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THE EDUCATION OF AYN RAND, 1905–1943
from this dark view of human possibility. Now her attraction to the
symbolic issue of public housing, which both fi t her topic and encapsulated
her political views, indicated that Rand had come to see the novel
as an overtly political work. The presentation of her hero remained primary,
but Rand had ceased resisting the larger implications that could
be drawn from the story.
With the plot fi nally set Rand began writing. The book would be
divided into four parts, with each of the central characters the focus of
one section. She began with her second-hander, Peter Keating. The fi rst
three chapters she wrote toggled between Keating and Roark, describing
their very different paths through architecture school at the Stanton
Institute for Technology. The writing was slow and painful, but it was
progress nonetheless.
Rand showed her completed chapters to two outside readers, her literary
agent and Frank Lloyd Wright. Rand idolized Wright, seeing him
as a true creative genius and the embodiment of the Overman Nietzsche
celebrated. She was sure he was a kindred spirit who would appreciate
what she had written. But Wright, who had never heard of Rand before,
sent the chapters back with a brusque note, rudely telling her the novel
was implausible because no architect could have red hair like Roark.
Rand was undeterred. Kahn helped her secure an invitation to a formal
banquet where Wright was to speak. She spent three hundred dollars
on a matching black velvet dress, shoes, and a cape, a splurge she could
ill afford as her savings dwindled. After a formal introduction Wright
again rebuffed her overtures. Rand was simply another unknown hoping
to cash in on his fame. 35
Rand’s agent, Ann Watkins, was more appreciative. She began shopping
the chapters around, and in 1938 brought Rand an offer from
Knopf. Rand would receive fi ve hundred dollars upon signing and
another fi ve hundred dollars upon completion of the manuscript.
Knopf also committed to publishing Rand’s book as a “leader,” publicly
identifying it as one of the most important books of the season.
The catch was that Rand had one year to complete the book. It was
an impossible task. She wrote as fast as she could, but even a year’s
extension of the original contract was not enough time. In October
1940 Knopf canceled the deal. 36 She had completed slightly more than
a quarter of her projected book.
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