Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow

How hard is Ragtime to read?

Ragtime scores 71 out of 100 for difficulty on ReadingRate, making it very challenging. The score is a weighted composite of nine measures: four of how hard the prose is to parse, five of how hard the meaning is to extract.

Vocabulary: 68 out of 100

Doctorow employs a rich, expansive vocabulary that includes period-specific terms like 'accoutrements,' 'manse,' and 'boater,' alongside more literary words such as 'voluted,' 'macrocephalic,' and 'diffidence.' While not as dense with archaic or invented language as 'Ulysses' or 'Finnegans Wake,' the text frequently introduces words that require a strong vocabulary or contextual inference, placing it above '2666' but below 'Gravity's Rainbow'.

Sentence structure: 60 out of 100

The novel features a narrative style characterized by long, flowing sentences that often incorporate multiple clauses and descriptive phrases, particularly when detailing historical events or character observations. Although it avoids the extreme hypotaxis of Henry James or the unpunctuated streams of consciousness found in 'Ulysses,' these extended structures demand sustained reader attention. The prose maintains a rhythmic quality that aids navigation, preventing it from reaching the higher scores of truly labyrinthine syntax.

Abstraction: 65 out of 100

While grounded in concrete historical events and character narratives, 'Ragtime' frequently interweaves philosophical and sociological commentary, particularly through the narrator's observations on American society, class, and identity. Digressions into the nature of freedom, the 'system of language and conceptualization,' or the 'chaos of an entropic European civilization' elevate the text beyond simple storytelling. This blend of the concrete and the conceptual positions it similarly to '2666,' which also probes deeper meanings within a grounded narrative.

Information density: 72 out of 100

Doctorow packs a remarkable number of historical figures, social critiques, and parallel plotlines into a relatively concise narrative, requiring readers to process a high volume of concepts per page. The text moves swiftly between disparate characters and their experiences, from the family's domestic life to the exploits of Houdini, the struggles of immigrants, and the philosophies of Morgan and Ford. This constant shifting and layering of detail, while engaging, demands significant attention to connect the various threads, making it more demanding than 'War and Peace' in its compression.

Narrative indirection: 68 out of 100

The narrator often presents events and historical facts in a seemingly straightforward manner, yet the deeper thematic connections and critiques are left for the reader to infer. For instance, the initial statement 'There were no Negroes. There were no immigrants.' is immediately contradicted by subsequent narrative, forcing the reader to infer the ironic perspective or societal blindness being depicted. The reader must actively construct meaning from the juxtaposition of disparate lives and historical moments rather than being explicitly told their significance.

Symbolic density: 78 out of 100

Ragtime is rich with recurring motifs and characters that carry meaning beyond their literal presence, comparable to *The Great Gatsby* in its symbolic weight. Objects like flags, fireworks, the Model T Ford, and even the 'tracks' of transportation and industry are imbued with symbolic significance for American identity, progress, and social conflict. Characters like Coalhouse Walker Jr. and Evelyn Nesbit often embody broader societal forces, such as the struggle for dignity or the birth of celebrity culture.

Ironic distance: 72 out of 100

The narrator maintains a detached, almost journalistic tone when describing both the idyllic 'Family' life and the harsh realities of the era, creating a pervasive ironic distance. This is evident in descriptions like the wealthy's 'poverty balls' where guests 'came dressed in rags and ate from tin plates,' highlighting a stark societal disconnect. The narrator's broad historical pronouncements often carry an implicit critique of American innocence and the selective memory of the past.

Resolution withholding: 70 out of 100

While individual plotlines, such as Sarah's death or the Thaw trial, reach clear conclusions, the overarching narrative of 'Ragtime' resists definitive closure, similar to *The Great Gatsby*'s open meaning. The novel ends with the 'Little Boy' observing the world in an 'endless process of dissatisfaction,' reflecting the ongoing, unresolved nature of historical change and personal transformation. The fates and ultimate happiness of many characters remain ambiguous, emphasizing the continuous flux of life and history.

Structural complexity: 75 out of 100

The novel employs a complex, mosaic-like structure, fluidly shifting between the perspectives and storylines of numerous characters, both fictional and historical, without explicit transitions. This rapid cutting between disparate lives—from the 'Family' to Houdini, Emma Goldman, Tateh, and J.P. Morgan—creates a fragmented yet interconnected narrative, akin to *Midnight's Children* in its multi-perspective approach. The blending of historical fact with fictionalized events is a fundamental formal experiment that demands active reader engagement.

How Ragtime is regarded

Ragtime holds a literary regard score of 79 out of 100, weighing its place in the canon, its critical reception, its influence on other writers, and the standing of its author. Regard is measured separately from difficulty: a demanding book is not necessarily an admired one.

About the author

E.L. Doctorow