Previous
Part 2: Chapter 2
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Fountainhead, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Individualism
Integrity vs. Conformity
Rationality vs. Emotion
Love and Selfishness
Religion and Morality
Summary
Analysis
Keating’s day at the office begins with him reading the papers to see if there are any mentions of the progress of the Cosmo-Slotnick Building or the firm of Francon & Keating. He reads a story about Toohey being left a large sum of money by one of his fans, and that he has donated the whole sum to an institute of learning where he is a lecturer. Keating knows he would never do something like this, so he admires it. Keating hasn’t been able to meet Toohey yet because Toohey was away on a lecture tour and missed the fanfare of Keating winning the competition.
Keating is reveling in his newfound fame, pleased that he is being mentioned in the papers so often. Toohey, too, seems to be growing increasingly popular and is admired by the public in general for his selfless acts.
Themes
Slotnick has chosen a sculptor named Steven Mallory to make a statue of “Industry” for the building’s lobby, but Keating doesn’t like Mallory or his work. After seeing Mallory’s submission, Slotnick agrees with Keating and leaves him the task of finding another sculptor. Keating tries to decide between two well-connected sculptors and likes the feeling of holding the fate of two men in his hands. It makes him feel like “a great man—by the grace of those who depend on him.”
Keating’s feeling of greatness is derived from the power he holds over others—so power is not born of self-sufficiency but rather is dependent on other people.
Themes
Keating notices a letter from the Banner on his desk and opens it to find a strip of proofs for the next day’s paper. It is an article by Toohey for his column “One Small Voice,” and it is subtitled “Keating.” Toohey writes that Keating has the promise of greatness. There is “no personality stamped” on the Cosmo-Slotnick Building, and in this “lies the greatness of the personality. […] Thus, a single man comes to represent […] the multitude of all men together.” The article is accompanied by a note from Toohey, asking Keating to stop by his office and see him sometime. Keating immediately calls and makes an appointment to see him the next day.
Toohey’s praise often sounds like a thinly veiled insult, and this is a great example. He calls the Cosmo-Slotnick Building “great” because it has no personality. It is absolutely generic, Toohey says, and therefore it represents everyone. Toohey aims to create a world of mediocrity by praising it whenever he encounters it, but he himself is never really fooled by its supposed merits though much of the public—including Keating—is.
Themes
When Keating returns to the office after lunch, he hears that Toohey has been shot. Keating is immediately worried that the Banner won’t run the column about him if Toohey is dead, but he finds out that the shot missed him. He discovers that Steven Mallory was the one who shot Toohey. Keating feels an inexplicable dread, wishing it had been anyone but Mallory, and not knowing why he feels this. Mallory refuses to explain why he did it. Keating believes that he and Toohey both know that Mallory’s motive is more dangerous than his act—even though Keating doesn’t know what the motive is yet and wishes to be guarded from that knowledge forever.
Keating is always petty, and his first thought when he hears that Toohey was shot is how this might affect his own popularity. When he discovers that it was Mallory who shot Toohey, Keating feels a range of vague fears. He seems to understand more than he lets on—even to himself. Keating seems to know that Mallory’s work has real merit while his own doesn’t, and that people like Toohey and Keating are responsible for discouraging excellence. However, he doesn’t want to acknowledge or confront these thoughts.
Themes
Get the entire The Fountainhead LitChart as a printable PDF.
Before meeting Toohey the next day, Keating feels anxious. Toohey immediately asks him what he thinks of the temple of Nike Apteros, which he says is lovely but frequently overshadowed by the Parthenon. Keating says the temple of Nike Apteros has always been his favorite, and Toohey says he “was certain [he’d] say it.” He laughs, as if “underscoring the falseness of the whole procedure,” and Keating is momentarily aghast, but then laughs back. Toohey says it is better for them both to be relaxed.
At their first encounter, Toohey seems to be testing whether Keating is indeed a man without opinions, intent only on pleasing his audience. Keating passes with flying colors. Keating is shocked for a moment when he realizes what transpired but is willing to quickly forget it.
Themes
Keating thanks Toohey for his column, saying he is very happy that Toohey thinks he is a great architect. Toohey responds by asking him if he didn’t know that already, and Keating hesitates. Toohey seems to have been looking for that pause and seems pleased.
Once again, Toohey is making sure that Keating relies on the opinions of other people in order to know what to think, even about himself.
Themes
Toohey then tells Keating that his plan for the Cosmo-Slotnick Building is brilliant, and very different from his previous work. Keating’s voice hardens as he responds that he worked out a plan that would fit the project at hand. Toohey gently tells him he should be proud of it, and Keating knows “suddenly that Toohey knew he had not designed the plan.” He is frightened to see “approval in Toohey’s eyes.” Keating says that he had wanted his building to reflect “the great masses and the flowers of culture,” which is exactly how Toohey had interpreted it in his column. He knows that Toohey realizes that Keating never had this thought, but that he approves of his saying so.
Since Roark designed the building’s plan, Keating gets defensive when Toohey praises it. However, Toohey seems to have known all along that it is not Keating’s work. Toohey’s sharpness frightens Keating, as does his approval of Keating’s lies.
Themes
Keating then tells Toohey that he is glad he escaped Mallory’s bullet, and Toohey wonders aloud, “Why did he do it?” Keating feels a bond between them: “the bond was fear, and more, much more.” Keating knows at that moment, “with unreasoning finality, that he like[s] Toohey better than any man he ha[s] ever met.” Toohey “derisively” says that he is sure the two of them are going to be great friends.
Both Toohey and Keating seem to know why exactly Mallory tried to kill Toohey, and they are united in their fear that their mediocrity might be ousted by excellence. Keating immediately likes Toohey, but Toohey’s reaction to Keating is devoid of respect—he “derisively” says that they will be friends. Toohey approves of the fact that Keating lacks self-respect, since that will make him useful to Toohey, but he doesn’t respect him, either.
Themes
Toohey asks Keating if he would be the chairman for an organization of young architects, and he also tells Keating that the brilliant author Lois Cook is looking for an architect and that he suggested Keating. Keating is very grateful. Right before Keating leaves, Toohey mentions Catherine. Keating doesn’t want to discuss her but doesn’t protest—he says he loves her very much, which is “the first bit of sincerity” from him. Toohey says Keating couldn’t have made a better choice and that Catherine is “just the kind for whom the world is well lost […] because she is innocent and pretty and anemic.”
Keating’s love for Catherine is sincere, despite his otherwise constant duplicity, which is why he doesn’t even want to discuss her. Toohey notes this, and subtly disparages Catherine.
Themes
