Franz von Papen in New Jersey
The Mention of Franz von Papen's military attache, while Tateh and the family are in New Jersey, seemed very strange to me. He shows up for just about a page, and is not seen again, but he is much more mixed up in both the history of the time and the narrative of the family than you might expect. This strange "cameo" somewhat reminds me of Freud's trip through New York. A seemingly random historical figure wanders through our narrative, taking a brief look around, and leaving, without any significant effect on the plot. Both serve to remind us of the historical setting of the novel as well as providing an ironic twist, due to our hindsight. In Freud's case, we are reminded that Freud was writing his works at the same time that this novel is taking place. Then we see him return to Vienna, saying that all of America is a mistake, and complaining about the way they appropriate and ruin European culture, hinting at the figure of JP Morgan, who will only appear later in the book. Von Papen's appearence is a lot shorter, but has a similar effect. We are reminded that WW1 is coming soon, and we seen a further expanded contrast between Father's 19th century mentality and Von Papen, who is already prepared for WW1. Tateh has a similar effect, in predicting the film industry. Doctorow also creates an ironic situation, as Father asks why a German would be so interested in the New Jersey coast. Additionally, Von Papen is connected to several other figures in history. Shortly after his time on the east coast, he would travel to Mexico, as attache to the Huerta government, in direct opposition to Zapata, and Mother's Younger Brother. He even organized a group of European volunteers to fight for Huerta. After the beginning of WW1, he attempted to sabotage American war production towards Britain (which Father was involved in), before being sent back to Germany after being Caught. Following the end of WW1, he would become a politician, a staunch Monarchist and Nationalist, eventually part of the Nazi Party. He was briefly chancellor of Germany in 1932, before Hitler took power, and a member of Hitler's cabinet, until he was forced out in the Night of the Long Knives. He was acquitted at the Nuremberg Trials.
I hadn't even noticed the Von Papen reference until this time through the novel, as there's so much else to notice in the Mother-Tateh story at that point, and he's just one among many eccentric foreigners spending time in Atlantic City. Your comparison to the Freud episode is good--they both keep the novel's plot squarely within "historical time" and remind us of the larger currents surrounding this story. But Freud's visit to America was widely publicized, a "historical" event in itself (did you notice it is also mentioned in _Mumbo Jumbo_?), while Von Papen's scouting of the south Jersey shore is espionage, or hidden history. Given that Father ends up dying on the Lusitania, this encounter is more ominous than it might appear at first.
ReplyDeleteI think this point about Father ending up dying on the Lusitania is very interesting, because we see some really serious foreshadowing in Atlantic City that Father is going to be end up replaced by Tateh on multiple levels.
DeleteWe see the little girl and the little boy begin to play as sibling would, Mother and Tateh come and find then together while Father sleeps, and finally see the Germans (who eventually take Father's life) scouting out Atlantic City. In a metaphorical sense, it is really interesting to look back at this.
I remember reading this and looking up Von Papen and finding this out and it really surprised me because, as you say, he only shows up for a page, yet plays a pretty big role in actual history. I like your comparison between Father, who is stuck in the past, and Von Papen who is literally scouting for the future. I also found it interesting that this story with Von Papen is actually true, he was indeed in New Jersey at the time. He also got expelled from the US, which is interesting because both he and Emma Goldman who are both extremely radical, but on opposite ends of the political spectrum, get deported. Given the Von Papen's radical dealings during his time in the US (sabotaging and bombing bridges and stuff like that), it seems that this could be foreshadowing Father's death on the Lusitania, similar to what Zachary said.
ReplyDeleteEver since reading the final chapter I have been searching for a subtle reason for the mention of the Lusitania (despite its WWI impact). Doctorow puts everything in for a reason, and I been looking for the reason why. There has got to be some subtle irony of Father dying on the Lusitania. I guess that's what this book does to you, it makes you question everything.
My favorite point you make here is about how Father is still stuck in the 19th century while the rest of the world is leaving him behind. We saw Father falling behind American society throughout the book, but this moment makes it clear how disconnected he is from the modern world. Furthermore, the total naivety of all the characters regarding Von Papen's investigation of the coast reflects the carefree nature of American life before the war. Also, it's so crazy how many other connections Von Papen has to the characters in Ragtime. I wonder if Von Papen could have indirectly killed both Younger Brother and Father...
ReplyDeleteDoctorow's inclusion of various historical characters in his book like little Easter eggs for the reader to find is very interesting to me. His style of putting real people in places where they might of been, but we really can't know for sure is indicative of post modernism. His style of only naming characters with some historical connection makes Coalhouse walker jr. all the more interesting, as he is based on a 16th century peasant instead of someone from the 20th century.
ReplyDeleteIt makes it so much more interesting that Coalhouse is based on such an obscure character. While most other named characters in ragtime are easily found through a quick google search, Coalhouse Jr. is a niche character.
DeleteIts really interesting that Von Papen continues to affect the book well after he leaves. I wonder if Doctorow was intentionally manipulating Father and Younger Brother’s fates to align with Von Papen’s whereabouts. It really makes you wonder at what other connections we missed while reading the book, and how deeply everything is tied together. I think the most amazing part is that Doctorow is able to orchestrate all of this without breaking the historical feel of the novel, and without it seeming too coincidental. It’s also so clearly not something that the average reader would know or recognize, being so vague to the point where you almost wonder if it was indeed a coincidence with how they were all intertwined.
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