Mike Donnigan Character Analysis

Mike Donnigan is an electrician whom Roark meets when he is out doing building inspections for Francon & Heyer (when he is briefly employed by that firm). Mike and Roark respect each other because they both care deeply about their work and are good at what they do. When Roark gets no architecture work and his money runs out, he comes to Mike for his help to get a job as construction worker. Mike can’t bear for Roark to work in the city, where he will be seen and mocked by other architects, so he arranges for him to work at Francon’s granite quarry in Connecticut. Mike feels bad for Roark, but Roark doesn’t—he needs to work for the money, and other people mocking him for it doesn’t matter to him. Mike remembers this, and later consoles Mallory when he is upset by the Stoddard trial. He tells Mallory that the quarry “made [Mike] very sick once, but then it turned out it [made] no difference at all, in the long run.” By his example, Roark teaches his friends how to be strong and Mike comes to believe in his resilience.