Respectability

Coalhouse Walker and Harry K. Thaw have a lot of things in common. Both characters had their spouses “taken” from them, albeit in different manners; Sarah being killed, and Nesbit’s infidelity. They both sought their own personal justice through violence, but they were both treated differently through the law. Thaw shot Stanford White out of rage. He was upset and took action into his own hands. Coalhouse, when his car was destroyed, first sought legal recourse but there was no one willing to take on his case. They just told him to deal with it. Thaw acted irrationally immediately, Coalhouse only used violence after being told he would not get justice through the judicial system, and after Sarah died. After Thaw shot Stanford White, he was found guilty of temporary insanity. He was put in a comfortable and luxurious jail cell with plenty of amenities not given to regular prisoners. Coalhouse was described by father as “a peaceful man driven mad by circumstances not of his own doing.” Walker was seen as insane despite unsuccessfully going through legal recourse first and being far more respectable than Thaw. Father even described Coalhouse as “A peaceful man driven mad by circumstances not of his own doing.” While Thaw was deemed “temporarily insane” because of his money and race. These two characters represent the differences in perceived respectability based on race. Coalhouse is seen as respectable by the public because he is black, despite his actions, overall, were more respectable than Thaw’s.