Political and social ideas are displayed everywhere in Ragtime, because each small plot is part of the metanarrative of the time period in which it is set. Doctorow's politics are oozing from his book in every scene, and I think that the deepest analysis of it will boil down to his beliefs. This blog post analyses the politics that Doctorow reveals in Father.
Through all of the book, Father is depicted as a typically thick-headed, slightly racist, white, middle-class dad. He is utterly stereotypical and intentionally written to be the least likable character in the book. He responds to Coalhouse showing up to his house by taking an instant dislike to him because of his pride and posh appearance. There were many times when Father made me cringe, most notably of which was when he heard the remarkable performance of ragtime music and asked Coalhouse if he knew any "coon music", to which no one knew how to respond, and Coalhouse became exceedingly agitated. This scene was obviously written to make the reader feel uneasy about Father's opinions.
After Coalhouse starts his rampage, we are again made to feel a deep discomfort of Father as a person, as he chews out Younger Brother for sympathizing with Coalhouse for having had his betrothed killed and his car destroyed. This is when tensions appear to be highest between Father and Younger, who has a history of embodying a more understandable liberal viewpoint and knowledge of other people's problems.
The idea I think Doctorow is trying to convey here is related to Coalhouse's purpose for blowing up the fire station: as we said in class, he is 1960's civil rights transplanted into the 1900's, and he wants his right to his car. Father clearly fails to see that basic issue because of his pig-headed ignorance. People who have an understanding and appreciation for others, like Younger clearly has, as pointed out by his knowledge of ragtime music, will understand their issues and take the just side, while people like Father, who fail to know the difference between their stereotypes and reality, will pick whichever side their stereotypes point to from the beginning, which is not usually the just side.
