All right, I'm about 1/3 of the way through this book and I'm not sure I can keep reading.
Spoilers up to the first 1/3 of the book...
I saw that there are a few topics on this book but just in case I decide I'm not done, I thought I'd start a new one. I've put it down just after the second time Dominique and Roark have sex and it is that relationship that is disgusting me so much that I don't want to continue.
I mean, the book isn't exactly good anyway. I understood that it was an exaggeration and that the characters are meant to be more representations than real people. I understood that it was pushing objectivist philosophy and that I might strongly disagree with some of the things in there; which is fine. Sometimes I very much enjoy reading things I disagree with. And I was enjoying disagreeing with this book...especially the attempts to make something as subjective as architecture into a logical, correct, nearly scientific pursuit. I found that Roark's building philosophy was fine, though I wouldn't hire him since I think the "useless" building decor can be quite pretty.
But now we've moved on to something that I'm not understanding and maybe someone can explain it to me. Roark rapes Dominique...though she wanted it and he knew she did and she knew he knew. Somehow they have this great mind-reading thing going on which is convenient since neither one of them knows how to communicate and probably doesn't think communication is that useful of an endeavor. Then she writes an article, tries to destroy him, and tells him they're going to sleep together every time she does such a thing? Er....maybe I don't even want to understand this part of the book.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Rand had some issues.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
She definitely did. She felt that women ought to be dominated by men. I can't figure out how she wound up like that. She wrote an essay about how a woman should never be President. In Atlas Shrugged, when Dagny puts on a bracelet that Reardon made, Rand says that it symbolized the most feminine aspect: being chained. <shudder>
She had some serious psychosexual problems.
Posted by theamazeeaz (Member # 6970) on :
Yeah, I found that part rather bothersome. In fact I wouldn't have done most of what Roark does throughout most of the book. I did get something out of reading it though. It made me think about the definition of a hero. Roark sticks to his principles and never sells out no matter what the cost. Even if I don't think what he does or think architecture merits violent reactions (and believe me, I can see some pretty fugly buildings from my bedroom), I can extrapolate the concept to the difference between what's popular versus what's right in far more serious situations. I think Rand underestimates the value that the pleasure of society can bring to you- in her (or Roark's) world it's black and white and Howard is all one color.
Posted by Christine (Member # 8594) on :
Well, at least I'm not the only one disturbed by that! Maybe I can try to ignore those parts of the book and finish reading.
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
I really enjoyed atlas shrugged, but didn't really like fountainhead
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I liked the book, although I disagreed with it, when I read it the first time.
I was 15. Please excuse me.
The part I didn't like, which made me put down the book for almost a year, is the part you mentioned.
Posted by Dobbie (Member # 3881) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lisa: In Atlas Shrugged, when Dagny puts on a bracelet that Reardon made, Rand says that it symbolized the most feminine aspect: being chained.
Are you suggesting that there is a more feminine aspect?
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
Do you post things like that just to demonstrate your "wit"?
Posted by Darth_Mauve (Member # 4709) on :
(or lack there of?)
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Well, duh. That's what the Dobbie login is for. Posted by Lanfear (Member # 7776) on :
I guess I'm just jaded. That part of the fountainhead didn't even phase me at all.
The book is one of my favorites.
Obviously I think the rape thing is stupid, but their are people who like being dominated and get off to that kind of fantasy.
Definitely wasn't the focus of the book or anything..
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Actually, it kinda WAS, and it bothered me the whole way though.
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
quote:Obviously I think the rape thing is stupid, but their are people who like being dominated and get off to that kind of fantasy.
The people who are into D/s and bdsm tend to despise Rand and her take on sexuality because it was based on wholly sexist notions that relegated women to man's servitude and dominance for virtue of expected gender roles.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kwea: Actually, it kinda WAS, and it bothered me the whole way though.
Actually, it kinda wasn't.
You remind me a little of this story. The fact that it bothered you the whole way through is because you couldn't put it down.
Posted by Lanfear (Member # 7776) on :
quote:Originally posted by Samprimary:
quote:Obviously I think the rape thing is stupid, but their are people who like being dominated and get off to that kind of fantasy.
The people who are into D/s and bdsm tend to despise Rand and her take on sexuality because it was based on wholly sexist notions that relegated women to man's servitude and dominance for virtue of expected gender roles.
I don't know what D and bdsm mean if I'm to be honest here. I don't really want an explanation either.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
D/S = Dominance/submission BDSM = Bondage, discipline, sado-masochism
Posted by Christine (Member # 8594) on :
I don't think it's the focus of the book but I have abandoned it anyway. I'm trying to do a 50 books in a year challenge and frankly, if it takes me a month to get through this book because I keep putting it down, it doesn't help me meet my goals. I may try again next year.
That said, while it isn't the focus of the book it does seem to be a big subplot. There seems to be some disagreement about whether Dominique's desire to be dominated is a sexist thing or not.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
What part of "I don't want any explanation" was hard for you to understand?
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Well, Lanfear, let this be a lesson. If you give someone an opening to explain something to you, they just might do it even if you've asked them not to.
Much safer just to nod wisely at the acronyms you don't want to understand.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)