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  As I discussed in my previous blog post, a continuing theme in Ragtime is reinvention among the characters. However, this idea isn’t limited to character development in the novel. The period Doctorow writes about, the “Ragtime Era,” is known for its ushering of the world into a new, modern age. In the years before the First World War, America’s melting pot rose to a boil, with its new ideas, inventions and movements. Ragtime shows these developments by recounting events of the time period, as well as describing its characters’ experiences relating to them.  Some of the major early 1900 occurrences included in Ragtime are the growth of socialism, communism and anarchy ideas, as well as the pushback against them. Through Evelyn Nesbit and Tateh, Ragtime lets us listen in on Emma Goldman, where she expresses many of the revolutionary ideas of the period. This advancement connects to the growing number of immigrants coming to America, who are represented in Ragtime by Tateh and ...

In Ragtime, historical and fictional characters alike exist within its plot, interacting and affecting each other through unique means. Often, the collection of characters seem so different from one another that the idea of them associating or being a part of the same book makes no feasible sense. However, one connecting thread between many of the character arcs is the idea of reinvention. Despite their differences, most of Ragtime’s cast tries or wishes to start a new life or remake themselves in some way, which makes the idea of reinvention a central theme in Ragtime. One of the first examples of this theme is Evelyn Nesbit’s character. In the public eye, Evelyn is known as a sex icon, and as the central figure in the love triangle between her husband, Harry K. Thaw, and Stanford White, which results in the murder of White. While in court, Evelyn presents herself as a doting wife to Harry K. Thaw, in her interactions with Tateh and Emma Goldman, it becomes clear that her public perso...