Life of an Inventor
Two inventors in E. L. Doctorow’s novel Ragtime contribute to the rapid modernization of the 20th century. A Jewish immigrant escaping poverty (Tateh) and a depressed middle class white male (Younger Brother) take different paths in finding their life purpose. Tateh becomes an entrepreneur, creating movies to support his family. Tateh used to be an anarchist working at a textile mill. One day he realizes that labor strikes would never lead to anything beyond “a few more pennies in wages” (131). So he quits to make flip books instead. Society rewards him accordingly: these efforts blossom into a popular short film company and he gets a happy family. Tateh’s success comes with a cost—he abandons his past beliefs and identity along the way. Tateh even takes the title “Baron” to hide his Jewish name, presumably to gain credibility in the movie industry. On the other hand, Younger Brother becomes a revolutionary, advancing social causes by using the weapons he invents. Dissatisfied with h...