The Museum of Modern Art Revolt

This thread traces how a forbidden visit becomes an erotic and artistic break from Gregory’s authority and ends Rabo’s apprenticeship.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Prohibition Imposed

Loyalty as Control The Rule Gregory tells Rabo and Marilee never to visit the Museum of Modern Art. He calls modern art fraudulent and treats avoidance as proof that they belong to his side. A Symbolic Demand The prohibition is less about protecting them from bad pictures than securing loyalty. By making an institution into a test, Gregory turns aesthetic disagreement into a personal betrayal.

The Forbidden Visit

A Moment of Defiance Leaving the Museum Rabo and Marilee emerge from the Museum of Modern Art after spending time with pictures Gregory despises. Their happiness, along with their closeness, makes the visit an unmistakable refusal of his authority. A Confrontation in the Street Gregory catches them during the parade and accuses them of disloyalty. He insists that the visit mocks his life’s work, revealing how personally he has invested in controlling their judgments.

The Apprentice Cast Out

Separation Rabo Leaves Marilee tells Rabo that she must stay while he must go, and he leaves Gregory’s house without looking back. He mistakenly treats her words as a definitive end to their relationship. A Long Silence The separation shapes both lives: Rabo survives homelessness and enters new communities, while Marilee remains entangled with Gregory. Their later reunion reveals how much emotional responsibility Rabo failed to assume.

During Rabo and Marilee’s years in Gregory’s household

Saint Patrick’s Day, 1936

That evening, Saint Patrick’s Day, 1936