Analysis of Text № 10

The text ''Ragtime''is written by an American writer E.L.Doctorow, who is famous for his novels which includeWelcome to Hard TimesandThe Book of Daniel, which was nominated for a National Book Award.

Ragtime is a novel set in America at the beginning of the 20^thcentury. Its characters reflect all that is most significant and dramatic in America's last hundred years. One character, Coalhouse Walker Jr., a black pianist, had a love affair with young Sarah and abandoned her to later reunite. But Sarah, who bore his child was resentful when he came to ractify his actions. The novel will take the reader through the tragedy of their lives.The titleof the story conceals something mysterious and fatal about people's life. The text referres toa belles-lettres styleand toa social and psycholigical genre. On one hand it studies the effect of social conditions in America at the beginning of the 20^thcentury and displays their behaviour and life under the circumstances. On the other hand the novel reveals mental and emotional lives of the characters. The text isa narrationwith somepieces of dialogues. It containsa description(Coalhouse Walker Jr.'s appearance and his wonderful playing the piano). E.g.A stocky man with a red-complected shining brown face, high cheekbones and large dark eyes. He had a neat moustache. He was dressed in the affection of wealth. Small clear chords hung in the atr like flowers. The melodies were like bouquets. This was a most robust composition, a vigorous music that roused the senses and never stood still a moment.The novel hasaninterior monologue which renders the thoughts and feelings of the characters. The author represents the events from the point of view of the characters. The story is told in the third person. All actions are rather fast. The text ends on solemn note. The end of the novel is left for further suggestions because it is possible to make one's own conclusions about the main characters' future.The themeof the story istragedy of human lives. The idea is desire to find one's own place in life.A conflct with another individual and with society is depicted in the text. The author sympathizes with the characters.

The text under analysis consists of several parts. The main characters are represented in exposition.They are a black pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr.and a young girl Sarah. The seccondary characters are Mother, Father, the boy, Grandfather and Mother's Younger Brother. One Negro man arrived into the house where his beloved girl Sarah lived. At first he met with the boy who confirmed his suggestions about Sarah's residence. Then Coalhouse Walker saw Mother. She tried to convince Sarah to meet with him, but Sarah turned such proposition down. Incomplication the colored man began coming into the house every Sunday. Sarah refused to see him all the same.She said nothing about her visitor but Mother began regreting her intransigence. She decided to invite the colored man to take tea with her family. In climax Coalhouse Waker told about himself and then started playing the piano. He represented wonderful compositions and enchanted everybody with splendid music. Indenouenment everybody applauded to the man in silence. The pianist was solemn. They were impressed by his playing. But unforgiving Sarah didn't want to enter the room. So the pianist said good day to all members of the family, gazed at the baby and went out.

Depending upon the manner in which the novel is represented we can speak about the language of the story. It is informal, emotional and has descriptive character. It's also lyrical in some way. The text abounds in neutral words and set phrases. E.g. to take a glace at the child, to stare (gaze) at smb, to regret smth, to bring to a conclusion. From grammar point of view thelanguage of the story is not very comolicated. The predominant tense is Past Simple one. Only a few sentences are written in Present Continuous and Past Perfect Tense. E.g.I am looking for a young woman of color whose name is Sarah. Apparently Sarah had come by herself from New York to work as a servant. Simple modal passive and participle constructions are also represented in the story. E.g.Mother could not judge his age. He was dressed in the affection of wealth. Pulling up before the boy, he idled his throttle and beckoned with a gloved hand.In general the sentences are not complex and the text is not difficult for understanding.