Let's Read: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Datcord · Aug 8, 2018

foamy said:
The Sword of Truth series is best utilized as kindling, as it makes inferior toilet paper.

That's because it's already full of shit.

Macchiato · Aug 9, 2018

Okay, housekeeping stuff first. As this is divided into, er, parts, and those parts have chapters, I'm obviously going to be doing the chapters of the parts. I think the weekly schedule will work well, since the chapters seem relatively short, but I may put up something sooner if I'm able to sufficiently get my shit together at any given moment. I bought the Centennial Edition which included both The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, so I guess that confirms what I'm reading after this XP

Also, the promised pictures.

Part 1: Peter Keating
Chapter 1

The stone had the stillness of one brief moment in battle when thrust meets thrust and the currents are held in a pause more dynamic than motion. The stone glowed, wet with sunrays.

Anyone else getting a sex feeling from this? Because it made me distinctly uncomfortable <.< Like, this is the first paragraph of the book. Way to set the tone…

He felt his shoulder blades drawn tight together, the curve of his neck, and the weight of the blood in his hands.

How do you feel the curve of your neck without... touching it?

I literally just tried it and I could feel my neck curve, but that's an action, not the curve of my neck itself. I… @.@ am so confused.

His hair was neither blond nor red, but the exact color of ripe orange rind.

He's a red-head? I feel like this explains so much that he's a ginger. I mean, you're already made to feel like an outsider so why not roll with it? "You don't get to tell me you don't like me because I'd already decided I didn't like you first!" Okay, I'm probably going to need to keep the ranga discrimination to a minimum because I feel mean xD (my brother-in-law's a redhead, I've heard all the jokes

)

He laughed at the thing which had happened to him that morning and at the things which now lay ahead

Like, I know this is supposed to draw us in and make us wonder, but it just comes across as smugly enigmatic. Weirdly, when I re-read this to get quotes and stuff, knowing what it was, it made more sense and I came away more neutral about this. Still, just tell us what the thing is from the start because you're really not making this Roark guy very likable right now.

There were questions to be faced and a plan of action to be prepared. He knew that he should think about it. He knew also that he would not think, because everything was clear to him already, because the plan had been set long ago, and because he wanted to laugh. He tried to consider it. But he forgot.

He had to do the thing. He knew he should do the thing. He also knew that he would not do the thing, because he'd already done the thing, and because he wanted to laugh. He tried to do the thing, but he forgot.

:jackiechan:

I feel like I just wasted a piece of my life reading that and trying to parse it for hidden meaning.

He looked at the granite. To be cut, he thought, and made into walls. He looked at a tree. To be split and made into rafters. He looked at a streak of rust on the stone and thought of iron ore under the ground. To be melted and to emerge as girders against the sky. These rocks, he thought, are here for me; waiting for the drill, the dynamite and my voice; waiting to be split, ripped, pounded, reborn; waiting for the shape my hands will give them.

Yes, the whole world is here for you and meant to be shaped by you. That definitely doesn't make you come across as self-centered and arrogant, nope.

Architectural School of the Stanton Institute of Technology.

ASSIT? … Did you think that one through?

Some remained staring after him with sudden resentment. They could give no reason for it: it was an instinct his presence awakened in most people.

This usually means you're an asshole. Or you have a punchable face. Is it your hair colour?

She did not know what it was about him that had always made her want to see him broken.

Again, usually that he's.. Bah, just look back up to what I just said.

You just watch Petey from now on. I'm not one to want my boy to kill himself with work and I'll thank the Lord for any small success that comes his way. But if that boy isn't the greatest architect of this U.S.A., his mother will want to know the reason why!"

Ngl lady, but considering you know this guy's just been kicked out of architectural school and may never be a successful architect, this is a pretty terrible thing to be saying right at this moment. Or is this just an extension of you wanting to see him broken? Because even then, it's still a pretty dick move.

His hands had long fingers, hard veins, prominent joints and wristbones.

I mean, I like and notice people's hands more than most, but this is weird to randomly start talking about. Why am I supposed to care about his hands right now? He's drawing something, what does talking about his hard veins have to do with anything? Also, hard veins? :ogles:

*coughs uncomfortably*

But do you realize what a passing fancy that whole so-called modern movement is? You must learn to understand—and it has been proved by all authorities—that everything beautiful in architecture has been done already.

"The old standards have lived for thousands of years and nobody has been able to improve upon them. What are your modernists? A transient mode, exhibitionists trying to attract attention.

So, I know this was published in the 1940s and all so there was not really a way to predict but… how'd this train of thought work out for you there, Mr. School Dean? I was with you until you started making a complete ass of yourself talking about the "so-called modern movement" and that everything beautiful's been done already. Like, I know that's the point, to make him seem obtuse and traditional but it's not like I'm loving Roark atm

Unfortunately, this puts me in the really awkward position of having to side with an asshole. Thanks a lot, Mr. Dean.

"I don't propose to force or be forced. Those who want me will come to me."

*coughs uncomfortably* :ogles:

He had never learned the process of thinking about other people. But he wondered, at times, what made them such as they were.

You and every other misanthropic high schooler, at least the first part. But a good number of us grow out of this; something tells me you haven't.

Okay, so what we have so far is a main character who has New Ideas about architecture and how it can be done, to the point where he's kicked out of architectural college for not conforming. He doesn't fit in with what everyone around him thinks he should do, and he doesn't care about any of that either. I can't imagine why this would appeal to people in high school at all :eyeroll:

Although why high schools would think this was a good idea to feed to their students is beyond me.

I know this is only the first chapter so I don't want to delve hugely into analysis just yet since it's rather early days to be drawing conclusions, but to say I see issues with his particular mindset and attitude is perhaps an understatement.

As for the writing, I'm a bit so so on it. I initially thought it was fairly average, like why do you have to tell me in excruciating detail about everything about Roark, but on re-read it bothered me slightly less. Rand is pretty clearly angling for him to be, like, the epitome of all that is wonderful, though, which will likely get more annoying as we progress. Anyone else notice that both of the other people he directly interacted with had "fat" adjectives ascribed to them? Pudgy, soft…

Also, it could just be my expectations of sex stuff cropping up but there were some innuendos that just made me go "Was that really necessary? Wasn't there a better adjective/verb you could've used?"

Also also, who's Peter Keating and why is the Part named after him when there's no sign of him?

Random tally of random things:
Possible sexual innuendos or maybe I'm just dirty-minded: 4
People who dislike Roark for unidentifiable reasons: Everyone, apparently. But he doesn't care.

Now if you don't mind, I'm going to be over here trying to figure out how to feel the curve of my neck.

Bea · Aug 9, 2018

Macchiato said:
Yes, the whole world is here for you and meant to be shaped by you. That definitely doesn't make you come across as self-centered and arrogant, nope.

A Rand hero egocentric and arrogant? I don't believe you.

Macchiato said:
Also also, who's Peter Keating and why is the Part named after him when there's no sign of him?

Who is John Galt?

shinaobi · Aug 9, 2018

Macchiato said:
Chapter 1

Okay, so what we have so far is a main character who has New Ideas about architecture and how it can be done, to the point where he's kicked out of architectural college for not conforming. He doesn't fit in with what everyone around him thinks he should do, and he doesn't care about any of that either. I can't imagine why this would appeal to people in high school at all Although why high schools would think this was a good idea to feed to their students is beyond me.

I know this is only the first chapter so I don't want to delve hugely into analysis just yet since it's rather early days to be drawing conclusions, but to say I see issues with his particular mindset and attitude is perhaps an understatement.

As for the writing, I'm a bit so so on it. I initially thought it was fairly average, like why do you have to tell me in excruciating detail about everything about Roark, but on re-read it bothered me slightly less. Rand is pretty clearly angling for him to be, like, the epitome of all that is wonderful, though, which will likely get more annoying as we progress. Anyone else notice that both of the other people he directly interacted with had "fat" adjectives ascribed to them? Pudgy, soft…

Also, it could just be my expectations of sex stuff cropping up but there were some innuendos that just made me go "Was that really necessary? Wasn't there a better adjective/verb you could've used?"

Also also, who's Peter Keating and why is the Part named after him when there's no sign of him?

You'll see the reason for the first part having the name that it does shortly, (though if I'm being honest she really could have just renamed the parts 1, 2, and 3 without losing much) the reason will out.

Rand's generally pretty direct about coding morality (where morality is directly equated to 'embodiment of Objectivist ideals') overtly with attractiveness--and becomes even more intense about it in her later writing (she's kinda weird about it in The Fountainhead, but The Fountainhead is weird about a lot of things). Whenever she leads with physical descriptions you can just sketch a rough picture in your head to determine how you're supposed to judge their moral fiber.

If that sounds awfully dismissive, that's the point: in an Objectivist world, the best people just are The Best, and you can dismiss the rest of the useless secondhanders out of hand, no matter their idiot bleating to the contrary. It's why I wish that her beliefs weren't so toxic, Ayn Rand is relentless about teaching you the way she views the world and is in that sense a good stepping stone for teaching readers to learn to recognize the ways other authors do the same thing.

But since her ideology is so toxic, it's really for the best to just hand the kids The Great Gatsby or something instead, at least that way you don't need to seriously worry you'll bear indirect responsibility for creating a douchebag.

Cadis · Aug 9, 2018

Macchiato said:
As for the writing, I'm a bit so so on it. I initially thought it was fairly average, like why do you have to tell me in excruciating detail about everything about Roark, but on re-read it bothered me slightly less. Rand is pretty clearly angling for him to be, like, the epitome of all that is wonderful, though, which will likely get more annoying as we progress. Anyone else notice that both of the other people he directly interacted with had "fat" adjectives ascribed to them? Pudgy, soft…

So it's really only becomes set in stone in Atlas Shrugged, but even in the Fountainhead, Rand has a tendency to portray villains as ugly and the Objectivist heroes as thin, angular, beautiful people.

Vindictus · Aug 9, 2018

Macchiato said:
Although why high schools would think this was a good idea to feed to their students is beyond me.

IDK, maybe they figured it would be easier to make them read if they identified with the 'protagonist'?

The Victorian · Aug 9, 2018

"One of the most influential novelists of all time" eh?

Does anyone give a damn about this woman's writing outside the United States?

Macchiato · Aug 9, 2018

Grimnir said:
IDK, maybe they figured it would be easier to make them read if they identified with the 'protagonist'?

On the one hand, yes, on the other hand, you're validating their self-centered assholeness which we know is definitely something every teenager "needs".

Drascin · Aug 9, 2018

Macchiato said:
On the one hand, yes, on the other hand, you're validating their self-centered assholeness which we know is definitely something every teenager "needs".

I'm reminded of that one quote that went something like "There are two novels that can change a teenager's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."

Chloe Sullivan · Aug 9, 2018

Drascin said:
I'm reminded of that one quote that went something like "There are two novels that can change a teenager's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."

Quote is from TV producer/Writer John Rodgers.

There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.

From: Kung Fu Monkey: Ephemera 2009 (7)

Hykal94 · Aug 9, 2018

Macchiato said:
I… @.@ am so confused.

/thread

Marla · Aug 9, 2018

The only thing I got from the quoted passages is that the protagonist is a self-entitled, arrogant asshole who just got kicked out of college.

I recently read a novel where the protagonist got kicked out of college too, but he didn't read like an asshole though, more like an earnest guy who got screwed over by the faculty.

The sheer difference between the two is amazing. Must be the descriptions.

Dorsey · Aug 9, 2018

Macchiato said:
Okay, so what we have so far is a main character who has New Ideas about architecture and how it can be done, to the point where he's kicked out of architectural college for not conforming.

The funny thing about that, the narrative is implying he's getting kicked out for not conforming but the actual words state that he's getting kicked out for not doing the work. Anytime they ask him to design according to established principals, you know to prove he knows the material, he blows them off and does his own thing. Our hero ladies and gents.

Mad Oracle · Aug 9, 2018

My Literature Teacher was right to tell me to never read Ayn Rand's work, good thing I didn't.

Caconym · Aug 9, 2018

The Victorian said:
"One of the most influential novelists of all time" eh?

Does anyone give a damn about this woman's writing outside the United States?

Our current Home Secretary is a big fan of Rand in general and this book in particular. He cited its adaptation as the film that was most important to him (apparently it struck a chord with his 12 year old self) and claims to reread a particular scene in the book twice yearly.

So it has at least one overseas fan

.

Space Oddity · Aug 9, 2018

Dorsey said:
The funny thing about that, the narrative is implying he's getting kicked out for not conforming but the actual words state that he's getting kicked out for not doing the work. Anytime they ask him to design according to established principals, you know to prove he knows the material, he blows them off and does his own thing. Our hero ladies and gents.

Right. This isn't Frank Lloyd Wright, it's Ayn's fantasy version of him, based on her own fantasy version of how architecture works.

shinaobi · Aug 9, 2018

Space Oddity said:
Right. This isn't Frank Lloyd Wright, it's Ayn's fantasy version of him, based on her own fantasy version of how architecture works.

You are actually incorrect on this one. Roark does not map to any singular historical (or contemporary as of the book's writing) architect, and is explicitly written not to be; it's vague on when precisely it takes place but it's most definitely the 20s and 30s. For the sake of not spoiling characters I'm not going to say who does and doesn't map to historical (contemporary) people.

Datcord · Aug 9, 2018

Macchiato said:
Anyone else getting a sex feeling from this? Because it made me distinctly uncomfortable <.< Like, this is the first paragraph of the book. Way to set the tone…

Also, hard veins?

*coughs uncomfortably*

Possible sexual innuendos or maybe I'm just dirty-minded: 4

*narrows eyes*
*points at eyes*
*points at Macchiato*
I'm watchin' you, lady. I have a cease and desist ON HAND! ...look, how it got here and who's name is actually on it isn't important.

...also, how is it you managed to get more innuendo out of the first chapter of YOUR book than I got out of mine and mine is LITERALLY ABOUT FUCKING A BEAR?! I fear for your sanity for new, different, more terrible reasons, now.

(Also, calling it now: "The Fountainhead" turns out to be Roark's mom's detachable showerhead.)

Space Oddity said:
Right. This isn't Frank Lloyd Wright, it's Ayn's fantasy version of him, based on her own fantasy version of how architecture works.

Frank Lloyd VeryVeryWrong, got it.

Macchiato · Aug 9, 2018

Datcord said:
*narrows eyes*
*points at eyes*
*points at Macchiato*
I'm watchin' you, lady. I have a cease and desist ON HAND! ...look, how it got here and who's name is actually on it isn't important.

...also, how is it you managed to get more innuendo out of the first chapter of YOUR book than I got out of mine and mine is LITERALLY ABOUT FUCKING A BEAR?! I fear for your sanity for new, different, more terrible reasons, now.

(Also, calling it now: "The Fountainhead" turns out to be Roark's mom's detachable showerhead.)

Look, I've never claimed to be innocent and pure and all of that stuff. People just assume that because I have a rabbit as my avatar, that I'm often hyper and cheerful and upbeat, and believe in equity and fairness and all that jazz, that I can't have a dirty mind. That assumption is not my fault OOO:

Also, I'm pretty sure Ayn Rand was trying to do the subconscious thing and add that stuff in non-obviously to set the tone without setting the tone. Because that's what writers do.

Space Oddity · Aug 9, 2018

Datcord said:
(Also, calling it now: "The Fountainhead" turns out to be Roark's mom's detachable showerhead.)

God, I wish it was.

You are all going to wish that it was.

Macchiato · Aug 20, 2018

Part 1: Peter Keating
Chapter 2

Wherein we discover who Peter Keating is, and Space Oddity's cryptic comments about Mrs Keating bear slightly disturbing fruit.

We start the chapter with a speech being given at the graduation ceremony for ASSIT (yes, I'm using that acronym forever so we can reflect on the consequences of people's decisions). Wherein, we have such pearls of wisdom like:

Beauty is a compelling goddess to all artists, be it in the shape of a lovely woman or a building… Hm… Yes….

And

May you all serve faithfully, neither as slaves to the past nor as those parvenus who preach originality for its own sake, which attitude is only ignorant vanity.

Neatly coming across as slightly skeevy and pretentious at the same time; I'm impressed. Our speaker is well, I'll let him tell you:

Guy Francon, of the illustrious firm of Francon & Heyer, vice-president of the Architects' Guild of America, member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, member of the National Fine Arts Commission, Secretary of the Arts and Crafts League of New York, chairman of the Society for Architectural Enlightenment of the U.S.A.; Guy Francon, knight of the Legion of Honor of France, decorated by the governments of Great Britain, Belgium, Monaco and Siam; Guy Francon, Stanton's greatest alumnus, who had designed the famous Frink National Bank Building of New York City

Which is to say, he's really up himself and thinks he's the shit. This doesn't sound like the stereotypical architect at all.

He reflects on how fucking awesome of a sight he is, but

He wished, as he descended the steps, that this were a co-educational school.

I mean damn, what's even the point in being so magnificent when there aren't women to fawn over your magnificence, amirite Guy? You seem to be making up for it, though, all on your lonesome

The hall before him, he thought, was a splendid specimen of architecture, made a bit stuffy today by the crowd and by the neglected problem of ventilation. [...] It is, thought Guy Francon, touching; it was I who built this annex and this very hall, twenty years ago; and here I am.

Ah yes, since there are no women, you must make up the dearth by complimenting yourself and your work and marvelling at how truly amazing you are.

Then we move on, and come across

One of the heads, pale, dark haired and beautiful, belonged to Peter Keating.

Peter Keating, as I live and breathe! /southernbelle

Well that solves the mystery of who he is, anyway. We also begin to see why this Part is named after him. After all, he's Peter fucking Keating.

He was Peter Keating, star student of Stanton, president of the student body, captain of the track team, member of the most important fraternity, voted the most popular man on the campus.

The man everyone wants to be.

it was pleasant to hear this confirmation from so many eminent lips. He looked at the gray-haired orators and thought of how much younger he would be when he reached their positions, theirs and beyond them.

And humble, to boot.

So Peter muses on how good he is, but does engage in a moment of doubt that maybe he's not really the best. He thinks about his closest competitor, Ted Shlinker, but then he shakes it off.

And, he remembered, Roark had been very nice to him, helping him whenever he was stuck on a problem ... not stuck, really, just did not have the time to think it out, a plan or something. Christ! how Roark could untangle a plan, like pulling a string and it was open ... well, what if he could? What did it get him? He was done for now. And knowing this, Peter Keating experienced at last a satisfying pang of sympathy for Howard Roark.

Hey, hey guys, I found someone who doesn't completely hate Roark! I think. At least he's trying not to hate him. Really big of him. (yes, that's sarcastic)

Ted Shlinker had urged: "Of course you're coming, Pete. No fun without you. And, by the way, congratulations and all that sort of thing. No hard feelings. May the best man win." Keating had thrown his arm about Shlinker's shoulders; Keating's eyes had glowed with an insistent kind of warmth, as if Shlinker were his most precious friend; Keating's eyes glowed like that on everybody. He had said: "Thanks, Ted, old man. I really do feel awful about that A.G.A. medal—I think you were the one for it, but you never can tell what possesses those old fogies."

And hey, he didn't have to be mock-humble (or maybe real humble, who knows), so it's good of Peter to give good ol' Ted that sop his ego. It's more than our current favourite redhead would've done, so there's that.

Anyway, he commits to going out on the town with the boys but insists he's gotta get home first to spend some time with his mum. Which, is obviously Mrs. Keating, the lady who was a bit snotty to dear old Roark last chapter and I don't know how I didn't make that connection with the name in the friggin' Part title but oh well.

Interestingly, we get a smidgen of background on Mrs. Keating and… I'm reluctantly admiring of her.

His father had owned a stationery store in Stanton. Changing times had ended the business and a hernia had ended Peter Keating, Sr., twelve years ago. Louisa Keating had been left with the home that stood at the end of a respectable street, an annuity from an insurance kept up accurately—she had seen to that—and her son. The annuity was a modest one, but with the help of the boarders and of a tenacious purpose Mrs. Keating had managed.

Like, to be a single parent and pay to get your son through college is no small feat, particularly in the time this book was set/published. Lady's got grit. I can understand why she's so gratingly proud of him, even if it annoys me. And then Rand goes and ruins my admiration by talking about how she stomped on her son's dreams of being an artist which he is now reflecting on with sadness and pain.

It's funny, thought Keating, he had not remembered that youthful ambition of his for years. It's funny that it should hurt him now—to remember.

Because of course you would do that to me, Ayn. Why not.

Anyway, Peter ambles home and spots Roark hanging out on the porch.

Roark turned over on his side, looked at him, and laughed. It was a young, kind, friendly laughter, a thing so rare to hear from Roark that Keating felt as if someone had taken his hand in reassurance; and he forgot that he had a party in Boston waiting for him.

Wait wait wait, hold the phone. There's someone Roark feels something other than contempt and disdain for?

Also, anyone else seeing a ship here? Surely someone's done this, I can't be the only one who spotted it.

So Peter asks Howard for advice. He's trying to decide between a scholarship overseas, or to take on the job offered him by Guy Wanker, I mean Francon.

Predictably, Roark continues down his path of Other People's Opinions Don't Matter

"If you want my advice, Peter," he said at last, "you've made a mistake already. By asking me. By asking anyone. Never ask people. Not about your work. Don't you know what you want? How can you stand it, not to know?"

Howard, don't you know that not everyone is as egocentric and arrogant, I mean confident, as you?

So, Mrs Keating steps out and finds Howard and Peter chatting and is all mock-upset (or maybe real upset) that they aren't inside when she's got a celebration dinner all set up. They hustle inside, where Peter tries and fails to recapture the feeling of bonhomie that he'd had going with Howard before his mother so rudely interrupted. He fails, and comes off a bit of a dick.

"Look, Howard, drop the pose," he said, his voice high. "Shall I junk the scholarship and go to work, or let Francon wait and grab the Beaux-Arts to impress the yokels? What do you think?" Something was gone. The one moment was lost.

Meanwhile, Mrs Keating is all afluster and is passive aggressively insulted at her son while also trying to fish for what she wants. She thus obligates Peter to begrudgingly ask her, too, even though he doesn't really care what she has to say.

"You're quite right, Peter," said Mrs. Keating, rising. "On a question like that you don't want to consult your mother. It's too important. I'll leave you to settle it with Mr. Roark." He looked at his mother. He did not want to hear what she thought of this; he knew that his only chance to decide was to make the decision before he heard her; she had stopped, looking at him, ready to turn and leave the room; he knew it was not a pose—she would leave if he wished it; he wanted her to go; he wanted it desperately. He said: "Why, Mother, how can you say that? Of course I want your opinion. What ... what do you think?"

She, of course, does what we nowadays consider a very cliched, stereotypical female thing and doesn't tell him what she thinks exactly, but gets very passive aggressive when he picks the choice that she doesn't want him to take.

"Petey, I never think anything. It's up to you. It's always been up to you." "Well ..." he began hesitantly, watching her, "if I go to the Beaux-Arts ..." "Fine," said Mrs. Keating, "go to the Beaux-Arts. It's a grand place. A whole ocean away from your home. Of course, if you go, Mr. Francon will take somebody else. People will talk about that. Everybody knows that Mr. Francon picks out the best boy from Stanton every year for his office. I wonder how it'll look if some other boy gets the job? But I guess that doesn't matter." "What ... what will people say?" "Nothing much, I guess. Only that the other boy was the best man of his class. I guess he'll take Shlinker."

Ooooh *winces* and she goes right for the weakest spot. This woman pulls no punches to get what she wants, does she? And she knows just where to push, too, as all mothers do. Still, this is a less than edifying picture we're currently getting of motherhood.

"Mother, you want me to take the job with Francon?"
"I don't want anything, Petey. You're the boss."

Honestly, lady, I feel like this is actually doing more damage than good in the long run.

He did not know whether there was any reason why he should respect her judgment. She was his mother; this was supposed to take the place of reasons.

And after all she's done for you, Petey *sob*

But no, for real, I feel this. Our society really does push that family transcends most things, even now, and if your family's against it, overtly or not, it's incredibly hard to buck that and go your own way. And especially because she's given up so much for her son, I can imagine the weight of that could be difficult to overcome.

At any rate, Howard Roark chimes in at this point to say that he actually agrees and thinks Peter should take up the job with Francon, and offers a backhanded compliment to Keating about his work while he's at it.

"Do you really think that I do good work?" Keating looked at him, as if his eyes still held the reflection of that one sentence—and nothing else mattered. "Occasionally," said Roark. "Not often."

Damn dude, that's cold. Peter was looking to you for approval and you smacked him down.

Mrs Keating is obviously overjoyed, and hurries off to bring in the celebratory meal. But not before

She smiled at her son, an innocent smile that declared her obedience and gratitude

*gags*

Like, I don't love that for anyone to do to anybody but for a mother to her son? Fuck no. Ew ew ew ew ew ew ew stop.

….

Nope, still disgusting. Ew. God ew. Ew.

Ew.

I expected better from you, Louisa, I really did.

ANYWAY.

Peter asks Roark what his plans are, now that he's been kicked out of school.

"I'm going to work for Henry Cameron."
"Oh, no, Howard!"

Henry Cameron being the byword at the college for a successful architect who became or is now considered something of a hack.

Keating continues on about how the Cameron guy's the worst, and Roark won't get anywhere working for him. Roark is quietly confident.

At any rate, it's at this point that Petey breaks the bad news to his mother that he's actually headed into Boston with the boys and not to wait up, despite her protestations about the food she made to celebrate.

"Never mind, Mother!" He seized her elbows. "I'm in a hurry, sweetheart.

Sweetheart? You… *sputters*

She's your mother and you call her sweetheart?!

I am so so so concerned about this mother-son relationship, I don't even begin to have the words.

Also, before he disappears into the night, Peter pens a hasty note.

"Katie dearest coming New York job Francon love ever "Peter"

What's this? A lady love? Does Mommy Dearest know?

He then hops into the car with the lads and is off, dreaming about how he's going to be an architect.

Sorry, ran behind schedule in updating this. Life's been hectic, to say the least.

Okay! So we meet the famous Peter Keating. He seems more human and relatable than Howard, which admittedly isn't hard to achieve. But can I just say, I find his relationship with his mom to be weird. It also irks me that she's this passive aggressive twittery sort of... person. As someone who had the cajones to raise a son, bring in income, and send him to college, I would've expected her to stand up for herself and what she wants, even if I'm not a fan of the way she goes about it. Instead, she fawns over him like he's the bloody centre of her entire existence. It's actually slightly nauseating. I mean, maybe there's some kind of argument for her standing up for herself in how she's being passive aggressive? But in my experience, you're only like that if you feel like you don't have any power, which is clearly not how Peter feels about it, so I don't get her approach to him here.

As for Howard, well, I can see the logic behind his strategy to go work for Henry Cameron. I mean, Cameron will likely not care, and presumably once Roark starts producing what he wants to produce, there's more scope to attract the sorts of people to him rather than being subject to the whims of clients and whatnot. I imagine that's why he's going down the Cameron path, anyway.

Anyway, all up, we had less sexual innuendo but what we did have was deeply disturbing. Also, what's the deal with this Katie girl? She's obviously in New York.

Random tally of random things:
Possible sexual innuendos or maybe I'm just dirty-minded: 2 (but oh god I wish it didn't even exist)
People who dislike Roark for unidentifiable reasons: Everyone minus one Peter Keating. Or maybe half, since he can't seem to make up his mind.

Hykal94 · Aug 20, 2018

Article:

"If you want my advice, Peter," he said at last, "you've made a mistake already. By asking me. By asking anyone. Never ask people. Not about your work. Don't you know what you want? How can you stand it, not to know?"

REMEMBER FOLKS IF YOU WANT TO IMPROVE NEVER EVER EVER EVER ASK FOR PEOPLE'S HELP EVER

foamy · Aug 20, 2018

Keating, as I recall, serves a very particular narrative role: he's someone who capitulated to society, and so is contrasted with Roark's willingness to tell everyone else to fuck off. It's a comparison that gets made again and and again through the book.

Macchiato · Aug 20, 2018

foamy said:
Keating, as I recall, serves a very particular narrative role: he's someone who capitulated to society, and so is contrasted with Roark's willingness to tell everyone else to fuck off. It's a comparison that gets made again and and again through the book.

Yes, I am rather seeing that setup at this early outset. I suppose I'm just a sucker for those damn capitulators

OneirosTheWriter · Aug 20, 2018

There's just something that bemuses me about it being aynrand.org not aynrand.com.

Let's Read: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Which Ayn Rand work should I read first?

The Fountainhead

Atlas Shrugged

Anthem

We the Living

Other (please post in thread)

I will sing you the giggle of my people.

Grumpy Rabbit

In my Rebellion Era

(ಠ_ಠ)

Proud Capoeria Angola Quintal Capoerista

XENO

Elven Supremacist

Grumpy Rabbit

Subdefective

Orange Estus Kitteh

(ಠ_ಠ)

I will sing you the giggle of my people.

Grumpy Rabbit

Grumpy Rabbit

Orange Estus Kitteh

Lying liar who lies.

Grumpy Rabbit

Cabal Core Commander