Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Ellsworth Toohey

Toohey is so villainous that he needs a moustache to twirl. The book may start out being a bit coy about Toohey (is he a helpful critic? Katie's friendly uncle?), but it quickly becomes very obvious just how much of a weasel this guy is. Toohey represents a worldview that the novel (and Rand) find sinister. Toohey uses his Machiavellian charm and his platform as a persuasive art critic to sway the minds of the populace towards mediocrity. He's hardly attempting to take over the world, but he is attempting to take over the minds of his readers.