Peter Keating’s mother, Mrs. Keating is a poor widow who runs a boardinghouse in Stanton to make money for Keating’s education. She relishes the idea that she has sacrificed so much for her son, and stresses to him that he must earn prestige and money for her sake. She follows him to New York, even though Keating doesn’t want her to, and dissuades him from marrying Catherine Halsey. She insists that Dominique Francon will be better a better wife for him for the sake of his career. Later, when Keating is a sad, broken failure, his mother worries about him and Keating knows that she is hurt and guilty about playing a part in making him what he is.
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Mrs. Keating Character Timeline in The Fountainhead
The timeline below shows where the character Mrs. Keating appears in The Fountainhead. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1: Chapter 1
...gets to the house where he has boarded for the past three years, his landlady, Mrs. Keating , tells him that the Dean called when he was away and wanted to see...
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...in his “austere and simple” architectural drawings that he forgets about the Dean’s call until Mrs. Keating reminds him again. She secretly worries that the Board’s decision to expel Roark might be...
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Part 1: Chapter 6
...doesn’t like this, but he cannot refuse her since he is supposed to love his mother. Mrs. Keating doesn’t seem impressed by his accomplishments and she gives him a lot of...
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Part 1: Chapter 12
...all about Dominique and wonders how rich she actually is. Keating is bored by his mother’s questions but also feels relieved to hear them, as though they are “pushing him on...
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...strange because it is so late. Catherine is at the door, looking hesitant but determined. Mrs. Keating immediately understands that something has happened, “to be handled with great caution.” Keating invites Catherine...
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...she looks terrified. She tells him she wants to be married “as soon as possible.” Mrs. Keating says she is happy to hear they are engaged, and Catherine is relieved that she...
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...speech at the meeting, but then he quickly changes his mind and agrees with his mother, saying he’ll wring Toohey’s neck one of these days for giving Catherine so much to...
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...can then be married at once. Catherine is relieved to hear it, and she tells Mrs. Keating that she has worried that Mrs. Keating wouldn’t approve of their marriage. Mrs. Keating says...
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After Catherine leaves, Keating is ready for his mother’s objections and is determined to not cave in. Yet, he listens when Mrs. Keating tells...
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Mrs. Keating says she isn’t thinking about herself, because while Catherine would be a “respectful and obedient”...
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...also tells him that if he marries Catherine right away, he will be breaking his mother’s heart, and she entreats him to “give one minute to the thought of others.”
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Part 2: Chapter 15
...apartment. He has “made himself forget [Catherine] and everything she implied.” He has told his mother about his marriage to Dominique, and she is delighted. Though he has forbidden her to...
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...to which they entitled him.” He tells Dominique “this is like a dream come true.” Mrs. Keating is delighted that Dominique is so beautiful.
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Part 4: Chapter 7
...lost money in the stock market and isn’t getting new work. He has asked his mother to move back in with him. His mother sees his sadness, which points out to...
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Part 4: Chapter 14
Mrs. Keating is worried about Peter Keating, who hasn’t left his room in days, and she invites...
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