He doesn’t fight the expulsion; he moves to New York and works for Henry Cameron, a brilliant but commercially unsuccessful architect. Meanwhile, Peter Keating is the school’s valedictorian. He is a conformist, and is hired by a prestigious firm run by Guy Francon. Their lives become entwined with the life of Dominique Francon, a beautiful pessimist. The narrative follows the men’s careers, propelled by their differing philosophies for living.