John Ward Moorehouse: Cowperwood or Babbitt?

Abstract

The essay article one of the main characters of John Dos Passos’ trilogy U.S.A. John Ward Moorehouse. In particular, the author of the essay claims that from the standpoint of his behavior and attitude towards life John W. Moorehouse had prede- cessors: the heroes of Theodore Dreiser (Frank Cowperwood) and Harry Sinclair Lewis (George Babbitt). The author supports his claim by a number of arguments showing that in particular situations Moorehouse acts like Cowperwood, while under cer- tain circumstances he behaves like Babbitt. Who is Moorehouse in reality: Cowperwood? Babbitt? Both of them? Or has he his unique features? The essay shows that all of these assumptions are true depending on the angle which we look at them.