Ragtime's fictional characters

    Discuss the ways that Ragtime's fictional characters (Mother, Father, Tateh, etc.) interact with the historical figures (e.g., Houdini, Evelyn Nesbit, etc.) to create an atmosphere that reveals the world of the early 20th century in New York City. Pick an interaction or two, and speculate on what themes the author is highlighting. The picture above is of Evelyn Nesbit, who was arguably the first advertising sex symbol and supermodel and whose experiences are fictionalized in Ragtime. If you'd like to read a little bit more about her, here is a link: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20141222-the-worlds-first-supermodel