I am in the process of creating a second oral commentary on The Fountainhead... I read the book last year with Mrs. Oliver, and absolutely loved it; in my oral commentary on it, I discussed Rand's view on aesthetics and its relationship to the novel. Now, I am discussing the absence of historical relevence in the novel--which I see as an important theme--and how Rand meant for the story to be, quite literally, TIMELESS. I'm off to school, but that's my two cents for now.
Rode the trainer both days this weekend, and commenced my winter weights program again... damn, i'm out of shape. Now I'm just sore and tired.
1 comment:
Hey Kevin-ho,
Ooh, don't get me started....
Rand's aim was to perfect what she called "Romantic Realism" which was much favored by Victor Hugo and Dostoevsky. She thought that Tolstoy departed too much from the Romantic into Realism and did not like other Romanticists like Thomas Hardy and Dickens for there non-heroic world views. Being keen on Rand, I read those who inspired her, mostly Victor Hugo. Her favorite of his is Ninety-Three, about (if you didn't guess) the Revolution. She enjoyed more Hugo's semi-villains like Javert the policeman from Les Miserables.
Much of her work is very marked by her personality and her quest for the ideal in man. She often gets stuck in weird corners where she argues that the major key of G is better than all others because it is more positive, thus heroic, thus more ideal.
She hits the sublime, not so much in her literal approach of writing aestetics, but in her sense of life. Although Howard Roark is considered by some to be a tragic character, he is the very paragon of defiance. Most people equate him with Frank Lloyd Wright, but that is just stupid. I enjoy Roark's relationships with more minor characters such as Steven Mallory (the plaster baby scene is sweet) and Mike. Again in Atlas Shrugged I tend to like minor characters that seem more real than John Galt like Ellis Wyatt.
Rand was extremely deliberate in her choices of theme and structure. In Fountainhead, she follows Dominique's efforts to self-destruct in her three marriages. What is most interesting is Toohey telling her that she is on his side for opposite reasons. Rand's theme of the second-rater versus the self-made man is very, very American. I'm more intrigued by borderline characters like the tragic Mallory and Cameron.
But I won't go on and on here! I gave a class at CU on Romantic Realism and did you know that Baba married my dad because she was keen on Rand at the time? My father was the Rand hero to a tee, but he fell into compromises that take place in real life, not in fiction.
I would very much like to hear your comments about Fountainhead. I'm glad another fan is in the bunch! I met Max's dad at a Rand discussion group, and Max is named after a prominent German philosopher who promoted egoism, Max Stirner. Max is more keen on Popper and pan-critical rationalism, but we all started with Rand.
Your site looks very fun--I love the pictures--very, very nice. When I get my web comic going I'll let you know.
ciao for now!
aunt rachel
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