Tuesday, March 31, 2020
The Development of Lisa's Political Rebellion -- Part 12
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11
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As Lisa Houseman continues to read The Fountainhead, her initial infatuation with the character Dominique Francon is shaken. Lisa comes to recognize that fortunate, glamorous Dominique is disturbed and obnoxious.
Peter Keating is encouraged by his own mother and by Dominique's father to court Dominique. Although Peter admires Dominique's beauty and glamour, he foresees that his marriage to Dominique would be miserable. Peter decides that he should marry Katie Halsey after all.
Lisa agrees with Peter's critical judgment about Dominique. Lisa agrees that he should marry Katie.
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Lisa tries, however, to understand Dominique -- to analyze Dominique's personality disorder.
In the novel, there is a part where Dominique is assigned by her newspaper, The Banner, to write a series of articles about a slummy neighborhood of New York City. To collect information, Dominique lives in an apartment there for two weeks. The newspaper expects her to write an article condemning the landlords, and she does collect much critical information about them. However, she also collects much critical information about the neighborhood's residents. In a public speech summarizing her intended series of articles, she says:
To explain her nonchalance, Dominique declares that her only desire is to exercise freedom. In particular, she wants to be able to say whatever she thinks. She wants "to ask nothing, to expect nothing, to depend on nothing"-- so that she always can spout her own, actual opinions.
Furthermore, her major opinion is that mankind is despicable.
Dominique's father is dismayed when he learns that she is sabotaging her own journalist career -- and more generally, her entire life.
Furthermore, Dominique tells Peter that she is sexually frigid. She never has experienced any physical sexual activity and does not think she ever would enjoy doing so. That conversation ends his courtship of her.
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Lisa appreciates Dominique's desire to be free to speak her own mind. However, she recognizes also that Dominique is self-destructive and anti-social. Dominique's freely expressed opinions are not doing any good for herself or for anybody else. Dominique's social criticisms are not constructive.
Dominique could not enjoy anything in her life.
Lisa wonders what she herself is supposed to think about this character Dominique. Is Dominique supposed to be a role model -- a good example of an "individualist"?
=====
Continued in Part 13
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As Lisa Houseman continues to read The Fountainhead, her initial infatuation with the character Dominique Francon is shaken. Lisa comes to recognize that fortunate, glamorous Dominique is disturbed and obnoxious.
Peter Keating is encouraged by his own mother and by Dominique's father to court Dominique. Although Peter admires Dominique's beauty and glamour, he foresees that his marriage to Dominique would be miserable. Peter decides that he should marry Katie Halsey after all.
Lisa agrees with Peter's critical judgment about Dominique. Lisa agrees that he should marry Katie.
======
Lisa tries, however, to understand Dominique -- to analyze Dominique's personality disorder.
In the novel, there is a part where Dominique is assigned by her newspaper, The Banner, to write a series of articles about a slummy neighborhood of New York City. To collect information, Dominique lives in an apartment there for two weeks. The newspaper expects her to write an article condemning the landlords, and she does collect much critical information about them. However, she also collects much critical information about the neighborhood's residents. In a public speech summarizing her intended series of articles, she says:
The family on the first floor rear do not bother to pay their rent, and the children cannot go to school for lack of clothes. The father has a charge account at a local speak-easy. He is in good health and has a good job.By criticizing poor people publicly, Dominique sabotages her career at the newspaper, which had intended to promote her to manage a department that would report about "women's welfare". The newspaper cancels the publication of her articles about the slummy neighborhood. Dominique is not bothered by the cancellation or about her ruined career prospects.
The couple on the second floor have just purchased a radio for $69.95 cash
In the fourth floor front, the father of the family has not done a whole day's work in his life, and does not intend to. There are nine children, supported by the local parish. There is a tenth one on its way.
To explain her nonchalance, Dominique declares that her only desire is to exercise freedom. In particular, she wants to be able to say whatever she thinks. She wants "to ask nothing, to expect nothing, to depend on nothing"-- so that she always can spout her own, actual opinions.
Furthermore, her major opinion is that mankind is despicable.
There's nothing but housewives haggling at pushcarts, drooling brats who write dirty words on the sidewalks, and drunken debutantes. ....Dominique is contemptuous of everybody and of everything. She tells how she stole a beautiful statue of a naked man out of a European museum and brought it to her apartment in a New York skyscraper. There she threw it down an air shaft in order to break it into smithereens. She destroyed the beautiful statue "so that no one else would ever see it."
Have you ever looked at them [people] when they are enjoying themselves? That's when you see the truth. Look at those who spend the money they've slaved for -- at amusement parks and side shows.
Look at those who are rich and have the whole world open to them. Look at what they pick out for enjoyment. Watch them in the smarter speak-easies.
That's your mankind in general. I don't want to touch it.
Dominique's father is dismayed when he learns that she is sabotaging her own journalist career -- and more generally, her entire life.
He asked himself whether he actually hated his daughter. ....Dominique's father hopes that Peter, the architecture company's intelligent, capable, rising star might be able to charm her. Peter does court her for a while, but recognizes that he never will be able to fix her attitude.
In an awkward, unthinking way, he wanted to help her, not knowing, not wanting to know what she had to be helped against.
Furthermore, Dominique tells Peter that she is sexually frigid. She never has experienced any physical sexual activity and does not think she ever would enjoy doing so. That conversation ends his courtship of her.
=====
Lisa appreciates Dominique's desire to be free to speak her own mind. However, she recognizes also that Dominique is self-destructive and anti-social. Dominique's freely expressed opinions are not doing any good for herself or for anybody else. Dominique's social criticisms are not constructive.
Dominique could not enjoy anything in her life.
Lisa wonders what she herself is supposed to think about this character Dominique. Is Dominique supposed to be a role model -- a good example of an "individualist"?
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Continued in Part 13
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Monday, March 30, 2020
Friday, March 27, 2020
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
How come nobody ever told me about France Gall?
This post does not really have anything to do with Dirty Dancing.
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I never heard of France Gall until yesterday, when I happened to run across a video of her singing.
She was born in Paris in 1947 in Paris (she was about a year younger than Baby Houseman). She became a a popular European singer in the mid-1960s. She recorded her first hit song in 1964 and won the Grand Prize in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965. She continued to perform until 1996, when she was 49 years old.
She sang in the French, German and Spanish languages.
While dopey Americas was going crazy about the British Invasion, the wiser French, Germans and Spaniards were going crazy about France Gall and the other Yé-yé singers.
If someone will make a movie called Cutesy Yé-Yé Singing, then I will write a blog about it.
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I never heard of France Gall until yesterday, when I happened to run across a video of her singing.
She was born in Paris in 1947 in Paris (she was about a year younger than Baby Houseman). She became a a popular European singer in the mid-1960s. She recorded her first hit song in 1964 and won the Grand Prize in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965. She continued to perform until 1996, when she was 49 years old.
She sang in the French, German and Spanish languages.
While dopey Americas was going crazy about the British Invasion, the wiser French, Germans and Spaniards were going crazy about France Gall and the other Yé-yé singers.
If someone will make a movie called Cutesy Yé-Yé Singing, then I will write a blog about it.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
The Development of Lisa's Political Rebellion -- Part 11
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10
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As 19-year-old Lisa continues to read The Fountainhead, she identifies with the 19-year-old character Dominique Francon. When the character Peter Keating sees Dominique for the first time, he is amazed by her beauty.
On this first occasion when Peter sees Dominique, he does not know who she is. He sees her in the office building of the Francon and Heyer architecture firm. Afterwards, someone tells Peter that the young woman is the daughter of the firm's co-owner, Guy Francon.
Dominique has been summoned to her father's office. There he reprimands her for her recent article, published in her interior-decorating column in the New York Banner newspaper. Dominique's article has publicly mocked the elaborate decorations of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dale Ainsworth, where Dominique recently had attended a party. Dominique's article included the following passages:
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Dominique's defiance of her respected, accomplished, powerful father amazes Lisa, who would have broken down, weeping, under such a reprimand from her own father.
Lisa envies Dominique for writing her home-decorating column so hilariously, so brilliantly.
From the novel's descriptions, Lisa tries to develop a mental image of Dominique's appearance, style and bearing.
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On a later day, Peter approaches Dominique at a party. By now, she has learned that he had designed the Ainsworth home that her article had mocked. She treats him somewhat contemptuously.
Peter's mother had suggested that he court Dominique, his boss's daughter. However, Peter is afraid that he could not control her. Peter feels that he would enjoy a much more convivial relationship with his long-time girlfriend -- now practically his fiancée -- Katie Halsey.
After the party, Guy Francon drives Peter Keating home. Guy confesses that he cannot control his daughter. Guy too fears Dominique's contempt and mockery,. Guy encourages Peter to try to court Dominique:
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Reading such a complicated, thought-provoking, magnificent novel makes Lisa feel much more adult.
Lisa appreciates Robbie Gould's annotations. On several pages, he has underlined Dominique's name and written the word Individualist or Individualism in the margin. Lisa figures out that Katie symbolizes altruism, whereas Dominique symbolizes individualism.
Lisa wants to impress Robbie with her ability to discuss the novel with him in a philosophical manner. Lisa thinks about how she should mention these words, concepts, contrasts and symbolisms in her conversations with him about the novel.
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Continued in Part 12
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As 19-year-old Lisa continues to read The Fountainhead, she identifies with the 19-year-old character Dominique Francon. When the character Peter Keating sees Dominique for the first time, he is amazed by her beauty.
Her slender body seemed out of all scale in relation to a normal human body; its lines were so long, so fragile, so exaggerated that she looked like a stylized drawing of a woman and made the correct proportions of a normal being appear heavy and awkward beside her.A gray, tailored suit! Just a hint of color in her appearance! These beauty concepts were new and thought-provoking for Lisa.
She wore a plain gray suit: the contrast between its tailored severity and her appearance was deliberately exorbitant -- and strangely elegant.
She let the fingertips of one hand rest on the railing, a narrow hand ending the straight imperious line of her arm.
She had gray eyes that were not ovals, but two long, rectangular cuts edged by parallel lines of lashes; she had an air of cold serenity and an exquisitely vicious mouth. Her face, her pale gold hair, her suit seemed to have no color, but only a hint, just on the verge of the reality of color, making a full reality seem vulgar.
On this first occasion when Peter sees Dominique, he does not know who she is. He sees her in the office building of the Francon and Heyer architecture firm. Afterwards, someone tells Peter that the young woman is the daughter of the firm's co-owner, Guy Francon.
Dominique has been summoned to her father's office. There he reprimands her for her recent article, published in her interior-decorating column in the New York Banner newspaper. Dominique's article has publicly mocked the elaborate decorations of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dale Ainsworth, where Dominique recently had attended a party. Dominique's article included the following passages:
You enter a magnificent lobby of golden marble and you think that this is the City Hall or the Main Post Office, but it isn't. It has, however, everything: the mezzanine with the colonnade and the stairway with the goitre and the cartouches in the form of looped leather belts. Only it's not leather, it's marble.Guy Francon is furious at Dominique, because the Ainsworth home was designed by the Francon and Heyer architecture firm. Peter, who was the home's chief designer, stands outside the office door and listens as the father reprimands the daughter loudly:
The dining room has a splendid bronze gate, placed by mistake on the ceiling, in the shape of a trellis entwined with fresh bronze grapes. There are dead ducks and rabbits hanging on the wall panels, in bouquets of carrots, petunias and string beans. I do not think these would have been very attractive if real, but since they are bad plaster imitations, it is all right. ...
The bedroom windows face a brick wall, not a very neat wall, but nobody needs to see the bedrooms. ...
The front windows are large enough and admit plenty of light, as well as the feet of the marble cupids that roost on the outside. The cupids are well fed and present a pretty picture to the street, against the severe granite of the façade; they are quite commendable, unless you just can't stand to look at dimpled soles every time you glance out to see the whether it's raining. If you get tired of it, you can always look out the central windows of the third floor, and into the cast-iron rump of Mercury who sits on top of the pediment over the entrance. It's a very beautiful entrance.
... to expect such an outrage! From my own daughter! I'm used to anything from you, but this beats it all. What am I going to do? How am I going to explain? Do you have any kind of a vague idea of my position?Peter hears Dominique laugh out loud at her father's reprimand.
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Dominique's defiance of her respected, accomplished, powerful father amazes Lisa, who would have broken down, weeping, under such a reprimand from her own father.
Lisa envies Dominique for writing her home-decorating column so hilariously, so brilliantly.
From the novel's descriptions, Lisa tries to develop a mental image of Dominique's appearance, style and bearing.
======
On a later day, Peter approaches Dominique at a party. By now, she has learned that he had designed the Ainsworth home that her article had mocked. She treats him somewhat contemptuously.
Peter's mother had suggested that he court Dominique, his boss's daughter. However, Peter is afraid that he could not control her. Peter feels that he would enjoy a much more convivial relationship with his long-time girlfriend -- now practically his fiancée -- Katie Halsey.
After the party, Guy Francon drives Peter Keating home. Guy confesses that he cannot control his daughter. Guy too fears Dominique's contempt and mockery,. Guy encourages Peter to try to court Dominique:
.... I don't regret you're meeting her now. ... I think you're the one man who could handle her.Peter imagines that marrying this beautiful young woman, Dominique, might enable him eventually to inherit ownership of the architecture firm.
You're quite determined -- aren't you, Peter? -- when you're after something.
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Reading such a complicated, thought-provoking, magnificent novel makes Lisa feel much more adult.
Lisa appreciates Robbie Gould's annotations. On several pages, he has underlined Dominique's name and written the word Individualist or Individualism in the margin. Lisa figures out that Katie symbolizes altruism, whereas Dominique symbolizes individualism.
Lisa wants to impress Robbie with her ability to discuss the novel with him in a philosophical manner. Lisa thinks about how she should mention these words, concepts, contrasts and symbolisms in her conversations with him about the novel.
======
Continued in Part 12
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Sunday, March 22, 2020
The Development of Lisa's Political Rebellion -- Part 10
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9
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Lisa Houseman begins to read The Fountainhead. The novel, first published in 1943, begins in the year 1922. The Stanton Institute of Technology, near Boston, is celebrating its graduation day.
One of the graduating students is Peter Keating, who has majored in architecture. He has two career options:
Although Howard has completed all his studies at the Stanton Institute of Technology, he has been expelled right before the graduation ceremony. Howard has offended the faculty by rejecting their teaching of classical architectural design. Howard insists instead on modern design.
As the novel develops, Peter's successful career is contrasted with Howard's struggling career. Peter swiftly occupies higher and higher positions at Francon and Heyer, because he goes along with classical design and also because he deceives and manipulates other employees. Meanwhile, Howard is stuck in an architecture company that is going bankrupt. Peter and Howard stay friends and stay in touch, and Peter occasionally helps Howard by offering some money and work.
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Although Peter easily attracts women and has enjoyed sexual relations with many of them, he has fallen in love only with a young woman named Catherine "Katie" Halsey. Peter and Katie became acquainted while he was studying at Stanton, and they have spent much time talking with each other. They have kissed, but sexually have done nothing more.
While Peter still was studying at Stanton, Katie moved to New York to live with her uncle. Peter has kept in touch with Katie, but he does not visit her in New York until he has worked at Francon and Heyer for a couple years. After his first visit, he visits her only occasionally.
Peter's mother moves from Stanton to New York City and lives with him in his apartment. His mother always has disapproved of his relationship with Katie. His mother advises him to find and marry a woman who is more sophisticated and high-class.
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As Lisa reads the novel, she understands that Howard Roark is the idealistic, inspiring hero and that Peter Keating is a scoundrel foil. Howard struggles to promote modern design, which Lisa herself loves. In contrast, Peter advances his own career by promoting classical design, which Lisa detests.
However, Lisa likes many features of Peter's romantic relationship with Katie. Their relationship is mutually respectful. Katie is extraordinarily patient and adoring toward Peter. Although Peter deceives and manipulates other people at work, he relaxes sincerely with Katie. He does not pressure her for sex, and she does not pressure him for marriage. However, they both seem to be advancing naturally toward an engagement and marriage with each other.
As Lisa reads the novel, she perceives Robbie Gould's disapproval of the Peter-Katie relationship. Robbie repeatedly has underlined the name Katie in the text and has written the words altruistic or altruism in the margins. In Lisa's conversations his Robbie, she has understood that Robbie disapproves of altruism. Indeed, Robbie says he loves the novel because its ending convincingly criticizes altruism.
Still reading the novel's Part 1 -- titled "Peter Keating", the first 201 pages -- Lisa still has not comprehended the anti-altruism lesson that the novel is supposed to teach. Katie's altruism seems to be winning Peter's love. If they do marry, then Katie's kindness surely will exert a life-long good influence on Peter.
Although this part of the novel takes place in 1922-1923, Peter and Katie seem to be following effective social conventions that are similar to the going-steady rules that Lisa wants Robbie and herself to follow now in 1963. Lisa hopes that the novel's characters Peter and Katie will marry.
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Soon, however, Lisa changes her mind, hoping now that Peter will marry another woman. Into the novel comes a new character, Dominique Francon, the daughter of Guy Francon, the co-owner of the Francon and Heyer architecture company.
Like Katie, Dominique is about 20 years old, but Dominique has attended college, majoring in art. (Katie has not attended college.) Now Dominique has graduated and has been hired by The New York Banner newspaper to write a column about home decorating.
Lisa identifies herself strongly with this character Dominique. Lisa herself would love to get hired to write such a newspaper column after she graduates from college. Identifying thus with the character Dominique, Lisa now hopes that the successful architect Peter Keating will fall in love and marry with Dominique Francon. Lisa's hope is encouraged as she reads that Peter's mother advises him to court Dominique. After all, Dominique is the daughter of the architecture company's co-owner, and his marriage with her would help him to take over the company eventually.
======
Lisa is captivated by this novel. She is interested in the novel's depiction of the architecture business, and she is intrigued also by Peter's apparent dilemma in choosing either Katie or Dominique to become his romantic partner and then his wife.
Because Lisa perceives that Robbie disapproves of Katie for being altruistic, Lisa foresees that Dominique will be portrayed as being an anti-altruistic foil in the novel. Katie will symbolize altruism, and Dominique will symbolize anti-altruism. Peter will have to chose between those two qualities, and this suspense captivates Lisa as she continues to read the novel.
However, Lisa wonders what "anti-altruism" is. Lisa understands that the opposite of altruism is selfishness. Will Dominique be portrayed as selfish, and will her winning of Peter's love be a triumph for selfishness?
======
This series will be continued in Part 11.
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Lisa Houseman begins to read The Fountainhead. The novel, first published in 1943, begins in the year 1922. The Stanton Institute of Technology, near Boston, is celebrating its graduation day.
One of the graduating students is Peter Keating, who has majored in architecture. He has two career options:
1) to accept a scholarship to study at the prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts in ParisPeter asks his friend and classmate, Howard Roark, which option to select. Peter respects Howard as being a more talented architect. Howard says Peter must make up his own mind. Peter's mother intervenes, saying that Paris is too far away from her. Therefore, Peter decides to accept the New York job.
2) to accept a position in the successful architecture company Francon and Heyer in New York City.
Although Howard has completed all his studies at the Stanton Institute of Technology, he has been expelled right before the graduation ceremony. Howard has offended the faculty by rejecting their teaching of classical architectural design. Howard insists instead on modern design.
As the novel develops, Peter's successful career is contrasted with Howard's struggling career. Peter swiftly occupies higher and higher positions at Francon and Heyer, because he goes along with classical design and also because he deceives and manipulates other employees. Meanwhile, Howard is stuck in an architecture company that is going bankrupt. Peter and Howard stay friends and stay in touch, and Peter occasionally helps Howard by offering some money and work.
======
Although Peter easily attracts women and has enjoyed sexual relations with many of them, he has fallen in love only with a young woman named Catherine "Katie" Halsey. Peter and Katie became acquainted while he was studying at Stanton, and they have spent much time talking with each other. They have kissed, but sexually have done nothing more.
While Peter still was studying at Stanton, Katie moved to New York to live with her uncle. Peter has kept in touch with Katie, but he does not visit her in New York until he has worked at Francon and Heyer for a couple years. After his first visit, he visits her only occasionally.
Peter's mother moves from Stanton to New York City and lives with him in his apartment. His mother always has disapproved of his relationship with Katie. His mother advises him to find and marry a woman who is more sophisticated and high-class.
=======
As Lisa reads the novel, she understands that Howard Roark is the idealistic, inspiring hero and that Peter Keating is a scoundrel foil. Howard struggles to promote modern design, which Lisa herself loves. In contrast, Peter advances his own career by promoting classical design, which Lisa detests.
However, Lisa likes many features of Peter's romantic relationship with Katie. Their relationship is mutually respectful. Katie is extraordinarily patient and adoring toward Peter. Although Peter deceives and manipulates other people at work, he relaxes sincerely with Katie. He does not pressure her for sex, and she does not pressure him for marriage. However, they both seem to be advancing naturally toward an engagement and marriage with each other.
As Lisa reads the novel, she perceives Robbie Gould's disapproval of the Peter-Katie relationship. Robbie repeatedly has underlined the name Katie in the text and has written the words altruistic or altruism in the margins. In Lisa's conversations his Robbie, she has understood that Robbie disapproves of altruism. Indeed, Robbie says he loves the novel because its ending convincingly criticizes altruism.
Still reading the novel's Part 1 -- titled "Peter Keating", the first 201 pages -- Lisa still has not comprehended the anti-altruism lesson that the novel is supposed to teach. Katie's altruism seems to be winning Peter's love. If they do marry, then Katie's kindness surely will exert a life-long good influence on Peter.
======
Soon, however, Lisa changes her mind, hoping now that Peter will marry another woman. Into the novel comes a new character, Dominique Francon, the daughter of Guy Francon, the co-owner of the Francon and Heyer architecture company.
Like Katie, Dominique is about 20 years old, but Dominique has attended college, majoring in art. (Katie has not attended college.) Now Dominique has graduated and has been hired by The New York Banner newspaper to write a column about home decorating.
Lisa identifies herself strongly with this character Dominique. Lisa herself would love to get hired to write such a newspaper column after she graduates from college. Identifying thus with the character Dominique, Lisa now hopes that the successful architect Peter Keating will fall in love and marry with Dominique Francon. Lisa's hope is encouraged as she reads that Peter's mother advises him to court Dominique. After all, Dominique is the daughter of the architecture company's co-owner, and his marriage with her would help him to take over the company eventually.
======
Lisa is captivated by this novel. She is interested in the novel's depiction of the architecture business, and she is intrigued also by Peter's apparent dilemma in choosing either Katie or Dominique to become his romantic partner and then his wife.
Because Lisa perceives that Robbie disapproves of Katie for being altruistic, Lisa foresees that Dominique will be portrayed as being an anti-altruistic foil in the novel. Katie will symbolize altruism, and Dominique will symbolize anti-altruism. Peter will have to chose between those two qualities, and this suspense captivates Lisa as she continues to read the novel.
However, Lisa wonders what "anti-altruism" is. Lisa understands that the opposite of altruism is selfishness. Will Dominique be portrayed as selfish, and will her winning of Peter's love be a triumph for selfishness?
======
This series will be continued in Part 11.
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Friday, March 20, 2020
Submissions for the Dirty Dancing National Tour
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As far as I can figure out, the only planned "national tour" is scheduled to take place in the United Kingdom and Ireland during July - October 2020. You can order tickets on this webpage.
I expect that this tour will be canceled because of the Coronavirus epidemic.
The Development of Lisa's Political Rebellion -- Part 9
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8
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Lisa Houseman's experience with Robbie Gould is very thought-provoking for her. She feels that he is leading her out of her adolescence and into her adulthood. She suddenly recognizes that life is complicated, messy and callous.
Lisa has romantic dreams for her life. She will meet a man, so steady with him, become engaged with him, marry him and raise his family. She will follow her mother's example.
Now, however, just a few days after Lisa has met the right man, Robbie, she is upset. He is not following the "going steady" rules that she understands from her conversations with her girlfriends. Robbie has been too sexually aggressive. She has looked forward to playful sexual petting with him, but she quickly lost her composure as he man-handled her. She burst into tears and ran away.
Also, Robbie has put her into a situation where she feels compelled to deceive. She is deceiving her parents and asking her little sister to help her deceive her parents. After she ran from the golf course to her hotel room, she thought about her own misbehavior. Her fantasies about her future romantic life had not included herself and her boyfriend deceiving each other and everyone around them.
Lisa suddenly feels that she has to think about life more profoundly and critically.
======
On the day after Lisa ran away from Robbie, he comes to her and apologizes. Robbie tells Lisa that Baby is angry about his rude treatment of Lisa. Baby has threatened Robbie that if he will not stay away from Lisa, then Baby will report him to Neil Kellerman.
Robbie apologizes to Lisa. He explains that her beauty caused him to lose control of himself. He wants to continue to date her, and so he will behave himself better. Lisa accepts his apology and says that she likewise wants to continue to date him.
Their conversation moves to other subjects, and eventually he tells her about the novel he read recently -- Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. When Lisa remarks that the novel sounds very interesting, he offers to lend her his copy, which he has annotated with underlines, exclamation marks and margin comments.
======
When Lisa receives Robbie's book, she is delighted. She flips through the pages, observing Robbie's many annotations.
Lisa perceives Robbie's book to be a token of his romantic affection toward her. In the going-steady rules, the first rule is to give one's partner a visible token -- a ring or other jewel, a photograph, a clothing item, lock of hair, love letter, etc. Now Lisa will be able to carry this token -- Robbie's annotated book -- around as evidence of his affection. People will see her reading the book and ask about it, and she will tell them that she got it from Robbie, her boyfriend. Lisa's status of going steady with Robbie will be on public display.
Having Robbie's book -- in her mind, a token of his romantic affection -- reassures Lisa. She feels again that her adolescent fantasies about her future romantic life are coming true. She is going steady publicly with her future husband! If this relationship continues to develop well, then she will display the relationship openly, honestly and proudly to her family, to her friends and to everyone else.
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Lisa is dismayed by the novel's length -- almost 700 pages of small print. Robbie told Lisa that the novel is philosophical. Lisa never has read a long, difficult, philosophical work.
And the author was a Russian-immigrant woman. How strange!
Lisa gazes at the novel's table of contents:
Lisa turns to the next page:
Lisa is going to read a philosophical novel about a fun-loving, sexy architect.
Robbie has told her that the novel has changed his own life. She thinks that the novel might change her own life too.
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Continued in Part 10
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Lisa Houseman's experience with Robbie Gould is very thought-provoking for her. She feels that he is leading her out of her adolescence and into her adulthood. She suddenly recognizes that life is complicated, messy and callous.
Lisa has romantic dreams for her life. She will meet a man, so steady with him, become engaged with him, marry him and raise his family. She will follow her mother's example.
Now, however, just a few days after Lisa has met the right man, Robbie, she is upset. He is not following the "going steady" rules that she understands from her conversations with her girlfriends. Robbie has been too sexually aggressive. She has looked forward to playful sexual petting with him, but she quickly lost her composure as he man-handled her. She burst into tears and ran away.
Also, Robbie has put her into a situation where she feels compelled to deceive. She is deceiving her parents and asking her little sister to help her deceive her parents. After she ran from the golf course to her hotel room, she thought about her own misbehavior. Her fantasies about her future romantic life had not included herself and her boyfriend deceiving each other and everyone around them.
Lisa suddenly feels that she has to think about life more profoundly and critically.
======
On the day after Lisa ran away from Robbie, he comes to her and apologizes. Robbie tells Lisa that Baby is angry about his rude treatment of Lisa. Baby has threatened Robbie that if he will not stay away from Lisa, then Baby will report him to Neil Kellerman.
Robbie apologizes to Lisa. He explains that her beauty caused him to lose control of himself. He wants to continue to date her, and so he will behave himself better. Lisa accepts his apology and says that she likewise wants to continue to date him.
Their conversation moves to other subjects, and eventually he tells her about the novel he read recently -- Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. When Lisa remarks that the novel sounds very interesting, he offers to lend her his copy, which he has annotated with underlines, exclamation marks and margin comments.
======
When Lisa receives Robbie's book, she is delighted. She flips through the pages, observing Robbie's many annotations.
Lisa perceives Robbie's book to be a token of his romantic affection toward her. In the going-steady rules, the first rule is to give one's partner a visible token -- a ring or other jewel, a photograph, a clothing item, lock of hair, love letter, etc. Now Lisa will be able to carry this token -- Robbie's annotated book -- around as evidence of his affection. People will see her reading the book and ask about it, and she will tell them that she got it from Robbie, her boyfriend. Lisa's status of going steady with Robbie will be on public display.
Having Robbie's book -- in her mind, a token of his romantic affection -- reassures Lisa. She feels again that her adolescent fantasies about her future romantic life are coming true. She is going steady publicly with her future husband! If this relationship continues to develop well, then she will display the relationship openly, honestly and proudly to her family, to her friends and to everyone else.
======
Lisa is dismayed by the novel's length -- almost 700 pages of small print. Robbie told Lisa that the novel is philosophical. Lisa never has read a long, difficult, philosophical work.
And the author was a Russian-immigrant woman. How strange!
Lisa gazes at the novel's table of contents:
ContentsRobbie had told her that the novel was about an architect named Howard Roark. Did the part about Howard Roark begin on page 505? How strange!
Part I Peter Keating, page 15
Part II Ellsworth M. Toohey, page 202
Part III Gail Wynard, page 391
Part IV Howard Roark, page 505
Lisa turns to the next page:
I offer my profound gratitude to the great profession of architecture and its heroes who have given us some of the highest expressions of man's genius, yet have remained unknown, undiscovered by the majority of men. And to the architects who gave me their generous assistance in the technical matters of this book.Lisa looks at the next page -- at the novel's first two sentences:
Howard Roark laughed.Lisa thinks to herself that Robbie is opening her mind to new, adult thinking with this book -- with this amazing token of his affection.
He stood naked at the edge of a cliff.
Lisa is going to read a philosophical novel about a fun-loving, sexy architect.
Robbie has told her that the novel has changed his own life. She thinks that the novel might change her own life too.
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Continued in Part 10
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Thursday, March 19, 2020
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
"Dirty Dancing" -- Quarantine Version
Best wishes to all Dirty Dancing fans
in the wonderful country of Italy
in the wonderful country of Italy
The 1964 Movie "Get Yourself a College Girl"
The 1964 movie Get Yourself a College Girl revolves around an imaginary Wyndham College for Women. It's likely that Lisa and Baby Houseman and many of their college classmates watched and enjoyed the movie. In general, the movie appealed to all "college girls". The movie portrays their fashions, musical tastes, dance styles, sexual attitudes and senses of humor.
The movie's heroine is Theresa "Terry Taylor", a student at Wyndham College for Women, half way through her senior year. She and her classmates are about 21 years old, which was the voting age in the early 1960s. This voting age is relevant because the movie ends with all these female college students joining a political election campaign.
The character Terry is played by the actress Mary Ann Mobley, who was Miss America 1959 and was about 26 years old when the movie was filmed. (Jennifer Grey was likewise about 26 when Dirty Dancing was filmed.)
The movie character Terry has paid her way through college by writing popular songs anonymously. She has earned a lot of money by writing a hit song titled "Help Stamp Out Men", which the movie audience never hears. Now in her senior year she has written and recorded a new song titled "Get Yourself a College Girl", which is likely to become another hit. The movie audience does see her perform this song in a local nightclub shortly before the college's Christmas vacation.
The movie's plot is dopey to the max. The college administrators discover that Terry has been writing and performing sexy songs that might ruin the college's reputation. The administrators are about to expel her, even though she is only a few months away from graduation. However, because Christmas vacation is about to begin, the administrators decide to reserve their final judgment until after the vacation.
In the meantime, a female teacher -- who has defended Terry -- agrees to chaperon Terry and a couple other students during the Christmas vacation. All those students promise the administrators that they will not have anything to do with any men during that vacation.
For the Christmas vacation, the chaperoning teacher, Terry and the other couple of students go to a ski resort. Despite the promise, one of those students -- a character named Lynn, played by ultra-cute Nancy Sinatra -- meets there with her long-distance secret husband, and then they stay in their hotel room and make love during the entire vacation.
The chaperoning teacher, Terry and the other student -- named Sue Ann -- continue with their resolve to avoid interactions with men during the entire vacation. In their hotel room, Sue Ann puts on a bikini and prances around. She is seen doing so by some men outside who happen look into the room through the room's window.
It turns out that a male character named Gary Underwood -- played by the ultra-handsome actor Chad Everett -- is producing Terry's new record and has come to the resort in order to get her permission to put a sexy picture of herself on the record's cover. Terry angrily refuses to grant Garry such permission.
Therefore, Gary decides to compose a false picture for the record cover. He will obtain a photograph of Terry's head and also a photograph of Sue Ann's bikini-clad body. Then a painter will use the two photographs to paint a picture that seems to show Terry wearing a bikini. Then Gary will put this false picture on the cover of Terry's recording of her song "Get Yourself a College Girl". Gary expects that the sexy picture will help him sell more copies of the record.
Even though Terry does not know about Gary's plot to make this false picture, she avoids interacting with him, because of her promise to her college's administrators. Nevertheless, Terry does become better acquainted with Gary following a skiing accident. Soon they fall in love with each other.
In a subplot, one of the college administrators has come to the same ski resort. Through a silly series of events, he ultimately decides to defend Terry and prevent her expulsion from the college.
In gratitude for this administrator's defense of Terry, all of the college's students help him to win re-election to the state senate.
=======
The movie portrays primarily the students, teachers and administrators of a women's college in the early 1960s. We can see their cultured grooming, clothing and conduct.
We can see also what kind of music the girls liked and how they danced socially. You will see mostly two kinds of music:
In this movie you will not see any music or dancing that is similar to the music and dancing in the movie Dirty Dancing, which takes place in 1963, the year when Get Yourself a College Girl was filmed.
=======
The movie gave me the impression that college girls wanted to feel confident in their sexuality and looked forward to sexual pleasure with male partners. That attitude is expressed in the movie's title song and is portrayed by the behavior of Lynn and Sue Ann at the ski resort. Lynn spends all her time making love with her secret husband, and Sue Ann prances around in her bikini in order to attract men.
The movie's heroine Terry portrays a well-educated, ambitious young woman who is able to control her own sexual conduct. Although she writes and records sexy songs, she does so modestly. She refuses to pose for a sexy picture for her new record's cover. Complying with a promise to her college administrators, she does try to avoid interactions with men -- until a skiing accident makes her better acquainted with Gary. When Terry subsequently does become romantic with Gary, their interaction remains innocently playful.
Terry's combination of sexual enthusiasm and sexual self-control make her a role model for college girls -- such as Lisa and Baby Houseman and their classmates -- who watched the movie in 1964.
The movie's heroine is Theresa "Terry Taylor", a student at Wyndham College for Women, half way through her senior year. She and her classmates are about 21 years old, which was the voting age in the early 1960s. This voting age is relevant because the movie ends with all these female college students joining a political election campaign.
The character Terry is played by the actress Mary Ann Mobley, who was Miss America 1959 and was about 26 years old when the movie was filmed. (Jennifer Grey was likewise about 26 when Dirty Dancing was filmed.)
 |
| Mary Ann Mobley, Miss America 1959 |
Get yourself a college girl --The students at Wyndham College for Women must keep their sexual desires secret from the college's administration. An early scene of the movie shows students in a ballet class. As soon as an administrator leaves the room, Terry puts on a pop-music recording, and all the girls dance the twist. The movie includes many dance scenes, in all of which the characters dance in this twist style.
How happy you will be.
A college girl knows how to love --
How to live and how to love.
So, brother, take advantage of
Her new philosophy.
Psychoanalytically,
She's not too complex.
She knows all from A to Z
Regarding S-E-X.
S-E-X spells sex.
There is no romantic trick
She has not employed.
Tantalized or analyzed,
She's been at home, with pride,
With good old Siggy Freud.
Get yourself a college girl,
A well-read Book of Knowledge girl.
She's the Woman of the World,
She's fun and fancy-free.
Hear ye, fellow college girls:
To yourself be true.
We can do most anything
Most any man can do.
Let's not whistle in the dark.
It's time that we ignite the spark.
And, girls, I'll be your Joan of Arc
Who shows the world we're free.
Come on and follow me.
The movie's plot is dopey to the max. The college administrators discover that Terry has been writing and performing sexy songs that might ruin the college's reputation. The administrators are about to expel her, even though she is only a few months away from graduation. However, because Christmas vacation is about to begin, the administrators decide to reserve their final judgment until after the vacation.
In the meantime, a female teacher -- who has defended Terry -- agrees to chaperon Terry and a couple other students during the Christmas vacation. All those students promise the administrators that they will not have anything to do with any men during that vacation.
For the Christmas vacation, the chaperoning teacher, Terry and the other couple of students go to a ski resort. Despite the promise, one of those students -- a character named Lynn, played by ultra-cute Nancy Sinatra -- meets there with her long-distance secret husband, and then they stay in their hotel room and make love during the entire vacation.
The chaperoning teacher, Terry and the other student -- named Sue Ann -- continue with their resolve to avoid interactions with men during the entire vacation. In their hotel room, Sue Ann puts on a bikini and prances around. She is seen doing so by some men outside who happen look into the room through the room's window.
It turns out that a male character named Gary Underwood -- played by the ultra-handsome actor Chad Everett -- is producing Terry's new record and has come to the resort in order to get her permission to put a sexy picture of herself on the record's cover. Terry angrily refuses to grant Garry such permission.
Therefore, Gary decides to compose a false picture for the record cover. He will obtain a photograph of Terry's head and also a photograph of Sue Ann's bikini-clad body. Then a painter will use the two photographs to paint a picture that seems to show Terry wearing a bikini. Then Gary will put this false picture on the cover of Terry's recording of her song "Get Yourself a College Girl". Gary expects that the sexy picture will help him sell more copies of the record.
Even though Terry does not know about Gary's plot to make this false picture, she avoids interacting with him, because of her promise to her college's administrators. Nevertheless, Terry does become better acquainted with Gary following a skiing accident. Soon they fall in love with each other.
In a subplot, one of the college administrators has come to the same ski resort. Through a silly series of events, he ultimately decides to defend Terry and prevent her expulsion from the college.
In gratitude for this administrator's defense of Terry, all of the college's students help him to win re-election to the state senate.
=======
The movie portrays primarily the students, teachers and administrators of a women's college in the early 1960s. We can see their cultured grooming, clothing and conduct.
We can see also what kind of music the girls liked and how they danced socially. You will see mostly two kinds of music:
1) The Dave Clark Five, The Animals and other such tame versions of The BeatlesAll of the dancing is either the twist or else slow dancing to smooth jazz.
2) Stan Getz, The Jimmy Smith Trio and other such smooth-jazz performers
In this movie you will not see any music or dancing that is similar to the music and dancing in the movie Dirty Dancing, which takes place in 1963, the year when Get Yourself a College Girl was filmed.
=======
The movie gave me the impression that college girls wanted to feel confident in their sexuality and looked forward to sexual pleasure with male partners. That attitude is expressed in the movie's title song and is portrayed by the behavior of Lynn and Sue Ann at the ski resort. Lynn spends all her time making love with her secret husband, and Sue Ann prances around in her bikini in order to attract men.
The movie's heroine Terry portrays a well-educated, ambitious young woman who is able to control her own sexual conduct. Although she writes and records sexy songs, she does so modestly. She refuses to pose for a sexy picture for her new record's cover. Complying with a promise to her college administrators, she does try to avoid interactions with men -- until a skiing accident makes her better acquainted with Gary. When Terry subsequently does become romantic with Gary, their interaction remains innocently playful.
Terry's combination of sexual enthusiasm and sexual self-control make her a role model for college girls -- such as Lisa and Baby Houseman and their classmates -- who watched the movie in 1964.
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Friday, March 13, 2020
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Some Videos Restored to YouTube Again -- 3
On January 1, 2020, I posted some videos that were restored to YouTube. Since then, they have been deleted from YouTube.
Now, however, someone else has begun posting some of those videos on YouTube again. I expect that these videos will be deleted from YouTube soon.
Now, however, someone else has begun posting some of those videos on YouTube again. I expect that these videos will be deleted from YouTube soon.
Some Videos Restored to YouTube Again -- 2
On January 1, 2020, I posted some videos that were restored to YouTube. Since then, they have been deleted from YouTube.
Now, however, someone else has begun posting some of those videos on YouTube again. I expect that these videos will be deleted from YouTube soon.
Now, however, someone else has begun posting some of those videos on YouTube again. I expect that these videos will be deleted from YouTube soon.
Some Videos Restored to YouTube Again -- 1
On January 1, 2020, I posted some videos that were restored to YouTube. Since then, they have been deleted from YouTube.
Now, however, someone else has begun posting some of those videos on YouTube again. I expect that these videos will be deleted from YouTube soon.
Now, however, someone else has begun posting some of those videos on YouTube again. I expect that these videos will be deleted from YouTube soon.