Martha. I told you that Rand does not write about people like you or me, she writes about ideal people. She doesnt have time to have her characters change and develop into the kind of people we would understand. She writes her ideals and allows the reader to follow or shut down. I loved Cheryl and she was a tragic character and many universities use her character to discuss Rand's writings.
It may be a global thing but UCLA, USC, Stanford, Berkeley and even smaller private universities all discussed Rand in the 60s.
I took a class on Rand at UCLA along with "Whose Afraid of Virginia Wolf?" In 1980, at Berkeley, Dr. Leonard Piekoff who was Rand's heir and the keeper of Rand's papers did a class at Berkeley and the class filled up in 15 minutes after it was posted. I will admit that the Western States love new thinkers and new approaches to all subjects. Yes, Rand wrote of violent sex but it turns loving and that may be a hint to her own nature. Maybe if you had been raised in the West instead of the South you might understand the meaning of Rand and Objectivism.
I'm often insulted with Hemmingway for the same reason you fault Rand. The human mind and body is so diverse that we should never try to put them or ourselves in any category. You never mentioned John Galt's speech. On many occasions I will re read this speech and it makes everything else I read insignificant. I read this book for the first time when I realized I may have married the wrong man. She gave me the strength to live on my own agenda and ignore the cheap tricks I found in my own home. My own morals never changed and I accepted the fact that my husband was a simple hypocrite. I did not consult him again in my plans for the kids. We ignored him and we ended up just fine. Rand has been my moral guide all these years and helped me get over the fact that I did not have to believe in God to be a whole person.
Men seldom read Rand as they cannot understand what she is. I saw her interact with her husband and it was a beautiful thing to see. She had a fling with another man but it meant nothing in the long run and he used her celebrity for his own financial gain. So what?
I have a belief that might upset you but I believe Rand wrote for people like me who are always searching for the ideal in life and not people like you who have a different plan for life. I'm certain you are serene in your life and I might be considered a wreck. So what?
