Ragtime

In the novel Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow, the main characters have no names. They go by as Mother, Father, little boy, Mother’s Youngest Brother, Mameh, Tateh and the little girl. All the other characters in the novel are historical figures and have actual names. I believe that Doctorow did not use names to describe his characters to allow the readers to relate to their lives. With the loss of names and formality, the reader can become one with the novel, and connect their lives to the events. The novel takes place in the 1900’s a time when the United States was a melting pot of immigrants looking to find a better life. Many readers who have immigrated or have families that have come over to America understand the struggles of living in a different world. Tateh and the little girl give us an insight to the life of immigrants living in poverty. While Mother and Father’s family show the opposite, the life of a prosperous family. With the elimination of names in the novel Ragtime the readers are able to relate to the experiences of the characters. They can put themselves in the character’s shoes as the story seems less personal without names.