Portrayal of Society in E.L. Doctorow's Ragtime

The historical time period in the United States preceding the Progressive Era, often called the "Gilded Age" was a time of growing industrialization and conglomeration of corporate interests into trusts. Many grew rich during this period, and many more were left poor. As immigrants moved into the country from Southern and Eastern Europe, filling cities and factories and bringing their old-world ways to America, many among the "blue-blood" upper and middle classes who had "pulled themselves up by their bootstraps" to economic success in America took stock of the new times. For these independent-minded economically established citizens, the rise of trusts and the expansion of working class America, especially in cities, spelled a call to action. The actions taken by upper and middle class Americans in response to turn-of-the-century social and economic changes, dubbed "the Progressive Movement," were motivated by a mix of charitable nobility and fear of the upheaval of the status quo. The results set a precedent for individual involvement in social change, which both achieved immediate gains for Americans of the day and have had a lasting impact on American consciousness.

As both an historical and lyrical account of the turn of the changes taking place in America at the turn of the century, E.L. Doctorow's Ragtime takes the reader on a journey through the consciousness of different societal sectors during a time of transformation. Ragtime, a form of music prevalent at the time

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they helped. For recipients of this aid, this was often a mixed blessing. While receptive and grateful for the help offered by these mostly white, educated women reformers, working class and immigrant families and workers no doubt had reservations about accepting their values. For example, Prohibition, which was ardently promoted by these women reformers was not always favored by those they served, especially by the working-class men. Another important group of reformers at this time were the "muckrakers," journalists and authors who used their writing talents and positions within the established press and publishing world to expose what they and many other reformers considered to be the evils of society. One important muckraker, Upton Sinclair, wrote a book, The Jungle, that chronicles the life of the protagonist Jurgis as he and his family work for the meatpacking industry and his downward-spiraling life upon being injured and subsequently losing his job. In telling the story, Sinclair details the horrors of an industry that hold little concern for the health and safety of its workers nor for the public that consumes its products. As was the goal and often the result of such an exposition, The Jungle initiated the legislation

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