Part 1
p. 89 "'Do you always have to have a purpose? Do you always have to be so damn serious? Can't you ever do things without reason, just like everybody else? You're so serious, so old. Everything's important to you, everything's great, significant in some way, every minute, even when you keep still. Can't you ever be comfortable--and unimportant?'
In this passage, Peter Keating is addressing Howard Roark. Keating is attempting to persuade Roark to join him for a night on the town in celebration of his new position at Francon & Heyer, but Roark refuses. Keating cannot sympathize with Roark's apathy, evident in his frustrated and exasperated tone. This quote gives the reader a glimpse into characters' reactions to Howard's personality and his private manner. This passage is significant because it shows how Keating and Roark's relationship will develop in the future--the tension that is present whenever they interact. Peter strikes at the heart of Roark's character--a serious, focused man who refuses to sacrifice his desires or ideals for any one man. Roark is extremely logical, so much that he can't seem to "let loose," even when Peter begs him.
In this passage, Peter Keating is addressing Howard Roark. Keating is attempting to persuade Roark to join him for a night on the town in celebration of his new position at Francon & Heyer, but Roark refuses. Keating cannot sympathize with Roark's apathy, evident in his frustrated and exasperated tone. This quote gives the reader a glimpse into characters' reactions to Howard's personality and his private manner. This passage is significant because it shows how Keating and Roark's relationship will develop in the future--the tension that is present whenever they interact. Peter strikes at the heart of Roark's character--a serious, focused man who refuses to sacrifice his desires or ideals for any one man. Roark is extremely logical, so much that he can't seem to "let loose," even when Peter begs him.
Part 2
p 265 "'The style of a soul. Do you remember the famous philosopher who spoke of the style of a civilization? He called it 'style.' He said it was the nearest word he could find for it. He said that every civilization has its one basic principle, one single, supreme, determining conception, and every endeavor of men within that civilization is true, unconsciously and irrevocably, to that one principle....I think, Kiki, that every human soul has a style of its own, also. Its one basic theme. You'll see it reflected in every thought, every act, every wish of that person. The one absolute, the one imperative in that living creature. Years of studying a man won't show it to you. His face will. You'd have to write volumes to describe a person. Think of his face. You need nothing else.'"
Toohey, while at a party, speaks to Kiki, the hostess, of his thoughts on man's soul and its connection to his face. Toohey believes that each person has a unique soul that is portrayed in their face, thoughts, and actions. This soul determines each person's path in life; how they will live and what purpose they will serve. Toohey has made an art of studying souls, as is evident in his interaction with Dominique and Keating. He needs to understand the souls of individuals so he can control and manipulate them into the beings he wishes them to be. This connects strongly with Toohey's speech to Keating later in the novel, in which he discusses his collection of souls.
Toohey, while at a party, speaks to Kiki, the hostess, of his thoughts on man's soul and its connection to his face. Toohey believes that each person has a unique soul that is portrayed in their face, thoughts, and actions. This soul determines each person's path in life; how they will live and what purpose they will serve. Toohey has made an art of studying souls, as is evident in his interaction with Dominique and Keating. He needs to understand the souls of individuals so he can control and manipulate them into the beings he wishes them to be. This connects strongly with Toohey's speech to Keating later in the novel, in which he discusses his collection of souls.
Part 3
p 375 "'Roark, before I met you, I had always been afraid of seeing someone like you, because I knew that I'd also have to see what I saw on the witness stand and I'd have to do what I did in that courtroom. I hated doing it, because it was an insult to you to defend you--and it was an insult to myself that you had to be defended...Roark, I can accept anything, except what seems to be the easiest for most people: the halfway, the almost, the just-about, the in-between. They may have their justifications. I don't know, I don't care to inquire. I know that it is the one thing not given me to understand. When I think of what you are, I can't accept any reality except a world of your kind. Or at least a world in which you have a fighting chance and fight on your own terms. That does not exist."
This is just after Dominique decides to marry Wynand, but she has stopped to see Roark before she goes to Reno. She has stopped to tell Roark about her feelings, and that she actually does genuinely love him. This is a unique occurrence for Dominique, whose tone has softened somewhat here in this passage. Described usually as a sharp, angular individual, she shows that she is vulnerable when it comes to Roark. She recognizes his ego in this passage, and has shown that she has finally figured out that she relates to Roark on an intimate level-- a level that most of the world fails to aspire to. She and Roark were both born with the inability to empathize with the sluggishness and inactivity of the common man.
This is just after Dominique decides to marry Wynand, but she has stopped to see Roark before she goes to Reno. She has stopped to tell Roark about her feelings, and that she actually does genuinely love him. This is a unique occurrence for Dominique, whose tone has softened somewhat here in this passage. Described usually as a sharp, angular individual, she shows that she is vulnerable when it comes to Roark. She recognizes his ego in this passage, and has shown that she has finally figured out that she relates to Roark on an intimate level-- a level that most of the world fails to aspire to. She and Roark were both born with the inability to empathize with the sluggishness and inactivity of the common man.
Part 4
p. 633 "'I don't want to kill him. I want him in jail. You understand? In jail. In a cell. Behind bars. Locked, stopped, strapped--and alive. He'll get up when they tell him to. He'll eat what they give him. He'll move when he's told to move and stop when he's told. He'll walk to the jute mill, when he's told, and he'll work as he's told. They'll push him, if he doesn't move fast enough, and they'll slap his face when they feel like it, and they'll beat him with rubber hose if he doesn't obey. And he'll obey. He'll take orders. He'll take orders!'"
This passage comes from within Toohey's momentous speech to Keating, in which he discusses his concept and approach to man and his soul. He violently attacks Keating with words, assaulting him with his theories on crushing a man's soul. Toohey desires this most of Roark's soul, because Toohey recognizes Roark's strong, confident personality. This is passionate; Toohey wants nothing more than to decimate Roark's soul, as is evident in his intention to send him to prison, where the ability to make choices and act freely has been robbed from him.
This passage comes from within Toohey's momentous speech to Keating, in which he discusses his concept and approach to man and his soul. He violently attacks Keating with words, assaulting him with his theories on crushing a man's soul. Toohey desires this most of Roark's soul, because Toohey recognizes Roark's strong, confident personality. This is passionate; Toohey wants nothing more than to decimate Roark's soul, as is evident in his intention to send him to prison, where the ability to make choices and act freely has been robbed from him.