One of the many themes in Ragtime is about characters trying to find their purpose, which is very fitting since the book takes place during the turn of a century. Finding purpose & meaning is one of the primary goals many of the characters try to achieve. All of the following characters attempt to find some sort of meaning in a world that is constantly evolving. For example, J. P. Morgan, a rich man who basically sees himself as a God, is bored of his life and wants to find something interesting in life. J.P. Morgan is the man who has everything but is without purpose. He ends up believing that certain intellectual humans are reincarnated to help others, to the point that he seriously contemplates burying himself in a pyramid. Morgan believes this is why he is as successful as he is and he also believes this is the reason why Henry Ford was a genius. This is why he creates an exclusive club, only including himself & Ford, to go on trips to Egypt and learn more about reincarnation.
Another character of Ragtime is Mother’s Younger Brother. Mother’s Younger Brother is a strange character; in fact you may think he does not even have a character given how “plain” he is. He does not have any purpose and spends the entire book trying to find some sense of motivation to do something worthwhile. Mother’s Younger Brother becomes radicalized by Emma Goldman and other socialists and anarchists, which is why he ends up joining Coalhouse’s gang and despising Father’s oppression of his workers. It was joining Coalhouse’s gang that caused Mother’s Younger Brother to finally find some sort of purpose. On page 183, he says he feels the anger of Coalhouse as if it was his own rage. The influences from socialists on Mother’s Younger Brother make him side with Coalhouse, as Coalhouse was failed by the system and has decided to fight against it, and Mother’s Younger Brother sees this as an honorable fight. However, even when Mother’s Younger Brother has purpose, he still does not completely fit in, as he feels he has to paint his face black to fit in with the gang better.
Tateh is another character in Ragtime who at the start of the book claims he is a socialist. He is enraged with the poverty he sees and personally experiences. He keeps a leash on his own daughter so she will not be kidnapped subject to prostitution. He is obviously unhappy and depressed with his life. Tateh believes his purpose is being a part of the socialist movement; he thinks socialism might be the solution to his problems. In many ways, Tateh is similar to Mother’s Younger Brother. Neither of them have much of a purpose but both are radicalized by socialists. However in chapter 17, after a worker’s strike, Tateh decides he wants to change his life: “...the strike would be won. But then what?... A salary of six dollars and change. Would that transform their lives? They would still live in that wretched room, in that terrible dark room…Tateh began to conceive of his life as separate from the fate of the working class.” (Doctrow, 130-131). At the end of the chapter, Tateh finds his calling, making movie books. Later, he becomes successful and is reinvigorated by his new passion. He is happy, and wealthy after finding his meaning in life.
In chapter 13, Harry Houdini becomes bored and dissatisfied with his usual tricks and shows. He continues with his performances despite his excitement for his career being at an all-time low. No matter how much the audience cheered or how big the crowd was, Houdini lacked motivation with his shows. He contemplates and wonders about his purpose in life, as stated by the quote “[Houdini] had never known such feelings of dissatisfaction. He wondered why he had devoted his life to mindless entertainment” (Doctrow, 101). The magic of Houdini’s magic had faded away. Houdini’s enthusiasm was restored when he learned about the airplane, a majestic machine able to soar through the skies. The airplane in Ragtime is an example of one of the many new pieces of technology introduced in the early 20th century. The introduction of the airplane in the story of Ragtime reminds the reader of the milestones reached in this period of history, and Houdini’s excitement in flying the airplane is only one of many examples of characters attempting to find their footing in this ever-changing era of new discoveries.
