sexual references. While an obvious reason for these is the titillating effects

of them, there are deeper, more relevant reasons for them. There are three main

groups within which the sexual activity takes place: Father and Mother, Younger

Brother and Evelyn Nesbit, and Harry Houdini and Harry K. Thaw. Some are more

obvious and explicit than others, but they all have great purpose. The sexual

activity between Father and Mother is used to define their relationship, sexual

activity by Younger Brother is used as a replacement for violence, and the one

scene between Houdini and Thaw is used to elucidate the difference between the

classes. The sexual activity that is most relevant to the story line occurs in

the relationship between Father and Mother. While these scenes definitely imply

sexual activity, they are definitely not as intense as the erotic scenes between

other characters. After their relationship has been analyzed, one can see that

the relationship between Mother and Father is one that seems to be held together

purely by sexual desire. The first reference to this is at the very beginning

can be insurmountable. Class struggle is a theme that comes up throughout the

cell across from him. In a seemingly insignificant sexual act "[Harry K. Thaw]

problem. Whether violent or more subtle, the sexual references in Ragtime serve

manner he thrust his hips forward and flapped his penis between the bars(p 30).

taking their boy to the Baseball game on the following day. Doctorow writes, "...

was clutching in his hands, as if trying to choke it, a rampant penis which,

it. Once he fails to pacify it, violence takes over his being, and he joins

Some common words found in the essay are:
Harry Thaw, Scot Fitzgerald's, Coalhouse Walker's, Mother Father, Mother Father's, Father Mother, Evelyn Nesbit, Ragtime Throughout, Pole Doctorow, American American, class struggle, doctorow writes, sexual activity, father mother, beginning novel, harry thaw, seemingly insignificant sexual, evelyn nesbit, insignificant sexual, seemingly insignificant, difference classes, beginning novel doctorow, novel doctorow writes,
Approximate Word count = 985
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)