Set in the early 20th century, Ragtime tells the story of three groups in the United States: African Americans, represented by Coalhouse Walker Jr., a Harlem musician; upper-class suburbanites, represented by Mother, the matriarch of a white upper-class family in New Rochelle, New York; and Eastern European immigrants,Click to see full answer. Keeping this in consideration, was Coalhouse Walker Jr a real person?REAL CHARACTERS. The hero of “Ragtime,” the musical and the novel, is the fictional piano-playing firebrand Coalhouse Walker Jr. Here is a guide to the real people portrayed in “Ragtime,” which begins previews Tuesday and opens Nov. 8 at the Oriental Theatre, 24 E.Additionally, how Old Is Ragtime mother? Mother (25 – 35, mezzo-soprano with a strong belt): Mother is a remarkable character. She very much represents the rapidly changing ideals and cultural norms at-play within the country during this era. Accordingly, who is Tateh in Ragtime? Tateh is a Jewish immigrant, and he also represents an America of possibility and imagination. He comes to the country and is at first enraged by the poverty and the slums he has to live in, while the rich live in “palaces” (3.2).Where does Ragtime take place?Ragtime is a novel by E. L. Doctorow, published in 1975. It’s a work of historical fiction is mainly set in the New York City area from 1902 until 1912.