Atlas Shrugged – Day 004 – pp. 33-43
We’ve got company.
His wife Lillian, his mother, his brother Phillip and an acquaintance Paul Larkin.
Henry’s late for (missed actually) dinner which apparently he promised he’d be home for. Time to dive into his head as we contrast him with the other (undoubted) losers in the room.
He has a great desire to tell the story behind his being late; that they’ve just poured the first heat of Rearden Metal but finds himself unable to do it, feeling as if he’d be making an excuse. Instead he acquiesces and apologizes.
Requisite ball busting ensues.
Brother Phil tells him he’s working too hard… (Phillip is a pussy.)
Mother admonishes him for not being there to meet one of her friends who wanted to tell him about the charity work they’re doing… (Mom is the center of her own vapid universe and resentful of anyone who might possibly be more interesting than hers.)
Henry’s wife, Lillian sarcastically stands by her man in the face of Mother’s criticisms… (Lillian is … dutiful. Certainly not in love with the man. Does not share any of his passions. Hmmmmm.)
Ah! The present for Lillian. The bracelet of Rearden Metal.
She accepts, again with a sarcastic tone but understands “it’s the intention” that counts. Mother and Phillip reproach Rearden. (Tough crowd!)
A little key insight into Rearden’s situation…
“What did they seek from him?” – thought Rearden… He despised causeless affection, just as he despised unearned wealth. They professed to love him for some unknown reason and they ignored all the things for which he could wish to be loved.”
(That sums it up…)
Paul Larkin is a business man of extremely modest means. He consults with Rearden privately on the subject of his pubic persona. “You’re not popular Hank.”
“The newspapers are against you…[they say] you’re intractable. That you’re ruthless. That you won’t allow anyone any voice in the running of your mills. That your only goal is to make steel and to make money.”
“But that is my only goal”
“But you shouldn’t say it.”
“Why not. What am I supposed to say?”
I’m going to pause here and predict the demise of Henry Rearden. He is clearly a brilliant driven business man, but a lousy politician and I can only guess where this story is going.
And Phillip chimes back in. Hard day for him too. He’s volunteering and trying to raise money for a group called Friends of Global Progress. (Jesus. Friends of Global anything can’t be a good omen.)
They need to raise ten thousand dollars for a “vital program.” Knocking on doors all day and nothing to show for it. (sigh… OK Hank, let’s see whatcha got for your poor brother.)
Rearden understands the situation. Phillip has back-handedly asked his brother for help. If Hank tells him to take a flying leap, this crushes his brother who seems to some degree enjoy the pain he brings on himself. And makes Rearden more evil in his family’s eyes.
But no! Hank to the rescue. Call my secretary in the morning and she’ll cut you a check for 10 large…
Now comes the part where any jury would acquit Henry Rearden for a mass act of fratri-,matri-, and spousal-cide.
Mother displays enormously understated surprise… Lillian goes on busting Henry’s balls… But Phillip. Phillip says…
“You don’t really care about helping the underprivileged, do you…”
“No Phil, I don’t care about it at all. I only wanted you to be happy”.”
“But that money is not for me. I am not collecting it for any personal motive. I have no selfish interest in the matter whatever.”
Narrative continues:
“Rearden turned away. He felt a sudden loathing; not because the words were hypocrisy, but because they were true. Phillip meant them.”
Pause: Hank has some seriously fucked up issues.
Is the motive of charity relevant? What is the difference between helping someone underprivileged because they are underprivileged and helping your brother serve a cause because he’s your brother and it is his cause? In fact, one might say giving to a cause you don’t give a rats ass about simply because your brother is struggling to help them might even be a higher motive.
BUT WAIT … THERE’S MORE!!!
“By the way Henry… do you mind if I ask you to have Miss Ives give me the money in cash… You see the Friends of Global Progress are a very progressive group and they have always maintained that you represent the blackest element of social retrogression in the country so it would embarrass us, you know, to have your name on our list of contributors because somebody might accuse of of being in the pay of Hank Rearden.”
Alright,… you can have it in cash.”
Clearly the money means nothing to Henry one way or the other. But he seems racked with some kind guilt about his unbridled success and his relation to his family who refuse to embrace or even acknowledge the philosophy that has earned him his great wealth. And his inability to comprehend it.
Time to deal Henry…