While Keating lusts for recognition, Roark abhors it.
Keating wants to become partner in the firm not because he craves
money or power, but because he thinks this position will make others
look on him as a genius. In contrast, Roark makes a point of avoiding
recognition. Although Mike works on Roark’s houses and Cameron and Heller
recommend him to clients, Roark never solicits these kindnesses.
Roark knows that the kind of men who admire him are, like him, hardworking
and uncompromising. They would not appreciate pandering even if
he were inclined to pander.
Dominique has elements of both Keating and Roark, as
her frigidity shows. Dominique accepts Keating’s advances with stoicism. She
does not resist him despite her clear lack of interest. The world interests
Dominique so little that passing judgment or mustering a strong
opinion seems strange to her. Like Roark, she reacts with bored dispassion
to personal encounters that would provoke rage, misery, or embarrassment
in most people. Dominique is frigid because she has never experienced
truly arousing passion. In this respect, she resembles Keating,
who does not know what he wants from life because he has never had
any experiences worth mentioning.
