Interestingly, Houdini does all of the above throughout the course of the novel. He is mistaken by the Archduke Franz Ferdinand to be the man responsible for the "invention of the aeroplane" (p. 105). Houdini's whole career revolves around escape. He associates with important white women such as Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish. He crashes his car in front of the Family's house, and in some of his shows shortly after his mother's death, his performances were "of such intensity and had so strange and disquieting an effect on his audiences, that in some cases children were hurried out before the end of the show" (p. 203). Roberts' argues that Houdini then 'hangs' at the end of the book to atone for sins that would have led to the death of a black man should he have committed them.
Whether or not you agree with Roberts' argument, I think that the comparison is an interesting one, especially when considering Houdini's fate after his symbolic hanging. Obviously, Houdini's performance did not result in his death, but it seems like he does receive a "life-flashing-before-his-eyes" experience when he spontaneously remembers the Little Boy's "Warn the Duke" quote. Houdini also gained appreciation from his audience, whose "oohs and aahs" he hears as he escapes from the straight jacket. Ultimately, Houdini's performance results in only positives, and Doctorow leaves the reader with this image of a man who can voluntarily leave his hanging, still with a life of fame and fortune ahead of him.
Meanwhile, Coalhouse, the picture of respectability, is forced into a sort of automobile accident that sets off a whirlwind of events that will lead to his death. I can only think that Doctorow would create such different fates for these characters in order to illuminate racial injustices. Really, the entire Coalhouse plot line is defined by its racial injustices. However, putting Coalhouse's death side by side with the fate of Houdini, who supposedly committed almost all of the acts that would've gotten a black man killed, adds another level of tragedy and insult to Coalhouse's story. In the end, this inequality is representative of the time period Doctorow was writing about. Unfortunately, by justifying the difference of these men's fates with the phrase "that's just the way things were," we make the situation even more troubling and frustrating than it would have been if Ragtime was merely a work of imaginative fiction.
One aspect of Houdini's "symbolic" lynching that might be relevant here is the extent to which the escape from the straitjacket is a performance--a deliberate dramatization of struggle, even though he can really get out of it quickly and neatly, because the audience enjoys it more when it appears that he's struggling. It maybe highlights the extent to which this whole thing is symbolic, a performance and nothing like an *actual* lynching.
ReplyDeleteI definitely get the sense of an *incomplete* escape in this final scene--not only because Doctorow cuts it off before it's finished, but because, all along, Houdini's escape act has been couched as part of a larger strategy of social "escape," of the immigrant reinventing himself and becoming a famous and respected artist. He worries that he isn't taken seriously, and the rude New Yorker's final words to Houdini, as he dangles high over the street, certainly suggests that he isn't (yet?) being recognized as the artist he believes himself to be.
I'm really glad that you decided to expand on your panel presentation. I will admit that I was slightly intimidated when you were trying to explain the thesis behind the article that you had chose for your panel presentation but now I can see the point the author was trying to make. I agree with the point that both you and the author were making. This is definetly and interesting way of looking at the situation and one that makes me look at the situation in a different light. I like the symbolism that you identified of both Coalhouse's and Houdini's story lines.
ReplyDeleteI am kind of surprised at how much evidence the author of the article managed to build up to support his claim that Houdini's story is a metaphor for that of a black man who eventually gets lynched. The fact that Houdini did all five things that could have gotten a black man lynched (at least according to the NAACP) is striking, and you are right that his last escape from the straitjacket is oddly symbolic of a lynching. What's even more powerful, though, as you rightly point out, is that even though Houdini's story is so similar to that of a black man, he does not actually get lynched; it is Coalhouse who dies. I think a similar point could be made of Tateh's success as well - even though there were many parallels between him and a black man (such as the fact that he was poor and worked hard to support a child on very little money) he ended up successful while Coalhouse ended up dead.
ReplyDeleteThe lynching is probably one of the more detailed and supported Houdini parallels in our article (based on the evidence cited in your post). E.g. as compared to the "lazy black male" comparison, which we thought was a little of a stretch. I do agree with the view that depicting Houdini's performance as a "lynching" would bold and underscore the gap in racial justice between African Americans. Interestingly, this does contradict one of the article's other points--that Houdini's alignment with a minstrel performer shows empowerment. In this case, Houdini's persona starkly brings out the suppression of the blacks.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I sit down and browse blogs, I come across some theory I would've considered ridiculous at face value, but then becomes quite convincing after reading. This post is the one for this session. Each one of these author's intentions theories do make me wonder however. I've been told most everything in storytelling (whether it be literature, theatre, film or whatever) is intentionally done by the creator, and given the evidence presented here, it sure seems like the case. The problem for me arises in the sheer number of these theories, that makes it difficult to believe that the creator managed to incorporate this many facets.
ReplyDeleteOne of your last points (or Robert's last points?) was particularly compelling to me. You acknowledge the fact that Houdini acts wildly in ways because he knows he will face little to no consequences. Coalhouse is well aware that even the slightest of actions can lead to horrible fates because he is black. In class during the group chat it was frustrating to see people argue that what happened to Coalhouse could have happened to a white man because that's not so much the issue. The real problem is the difference in consequences (as you stated). It makes sense now why all of the deaths were in the very last chapter. It might be interesting to also consider Mother's Younger Brother in the scheme of being able to escape because he's white. Like how they got away in the Ford because he passed as a hostage.
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