Rand does seem to see the novel as a proscenium. The characters are all archetypes and meant to be that way. They step out of the play to approach the audience and declaim and then step back into the story. I am not sure it is effective, but that could just be me. I once was discussing this with a classical liberal type and I said that I liked the thesis of the book, but couldn’t stand the writing or the characters. He looked puzzled and said it was just the opposite for him.
As to the $10k, Hank doesn’t seem to care about the money. He is a Creator Archetype and cares more about his own creation. He didn’t care about the cause, either, but the money was nothing to him (and was perhaps about $60k in today’s money, not inconsequential) and he just seemed to want to shut Phillip up by giving to his cause. Of course, Phillip, being a Limousine Liberal, had to petulantly carp about Hank’s motivations. I was wondering just how much Phillip had contributed, assuming he has an allowance or access to a trust fund. Or, just how much actual work any of his group had ever done for anyone’s benefit, let alone to survive.
BTW, has anyone else noticed that all the Heros are lean, angular, tall and fit and all the Looters are soft, fat and slouch?
I beg to differ.
Hank has just experience the apex of years of hard work & self-sacrifice with the first pouring of Rearden Metal. I think he wants to try to draw his family members, in this case, Phillip, into his feeling of happiness at his achievement. He's looking for someway to connect with them, the chain bracelet for Lillian, the $10K donation to Phillip's charity. Hank thinks, "let's see him [Phillip], happy for once".
Hank also thinks "didn't I say that happiness is an agent of purification?" I think this implies that experiencing an emotion, in this case happiness, can be a form of soul cleansing, a sort of baptism.
BTW, has anyone else noticed that all the Heros are lean, angular, tall and fit and all the Looters are soft, fat and slouch?
The heros seem to be described more a statues, tall, cold, with out visible emotion. Hank's happiness is not visible to anyone else, though that could just be because they are s wrapped up in themselves.
Yes, and I also noticed Rand has a penchant for characters with blue or bluish eyes, especially blue-eyed blonds... Not that there's anything wrong with blue eyes. (I have 'em.) But, so many characters in her story have them. I find myself thinking, You know, brown eyes are interesting, too, Ayn...