The Fountainhead: Ellsworth M. Toohey: 9

EMT's backstory:

Ellsworth Monkton Toohey was a fragile, sickly child, nicknamed Elsie by his classmates. He had an older sister, Helen, who enjoyed good health. His father, unimaginative and unambitious, managed a shoe store. His mother was the nervous type, inclined to chase religious fads. The sicker Elsie got, the nobler his mother felt taking care of him.

Elsie was quiet, studious, well-behaved, and almost eerily even-tempered. He did not go for sports. His best subjects were English, civics, history, and penmanship. He had a brilliant memory. He also had a wonderful voice, both speaking and singing.

Elsie's rival in school was Johnny Stokes. Johnny was athletic and very handsome, and he learned without effort. He was as surprising as Elsie was stolid. Elsie's one surprising moment came when he sprayed Johnny with the garden hose as Johnny and his mother walked by in their Sunday finest. He was getting back at Johnny because Johnny had bullied several children at school. After committing the deed, Elsie submitted readily to his parents' mild punishment.

Elsie was eleven when his mother died. A homely maiden aunt moved in to run the household.

In high school Elsie became a star debater.

At age sixteen he lost interest in religion and took up socialism. He instructed his aunt to stop calling him Elsie.

His mother's life insurance paid for his education at Harvard. He impressed his patrician classmates by frankly owning up to—even exaggerating—the humbleness of his own origins. He became a dormitory philosopher, with a growing band of followers. No gift is worthwhile, said "Monk," unless it truly cost the giver. Devote yourself to things you consider vile; the goal is to utterly squelch the ego.

After getting his Master's degree at another university—his thesis was "Collective Blah Blah Arcane Blah Blah Architecture"—he took a variety of jobs. He reviewed books, preferring novels about the ordinary, the sickly, the rural; and especially, novels without heroes. He also worked as a career adviser at the university, steering students away from careers they might enjoy; they must put usefulness to society above personal satisfaction. Eventually he became an architecture critic, writing columns in a succession of magazines.

In 1921 Helen died, and Toohey's niece, Catherine Halsey, moved in with him.

In 1925 Toohey's book, Sermons in Stone, was published and became a bestseller. Gail Wynand's newspaper syndicate hired him to write a column, "One Small Voice," on subjects of his choosing. At the New York Banner, Toohey befriended the "little people" working for the paper. He even recommended people to fill vacancies at the Banner, and Alvah Scarret was happy to follow his recommendations. Toohey's people were mostly "young, brash, competent, shifty-eyed and shook hands limply." I have no idea what that signifies.

In addition to the Council of American Builders, Toohey organized the Council of American Writers, chaired by Lois Cook, and the Council of American Artists. Both organizations—all three, actually—were stuffed with ninnies.

So there you have it.