Most of the characters in Ragtime, by E.L. Doctorow, are dynamic, from the famous Houdini to the unidentified family. Through evolving characterization with a historical backdrop, Doctorow establishes a lens that emphasizes the effect that history has on individuals. This is seen particularly with Mother. The late 1800’s and early 1900’s was a time of great change for women. They began to see an increase in economic opportunity, greater freedom from their husband, and potentially most important, a drastic switch in the idea of their sexuality. From the early activism of Margaret Sanger, a progressive who encouraged the use of birth control and revised sexual education,2 leading into the eventual publication of the Kinsey Report, in 1948, which revolutionized the popular conception of sexuality,3 Americans’ concept of sexuality, especially with regard to women, was changing drastically in the time period in which Ragtime is set.
This sexual liberation of women is exemplified in the book through Mother’s actions and characterization. The dynamic characterization of Mother evolves from a modest Victorian women in the beginning, who wouldn’t even sleep in the same bed as her husband and who would weep when Father tried to be intimate with her, to a woman who was comfortable with herself and her marital relationship, and even enjoyed sex. This change is portrayed through the symbol of her hair. While at first she always keeps her hair braided or bound, she eventually begins to let her hair loose, which represents not only her increased comfort, but also symbolizes her independence and new freedom. In chapter 14 this change is described as being, “in some way not as vigorously modest as she’d been. She took his gaze. She came to bed with her hair unbraided” (111). This symbol is seen later as well, as Mother and Tateh are looking for the children in the rainstorm. The state of her unbound wet hair is mentioned frequently in this scene, but Mother herself pays little attention to it, and seems rather accepting and comfortable with this new freedom. The new freedoms which Mother feels, both sexually, to be able to express her desire and enjoyment, economically, to be able to run the business while father is in the arctic, and socially, to become comfortable in her bathing costume and to embrace her black child are expressed through her dynamic characterization and through the symbol of her hair.
1 "Bathing Suit Parade at Miami Beach." Library of Congress. Prints and Photographs Division. American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE52&iPin=AHI0962&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 15, 2011).
2 Langston, Donna. "Sanger, Margaret." A to Z of American Women Leaders and Activists, A to Z of Women. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2002. American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE52&iPin=WLA117&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 15, 2011).
3 Gardner, Kirstin. "Kinsey, Alfred C." In Winkler, Allan M., Charlene Mires, and Gary B. Nash, eds. Encyclopedia of American History: Postwar United States, 1946 to 1968, Revised Edition (Volume IX). New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2010. American History Online. Facts On File,Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE52&iPin=EAHIX129&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 17, 2011).
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