Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site whuxlm.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!whuxlm!mag From: mag@whuxlm.UUCP (Gray Michael A) Newsgroups: net.books,net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand Message-ID: <784@whuxlm.UUCP> Date: Mon, 24-Jun-85 21:44:50 EDT Article-I.D.: whuxlm.784 Posted: Mon Jun 24 21:44:50 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 25-Jun-85 08:10:22 EDT References: <865@mtgzz.UUCP> <2096@sdcrdcf.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany Lines: 24 Xref: watmath net.books:1981 net.sf-lovers:8152 > I find the book's preachiness somewhat easier to tolerate (i.e. skim over) > than its sex scenes. Rand's heroines find true love in what looks altogether > too much like rape to an outside reader. (This is true not only of this > > Of Dagny's three lovers, the first shows his love by slapping her (when > she suggests she could be more popular if she got poorer grades); the > second tells her he despises her because she is willing to fall in with his > lusts; and the third has her without asking her consent on the railroad > track. > This comment I couldn't let pass -- it is a distortion of what Rand wrote. The first love's slapping is indeed an act of love. One of Rand's special talents is to cleverly show that good acts taken out of context (as above) can look very odd. The second lover had a psychological problem at the time he told her he despised her. Rnad makes this very clear. In addition, Dagny knows at the time that he really doesn't mean it, laughs at it, and straightens him out. True, the third does not say, "Will you allow me to have sexual intercourse with you?" They simply exchange 200 pages of smoldering glances, then HE walks into a railroad tunnel, SHE follows him, and they make love, which they both clearly enjoy. Hardly what is suggested above. Mike Gray