...which parts of The Fountainhead would you have made her change?
[ October 03, 2006, 07:30 PM: Message edited by: Dobbie ]
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Well, given that she's been dead for close to 15 years . . .
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
Yeah, if we're getting into necromantic publishing, I can think of much more interesting and eeeeeeevil decisions to make.
Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
This thread no sense.
Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
You know, when someone writes a classic book, even a highly polarizing (there's that word again) one like The Fountainhead, or any of Ayn Rand's books, it's hard to look back through the lens of time and start suggesting changes that would -- what? Make the book more acceptable to those who hate it? I'm not sure what the motivation for this thread is.
I wouldn't make her change anything.
Dobbie, what would *you* have made her change? Perhaps if you give us your thoughts on the subject, we can begin to begin....
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
I'd make her burn it in a fire. Posted by Pelegius (Member # 7868) on :
The writing. I am sorry, but her prose was so bad that I could not even get through the first few chapters of Atlas Shrugged. I had to look up her philosophy elsewhere to see how much I disliked it.
Her essays at least have the benefit of being brief.
Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
Absolutely nothing.
Posted by Ben (Member # 6117) on :
although I enjoy The Fountainhead more than Atlas Shrugged, I'm with quid. Burn her works in a fire. That'll learn her.
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
...and I was a lady...
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I'd make her give it away for free.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
If I were her publisher, I wouldn't have her change anything because I know that the book will make money in its present form.
I'm not trying to publish something that changes mankind here. I'm trying to make an honest buck. Get off my back already!
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
I like Bob's suggestion.
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
plaid, That took me a second, but man, it was funny.
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
Nothing! The novel totally existed to become a negative personality red-flag in Dirty Dancing. Why change that?
Posted by Dobbie (Member # 3881) on :
I'm pretty sure the Rules, Policies, and Disclaimer prohibit mentioning that movie in any thread I start. After all, there's a reason none of the actors from that movie are still working.
Posted by NicholasStewart (Member # 9781) on :
quote:Originally posted by Bob_Scopatz: I'd make her give it away for free.
Haha! That'd make her roll over in her grave!
Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
quote:I'd make her give it away for free.
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
You're the kind of people that would suggest adding balloons and confetti to Dante's Inferno.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Brilliant!
Posted by Squish (Member # 9191) on :
Nada.
Posted by Celaeno (Member # 8562) on :
I loved the book--it's by far my favorite of her work (I couldn't even get through Atlas Shrugged).
The one thing I didn't think was necessary (I'm assuming spoilers are all right here) was the marriage of Roark and Dominique. Yes, they belong together, but marriage? Why? It didn't seem to fit in with their characters.
Posted by Dead_Horse (Member # 3027) on :
quote: Haha! That'd make her roll over in her grave!
My first thought: They buried her in gravel? Ow.
My brother read Rand. I always meant to....
Maybe it's just as well that I didn't.
Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
Do. It's great.
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
Bob, you are hilarious!
I liked Atlas Shrugged. I would have cautioned her against beating her ideas to death, though. That did get tedious. I kept thinking, "Yeah. We get it already!" And John Galt's speech on the radio was pretty unrealistic. Does she really think anyone is going to listen to any speech for four hours (I think that's how long she said it lasted)?
Posted by starLisa (Member # 8384) on :
I read the whole thing all the way through, completely rapt. I can't see why a speech would have been that different.
Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
I don't know....
Maybe the rape (wait but no it isn't!) scene?
----
You know, when I was a senior in high school, one of my assignments for English was to enter an essay contest.
I entered the one sponsored by whatever foundation is supporting Rand's ideas these days which required that we read "The Fountainhead" and then write something or other about it.
Of course, my essay challenged the premises of the book (I don't really recall exactly what I wrote). I know it was fairly well-written for a high schooler. Or at least, I think it was pretty funny, high-handed smart a**-ness.
I didn't win. Okay -- that's not entirely true. I won some great indoctrination materials from the foundation.
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
quote:Originally posted by kmbboots: Does she really think anyone is going to listen to any speech for four hours (I think that's how long she said it lasted)?
Well, not that it matters, but I can think of at least two Latin American heads of state that have, on many occasions, liked to hear themselves talk for over four hours.
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