Emma Goldman, Ragtime's Sage

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Over the course of Ragtime, Doctorow introduces us to a diverse cast of characters, weaving together their myriad backgrounds and perspectives to create a representation of the time period in which the book is set. The novel is very much aware of the shortcomings of this moment of history, and Doctorow frequently nudges the reader to consider the darker side of an often-romanticized era through subtle, ironic insights into the characters’ less conscionable thoughts. Through this device, no individual escapes the novel’s criticism, except, perhaps for one: the anarchist activist Emma Goldman.

One distinct objective of the novel is to convey a sense of the era in which it’s set to an audience positioned in the future, and Doctorow’s respect for Goldman seems to stem from her degree of enlightenment on the state of this society. Much of the irony in the novel plays off of various characters’ blindness and naivete, and so, by exempting Goldman from the same commentary, Doctorow places her as a voice of reason—conveying to the reader that, amongst the torrent of conflicting beliefs that cross the novel’s pages, Goldman is the figure who sees society as it truly is.

One important aspect of Goldman’s character is that this understanding doesn’t make her hate people like Evelyn Nesbitt and even the unsettling, obsessive Younger Brother, both of whose sheltered ignorance could make them easy targets for her to tear down. Instead, her wisdom makes her unexpectedly gentle and kind: although she still holds these characters accountable for acting more responsibly in their privileged positions, she also sees the bigger picture: that ultimately, the blame for their problems lies on the systems that shaped them. Because of this perspective, Emma not only alerts these characters to their shortcomings, but also acts as a sympathetic, healing figure who endeavors to free them from their conformity to the expectations society has placed on them.

We see this play out briefly in her encounter with Younger Brother, in which Emma frees him from his tortured despair over Nesbit by “opening his eyes” to the wrong she sees in the societal structuring of relationships and marriage as a whole.

We also get a more extended version of this dynamic with Evelyn, who is, in Goldman’s eyes, the ultimate symbol of a woman who is trapped by a socioeconomic system that both forces her to commodify her sexuality and contempts her for doing so. Emma isn’t shy to point out the ways that Evelyn has benefitted from this system or her part in perpetuating its narrow ideas of womanhood. However, she’s also deeply empathetic towards her, and, in a moment of vulnerability, even connects with her through the pain they share. Ultimately, she understands that Evelyn’s scars, as with the welts left by her corsets and stays, are not wounds that she has inflicted on herself, but rather ones created by the rigid expectations of society, and, as a caretaker or nurse might, she does her part in helping to heal them.

Comments

  1. Isabel Tolman-BronskiJanuary 31, 2022 at 6:21 PM

    I totally agree. Unlike Houdini or J.P. Morgan, for example, Goldman doesn't feel like she's merely a historical figure that Doctorow is experimenting with (What if x did y?). Instead, she seems more like a mouthpiece for the narrator, a way that he can directly interact with the other characters and thus influence the events of the story.

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  2. JanakiFebruary 4, 2022 at 9:39 AM

    I agree that Doctorow gives Emma Goldman a lot more space as not only a physical historical character but as someone who had a lot of revolutionary and impactful ideas for her time. Like we discussed in class, it's interesting how the narrator doesn't make ridicule of Emma Goldman nearly as much as they do of other characters. Emma Goldman not only serves as a character but as someone who is able to bring growth in characters but also point out problems the narrator wants us to notice. Great job!

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  3. ZainabFebruary 7, 2022 at 3:01 PM

    A very eye-opening post! Emma Goldman is a revolutionary character not only in the sense that she sparks revolution and change in the world and the other characters, but also her actions and words greatly influence the overall plot of the story. Doctorow uses her to highlight specific cruelties and various other elements in society that require attention and modification, as well as to direct the lives of characters. Unlike his behavior with other characters, he leaves her without snide commentary, allowing her to speak for herself.

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