Alex’s Reviews > The Fountainhead > Status Update

Toohey writes about Roark in the Banner. Gail fires him and the three others involved. Toohey goes into his office laughing, saying it’s too late and that he will be back. The union strikes the paper, leaving Gail to run the paper with terrible new hires (basically by himself). Dom comes to work at the banner again. Gail visits Roark who tells him to not give in. The paper loses advertisers and isn’t being read

Toohey comes over to Peter’s; Peter has not been leaving his apartment. He asks Peter for the full story, since he knows that Roark helped him with the Cortlandt projects. He yells at Peter, who lamely gives up the contract he and Roark made. Toohey rants about wanting power to take over the world by breaking men’s souls to feel guilty, to be performing for and jealous of others, to make everything average

Dom almost dies but recovers. Gail figured out the plan immediately and freed Roark from jail. Society explodes against Roark for his actions, since altruism is something they can all get behind, but Gail tells all of his papers to defend Roark aggressively. People move on from Roark and start hating the banner and Gail. Toohey is very happy about the situation since it puts him in a position to take the papers

Roark returns to find others helping Peter with the project houses. Peter basically had no say on the project so he couldn’t stop it. He goes to Roark and apologizes but Roark knows it isn’t his fault. He visits Dom and gives her instructions to go to the project and lie down in a ditch. That night she does, and Roark blows up the buildings, destroying Doms car making it look like she was hurt in the explosion

Gail invites Roark on his yacht for a few months, and Roark agrees. Roark tells Gail about how those who live with no self live within others, live second-hand. They do things only for the approval and acceptance of others, and therefore won’t listen to anything outside the influence of public opinion. They never do things they want solely because they want it, only because it is impressive to others

Peter runs into Katie on the streets of NYC, which surprises him since she apparently moved to DC a few years ago. She seems unsurprised and strictly polite, with no surprise. They get tea and he tells her to drop the act and about his life and how he loved her. She seems happy, but completely unsurprised or upset, as if she’s killed off that part of her past. Peter is hurt

Gail is upset when he sees the pictures of the housing since he clearly knows it’s Roarks work, but Roark tells him he’ll sue if Gail accuses him of doing it. Gail has an interaction with Alvah that makes him feel like Alvah won’t listen, and makes him think (but not enough) about his control over the company .Gail shows Roark a huge swath of land in Hell’s Kitchen that he wants Roark to build his tower on

Gail Dom and Roark are all chilling by the newly completed house. Roark is exhausted from working overtime on the housing project. Peter shows Toohey and he laughs, saying Peter accomplished what he’s been trying to do his whole life.

Roark and Peter meet for the first time in 6 years. Roark realizes Peter has changed when he asks for his help, and Peter is surprised when Roark says he’ll think about it. They meet the next day and Roark says he has been thinking about these projects for a while as a challenge and really wants to build them. With Peter as the social support and Roark as the designer they agree to secretly work together

Keatings life is becoming a failure. His office is down to one floor, after the failure of the Centuries exhibit, the resigning Guy, and the Depression. His mom moves in with him, and he starts to paint alone since it makes him peaceful. He needs one more commission, and goes to Toohey to try to get it. Toohey tells him he can have it if he succeeds but that he was always replaceable. Keating calls Roark for help