Nordenholt’s Million · Chapter
XI: Fata Morgana explained
The narrator describes his regular drives with Nordenholt and Elsa Huntingtower, during which he and Elsa dream of a future utopia they call Fata Morgana.
What happens
The narrator describes his regular drives with Nordenholt and Elsa Huntingtower, during which he and Elsa dream of a future utopia they call Fata Morgana. Nordenholt later reveals his plan to make the narrator his successor, imposing two conditions: first, that the narrator travel to London to witness the collapse of civilization firsthand, and second, that he take Elsa as a colleague in reconstruction. The chapter ends with the narrator's eager acceptance.
Themes in this chapter
Utopian Dreams vs. Reality
The narrator and Elsa build a fantasy city, Fata Morgana, while Nordenholt forces the narrator to confront the brutal reality of London's collapse.
Authoritarianism and Despotism
Nordenholt acknowledges the corrupting effect of unlimited power, warning the narrator against it while himself exercising despotic control.
Human Nature and Brutality
Nordenholt insists the narrator witness London's chaos to understand the 'brute' basis of humanity that must be overcome.
Characters to notice
- Nordenholt
Silent observer during drives; reveals his plan to make Jack his successor and imposes conditions for the role.
- Elsa Huntingtower
Sits beside the narrator during drives; co-creator of the Fata Morgana dream city; unaware of London's collapse.
- Flint
The narrator and protagonist; promoted to successor by Nordenholt; tasked with witnessing London's fall and partnering with Elsa.
- Anglesey
Mentioned as the one who will take over the narrator's current duties.
Key passages
“Fata Morgana we christened our City, after the mirage in the Straits of Messina; for it had that mixture of clear outline and unsubstantiality which seemed to fit the name.”
They named their imagined city Fata Morgana after the Sicilian mirage, because it combined vivid detail with an air of unreality.
The name symbolizes the blend of hope and illusion in their plans for the future.
“Unlimited power is bad for any man. You have only to look at the example of the Caesars to see that: Caligula, Tiberius, Nero, you’ll find the whole sordid business in Suetonius.”
Nordenholt warns that absolute power corrupts, citing Roman emperors as historical examples.
This foreshadows the moral challenges of leadership in the coming reconstruction.