"J.P. Morgan's Stubbornness Explored"
E.L Doctorow painted J.P. Morgan as an accomplished and somewhat gifted individual, however one with comedic flaws. Morgan was treated with immense respect by everyone in the world Doctorow set up in Ragtime, being described as an international monarch of sorts who “was at home everywhere in the world”, and achieving feats such as single handedly bailing out the U.S. government with a loan. The dynamic between Morgan and the rest of the world was set up early on in chapter 19 when his “chauffeur thanked him profusely,” after being dropped off outside the offices of his company, highlighting the aura of a man like Morgan. He doesn’t need to thank his driver, it’s instead an honor for anyone to be able to drive around a man of his societal importance and prestige. Experiences like such, combined with Morgan's upbringing in an already rich family, can help a reader understand Morgan's disconnect with the everyday working person, however, it does not prepare a reader fo...