Fragile Pursuits: Coalhouse and Younger Brother in Ragtime
In E. L. Doctorow’s Ragtime , Coalhouse Walker Jr and Younger Brother are defined by their pursuit of women who ultimately remain out of reach, resulting in them spiraling out of control. For Coalhouse, Sarah represents a second chance at true love, but social injustice and tragedy tear them apart. For Younger Brother, Evelyn Nesbit represents fantasy and desire that’s temporary and one-sided. Both men are left with loss, and their response to that loss propels them toward destruction. Coalhouse comes to Father and Mother’s doors weekly to meet Sarah and their baby. He devotes time and patience to rebuild their relationship, and his persistence eventually persuades her to accept his marriage proposal. But Coalhouse’s encounter with systematic racism leads him to prioritize justice over seeking the American dream with Sarah and their child. When Sarah joins Coalhouse in his pursuit of justice, she is wrongfully identified as a threat and fatally inj...