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?
I have to agree with you, I don't think that Coalhouse Walker Jr's turn to violence makes sense given what we read about his character (the determined lover, a humble musician, etc.). The 'determined'ness is still there, both in his courtship and in his call for justice, but I was sure that after losing Sarah, Coalhouse Walker would let up in his attempts to restore his pride. Because Doctorow never exposes Coalhouse Walker's thoughts, it may be hard to determine for sure what drove Coalhouse Walker to his recent extreme, other than to uphold his honor. Unfortunately, at this point, I don't think his good name can ever be restored to what it once was.
ReplyDeleteDoctorow so casually mentioned that Coalhouse was going to be a murderer/arsonist that I almost didn't believe him. I agree with you, it was so unexpected that Coalhouse went from being so polite and proper to being so violent. I understand that he's dealing with the grief of losing his wife but I didn't think someone so rational would cope by being so..irrational?
ReplyDeleteWhile Coalhouse resorting to violence is disappointing, but I don't think that it's too surprising. He's tried pursuing it legally for weeks, going to four different lawyers, all of whom refused to help him, and even considered representing himself, all the time watching the state of his car get worse and worse in the pond. In addition, this entire ordeal serves as a sharp reminder of the racism in place in society that blacks have to deal with, which is something that Coalhouse has seemed to previously try to forget or ignore with his confident demeanor. With this growing frustration amplified by the death of Sarah, I don't think it's too shocking that he takes a drastic course of action when he does.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised with the extent to Coalhouse's violence, though I don't think he meant for the steam boiler to explode. However, I was expecting some sort of reaction from Coalhouse after Sarah's death because her death and the incident with his car occurred somewhat closely. Also, I don't think that Coalhouse acts violently as a coping mechanism, rather he is trying to make a statement about how he deserves respect. His turning to violence doesn't particularly fit with his character, but maybe he feels more anger when someone he loves is killed, but it still doesn't really make sense why he chose to let it out on the fire station. Interesting blog post!
ReplyDeleteI agree its interesting how Coalhouse goes from being ultra respectable to a crazed killer, but we also have to take into account the methods he is using to seek his revenge. The whole motive behind his scheme is to bring justice to an immoral system, not merely killing without a cause. In addition, once he takes over J.P. Morgan's house, his plan was extremely well organized and carried out in a rather respectable manner. Even though we do ultimately see Coalhouse completely change, his style and swagger still remain constant.
ReplyDeleteGrief and anger definitely contribute to it, however it's so sudden and such a dramatic change that I think there's something else we can glean from it. Perhaps Doctorow wants to show us what racism does to people, that it's so inhumane that it could change the most gentlemanly man into a violent calculating monster. Doctorow is definitely criticizing the legal system of the time, displaying the consequences of their incompetence. I think the paradox is meant to jolt us and make us think about the systems and prejudices that have become normal in our minds. It refreshes our view of racism and the outcomes of injustice.
ReplyDelete