J.P. Morgan

In Ragtime, E.L. Doctorow makes a point to introduce J.P. Morgan and his ever-evolving nose. His nose, known to be the result of a chronic skin disease called rosacea, grew larger and larger as he accumulated more and more wealth. Doctorow’s development of the historical allusion of Morgan’s nose seems to coincide and be yet another example of the book’s larger motif of transformation. His nose was represented as a cluster of strawberry blemishes that had “…colonized his nose…” (139). The disease had come to Morgan when he was just beginning his career as a superior American financier and banker and “as he grew older and richer the nose grew larger” (139). And although Mr. Morgan thought that his nose had become a hideous focal point on his face, he admired it and found it oddly soothing. To him, the additional bloom of a scarlet bulge on his nose only meant that his successes and riches had somehow become even more colossal and titanic and furthered his transformation into one of the most powerful men in the world. This perverted relationship with an awful sore on his nose seems to be backed up by historical evidence that he also had a very unhealthy relationship and control over the nation’s money and credit. Yet even though J.P. Morgan sought fulfillment through financial and industrial domination, the blemishes covering the surface of his nose were a constant reminder of mortality for him. The “monstrous nose” was “the steadiest assurance he had” (140). The growing pimples reminded him of his humanity and that at some point this would all come to an end. As Doctorow describes Morgan’s self doubt and contradicting satisfaction that the nose brings he also brings up the literary allusion of Nathaniel Hawthorn’s The Birthmark, Morgan’s favorite story. It tells the tale of a young, beautiful, girl with just one birthmark on her cheek. The woman’s husband makes her a potion that is supposed to rid her of the marking, and when she drinks it, her birthmark slowly disappears and as the last remnants of the birthmark dark across her face fade away, she dies. Doctorow’s allusion to this story is puzzling in that Morgan’s physical imperfection is something he is proud of and is a constant reminder to him of his surplus of wealth and his limitless life. Yet it is also a reminder that someday it will come to an end and it seems strange because his life is so luxurious, but he is not afraid to die. The hideous nose is key in reminding him of that mortal factor but it also must be satisfying in that it reminds him of his infinitely growing wealth that is transforming American business and industry. The fact that Doctorow brings up such an insignificant aspect of Morgan’s face brings up another common theme throughout the novel. All of the tiny details that Doctorow purposefully mentions and describes about each character helps strengthen the overall character development of the novel and taps into the characters’ psychological processes and further intensifies and reinforces the themes, and specifically the common thread of transformation of character, throughout the novel.


Kerry Krause




Kohn, George Childs. "J. P. Morgan, business practices and." The New Encyclopedia of American Scandal. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2001. American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE52&iPin=EAS0351&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 9, 2011).


Wepman, Dennis. "Morgan, J. P." In Hoogenboom, Ari, and Gary B. Nash, eds. Encyclopedia of American History: The Development of the Industrial United States, 1870 to 1899, Revised Edition (Volume VI). New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2010. American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
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Chernow, Ron. The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of 
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Touching Down to the Duke

E.L. Doctorow adverted to many historical allusions in his novel Ragtime. Most frequently he mentions the great magician Harry Houdini, and as we progress further into the novel and further into the twentieth century, he gets introduced to the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. “Sitting in the car was the Archduke Franz-Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. The Archduke was dressed in the uniform of a field marshal of the Austrian Army. …. The Archduke Franz Ferdinand didn’t seem to know who Houdini was. He congratulated him on the invention of the aeroplane” (105). Although Ferdinand wasn’t aware, Houdini was a native Hungarian and had been in Germany performing all over the country since he had arrived in May of 1900. In Houdini’s shows throughout Germany he had become more and more popular and it seems strange to think that a man of such a high position as Archduke wasn’t aware of the popular performer. Ferdinand asked Houdini to do a demonstration flight for them. This occurred during the time period when the airplane was invented and the Archduke, dressed in military attire, probably had hidden initiatives for seeing how the plane functioned as he was aware that tensions were mounting between European nations and although he had no idea that this hostility was going to erupt into World War I, he must have known or been encouraged to prepare for a possible showdown. The scene set up by Doctorow seems odd because there is no record of Ferdinand and Houdini ever interacting. Three days after Houdini returned from Europe, the heir to the throne was assassinated and an intricate system of alliances ignited World War I. However, this connection could possibly resemble another escape by Houdini. He left Europe just in time to escape epic disaster between a multitude of European countries. In turn, Houdini’s escape, in a larger sense, reflects America’s attempted escape and neutrality throughout the brutal Great War. It was an escape from casualties, foreign conflict, and destruction that later proved to be inevitably inescapable in order for America to exist in a freely democratic world.

By Kerry Krause

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