is
effect on the family of main characters that we are following in Ragtime.
In our
discussion we talked about how the way Coalhouse carries himself and acts and
the way that the members of the family view this. From an outside perspective
he seems to act as a perfectly respectable gentleman: he speaks polite,
polished English and is very kind and courteous to everyone in the family. But
from the families' perspective he is a bit of a paradox: A black man that
carries himself the same way a white gentleman would.
Mother is
a bit put off at first and is wary and confused about him but to her credit she
soon comes around and treats him with the same respect he treats her with.
Father is more annoyed, caught up in his own ignorance he has never experience
this phenomenon of a black man that has some sense of esteem and doesn't ingratiate
himself before white people. Mother's Younger Brother is a bit surprised that
he is in their house, but he has met people like Coalhouse before in his
"nightlife in New York."
In
addition to the paradox in the eyes of the characters, the Coalhouse that we
see in the most recent chapters is a bit of a paradox to me, looking on as a
modern reader in a modern context. When he is faced with the racist
firefighters he begins by seeking the respectable approach with the policemen
but then becomes frustrated when that doesn't work. But the paradox for me is
when he suddenly turns to extreme violence as his next plan. He blows up the
firehouse and threatens to do the same to other ones if his demands aren't met.
In my eyes he flips from being a gentleman to embodying the modern day racial
stereotype of the "black thug" who responds violently.
To be
fair he is faced with extreme racism and the terrible death of his wife and has
run up against a wall when seeking conventional justice methods. However it
surprised me that he reacted so violently and so suddenly. When before he was
presented as a hyper rationale respectable character.
I suppose
it was his grief and anger that caused him to lash out in this way, what do you
guy think?
