Ragtime Chapter Summary & Analysis - Part 1, Chapters 11 and 12 Summary

Part 1, Chapters 11 and 12 Summary

William Howard Taft assumes the presidency of the United States, and the country begins a trend toward weight consciousness because of the man's obesity. Up until this time, an expanding waistline had been considered a sign of wealth, but now the trend reverses and the inclination toward obesity falls toward the lower classes.

Mother's Younger Brother initiates a physical relationship with Evelyn Nesbit. She is thrilled with her lover's lanky frame, which is now in vogue. Evelyn's past lovers had been portly old men, which had been a status symbol. Mother's Younger Brother lacks the financial reserves that Evelyn misses as well as the emotional reserves she could always find in Stanford White, the man whose murder she is partially implicated in.

When the murder trial begins, Harry Thaw will not allow a plea of insanity. He conducts himself with the utmost professionalism during the days in court. Evelyn performs...
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