Why Does Doctorow Think He Can Write Women?

It goes without saying that a pervasive theme throughout Ragtime is donning the trappings of marginalized groups - from the elite class' poverty balls to Mother's Younger Brother's blackface. We see Evelyn trying to ingrain herself in the culture of Jewish slums, Younger Brother becoming a black (and later Mexican) revolutionary, and Jared/Daniel/Paul suggested that Houdini was a representation of blackface (though I don't buy that.)

It makes sense, then, with this extensive criticism of black-/poverty-/Jewish-face, that Doctorow himself avoids trying to portray black characters in the same way that he portrays white characters. It would follow from this criticism of blackface that he himself would not assume to understand the thought processes of a black person. Therefore, during Coalhouse's arc, Coalhouse is only ever portrayed through an objective lens, without ever diving into his mind. We similarly never go into the mind of Sarah, the only other major black character.

But if Doctorow, a white man, feels he cannot represent the mind of a black person, why does he feel he can represent the thoughts of women? Throughout the novel, he takes on the perspective of Mother, Emma, and Evelyn, presuming to know exactly what they're thinking (which might be a fair thing for Mother, being a character of his own creation, but Evelyn and Emma aren't.) If he is an avid criticism of blackface, why does he feel he can put on "womanface"?

One explanation might be that he doesn't. That perhaps he is satirizing the way in which men typically write about women - hypersexual, brutalized, and useless. It could be that his style of writing is, in its own way, a critique on the typical portrayal of women.

But that theory feels shaky to me. It's hard to articulate, but Doctorow feels excessively gratuitous in the pains he has women endure. There are points where I can't quite pinpoint the satire, where it feels no different than a misogynist reveling in the abuse of women. Particularly in the scenes of sexual abuse, like with Evelyn and Mameh, it's deeply uncomfortable. And it's not the uncomfortability of satire, where it makes you question your preconceptions - this is simply uncomfortable.

Another explanation could be that he believes the boundaries between genders aren't quite as strict as the boundaries between race, that white women and white men have much more in common with each other than white men and black men. He may perhaps be acknowledging that white women possess a great amount of privilege, even despite the patriarchy, and that that justifies his portrayal. After all, it appears that he specifically attempts to avoid portraying people from marginalized or oppressed groups, like black and poor Americans. So if he perceives Evelyn, Emma, and Mother as being more privileged members of society, it would follow that he would have no qualms about attempting to represent their thoughts.

Or perhaps it's the more obvious explanation: Simply that Doctorow's sympathy for other races does not translate to a sympathy for other genders. He treats the female characters in his book awfully, having them endure endless abuses and without the heroic redemption, he gives to characters like Coalhouse or Younger Brother. Instead, he revels in brutalizing them and cutting them down to uncomplex creatures. There is no sense that the women have any agency, they're simply enduring the storm. Not to mention that Tateh appears to be a victorious hero in the novel, despite his rampant sexism towards his wife and Emma Goldman.

Personally, that's the explanation I buy. For all of Doctorow's grand musings about narrative and American life he joins the tier of great artists who are unbearably shitty to women.