Ragtime Chapter 2 Summary

  • We learn—whoops—Houdini's unexpected visit interrupted Father and Mother having sex.
  • Father gets a big send off at the train station, and sets off with Peary for the Arctic aboard a ship called the Roosevelt.
  • Sailing toward the open sea, the Roosevelt passes a boat full of immigrants, which makes Father sad even though immigrants like to be patriotic. (Father sells patriotic stuff, like flags and fireworks.)