It surprised me to realize that the well-spoken ragtime pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr. was not a historical figure after growing accustomed to E. L. Doctorow's habit of bringing real people into his story. Doctorow even went so far as to specify that it was not known where Walker was born or whether he'd been previously married, details most narrators would have procured openly with ease. But what was really convincing about Coalhouse Walker Jr. was his story: the societal injustice, the longing to regain a shred of dignity, and the eventual spiral into violence in his quest to take the law into his own hands.
As I read more about this fictional Coalhouse character and came upon the information that he was transfictional, this made so much sense to me. Coalhouse's story is one that transcends a specific time frame and unites humanity in the common struggle against the incessantly unreliable laws we live within that protect only a small fragment of the greater population. Whenever one of us is betrayed by the society we have invested ourselves in, it's easy to fantasize about formulating an elaborate plot to regain our pride and demand the justice that we have been deprived of. Not that I'm condoning Coalhouse's actions or anything, but there's undeniably a driving force behind these two characters that represents the hubris in all of us, and even our simple desire to be treated with respect.
The story of Michael Kohlaas (who Coalhouse is based off of) takes place nearly a century before Coalhouse Walker Jr.'s and yet parallels it almost exactly. Yes, Kohlass has horses rather than a Model T Ford and yes, Walker is facing racial prejudice, but the fact that this story can credibly exist in two very different worlds and time frames shows just how timeless it is. It's even more timeless if you think about how Doctorow was actually writing this in 1975, and people were still identifying with the original Kohlaas story.
I'm totally with you when you said that Coalhouse's story is easy to disregard as extreme and unnecessary. It's easy to judge other people and look down upon it as something you would never do. However, lets be honest. When someone makes you made, you wish you could have the guts to pull of some fancy and intelligent scheme.
ReplyDeleteI really admire Coalhouse for standing up for his belief. I don’t condone his method of obtaining ‘justice’ but it’s still something. With that being said, society cannot function if everyone had guts like Coalhouse. Learning to control your ‘elemental passion’ is a necessary skill. Although it sucks, but sometimes you also have to suck it up and not try to murder every guy whose ever stepped on your toe. So while it’s super cool to see his plot play out, and have admiration for him, I’m glad it’s fictional.