I don't like either! Personally, I don't think I'm cut out for this "book club" stuff. I see the point of the story and I stick to it. The rest I see as "filler", unless it pertains to the facts (which Dagny and Hank's sex life have nothing to do with).
Why couldn't Dagny and Hank see each other as the last ones standing (they have no idea what happened to the other producers, though Dagny has her idea). They become a tad passionate with each other, makes sense to me.
I just don't put too much thought into the "brutal" or "sexual tendencies" Rand may or may not have had. I think it distracts from the point.
Like I said, I don't think I'm made for these book club things. I didn't know that until now. This was my first one.
I disagree, my FRiend. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar and somebody has to say so. ;-)
One thing that has helped me in approaching this study is to look at AS as an allegory or parable. I can’t remember if it was in one of these threads or some other thread where the point was made that Rand wrote philosophy books, not easy reading novels. That is true, she was using fiction to illustrate her concepts. Many writers do this. I have a tendency when reading to just accept whatever is written and not get all stressed over the details, for good or for bad.