Next Meeting: Tuesday October 13th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Here are the questions for this next week's meeting, remember we are now meeting from 6:00pm - 8:00pm, we are still meeting in the Arts Building room AR298.

Also remember that the pages here are using the 35th anniversary edition of Atlas Shrugged.
Just keep in mind we are going from Chapter 9 in Part 1 to half way into chapter 10 "Wyatt's Toarch"

Session 5: October 13, 2009: Pages 253 - 309
*Part 1: Chapter 9: The Sacred and the Profane
*Part 1: Chapter 10: Wyatt's Torch (A)

Chapter 9: The Sacred and the Profane

* Why does Hank say what he says to Dagny the morning after their first sexual encounter? Why does Dagny's reaction change as she listens to him? Why does she say what she says in response? (254-6)

* What kind of person is Cherryl Brooks? How and why does Cherryl misunderstand Jim Taggart's character? What does she think of what he says? Why doesn't she see the truth about him? (257-67)

* What does Mr. Mowen reveal about his character in conversation with the worker (Owen Kellogg)? Has he changed since we first met him—and if so, in what way? (270-3)

* Why does Hank presume that his invitation to speak at the National Council of Metal Industries is a peace offering? (275) How is he wrong? Why does Dagny think him (too) generous? (274-6)

* Why does Hank want Dagny to go on a vacation with him? Why does he want her to wear the bracelet of Rearden Metal? How has his attitude changed since their first night together? Why would anyone guessing their affair be worse for him than for her? (278-9)

* While driving on vacation, why do Dagny and Hank long to see a billboard, rather than just untouched nature? What does that billboard (and the people who despise billboards) represent to them? (280)

* Why is Dagny so excited to discover the motor? What disturbs Hank about the discovery? What is the importance of the creation of the motor and the significance of it being abandoned? (287-90)

* What is the significance of the title of this chaper:

Chapter 10: Wyatt's Torch (A)

* What kind of person is Mayor Bascom of Rome? (294-8)

* How has Dagny protected Jim from the consequences of his Anti-dog- eat-dog Rule? Did she see that so clearly at the time? Why does she feel a chill on thinking that self-interest is not Jim's motive? What is the alternative? (300)

* Why does Rearden's purchasing manager say that a person is either good at the mills or in Washington? What does he mean? What are the two different skill sets? Why are they incompatible? How have we seen that dramatized in earlier chapters? (303)

* What does Lillian reveal about herself and her values in her conversation with Rearden? How does Rearden give Lillian more credit than she deserves? What does she deserve? What are her motives? (304-9)