Fountainhead-Ayn Rand A review by Neha Tandon

1. Fountainhead-Ayn RandA review by Neha Tandon Through this novel , Ayn Rand is trying to depict her ideal man. She is stating her idea of a man, how she should be and ought to be. She talks about reason as the biggest tool of a human being. The hero of the novel is Howard Roark, who is an architect, who believes that no two sites on this earth are same, no two buildings are same. And, just the way, a man has a central idea, a soul of his own, a building also has a character which is its own, which is unique. He believes that a good building is one which gives a feeling of comfort, rational living and above all is functionally useful to the person living in it. Not, the one which looks good from the outside but is compromising on the functional part. He thinks that the building derives its beauty from its function. He loves his work, and does not want to build for clients but wants clients so that he can build. He rationalizes that the client who hires him comes to him for the value that Howard Roark is capable of giving him and not what he can borrow from a book in his library.

2. Review continued…….. • The other character is Peter Keating, who is also an architect and a rival of Howard Roark. He is what Ayn Rand calls a second . One who lives by other people’s standards. He does not mind compromising on his ethics to a large extent to get something he thinks will help him. • The lady in the novel is Dominique Francom, she can also be called the mislead hero(heroine). She believes in greatness and knows what she wants. But, she fears finding what she loves, for she thinks, that if she evers finds something that she loves and adores, she shall be caught in the web of the world and will be tied with the chains, she shall be made to compromise in order to retain what she loves and in the process destroy the very essence in her, and cause her a lot of suffering. But, she sees the fault in her so called logic in the end and comes to realize that no matter, how great the suffering is, one is totally at peace with oneself, as long as he/she is doing what she/ he believes in. • Another mislead hero in the novel is Gail Wynand. The industrialist, and the tycoon, who understands life as well as howard roark and Dominique. But thinks, that since, greatness is no possible on this earth to sustain, he shall destroy it, and save it the humiliation of being trampled and rejected by people. With this idea, he starts giving what people want. And not what he can give them.

3. Review continued……… • And the one character, who is able to think as much as the above characters, but intends to use his knowledge to control minds. He is what the godmen of today, are. Making everything that gives you pleasure, sin. And making you feel guilty for it. For, he knows that the one who is unhappy and discontent with life will come to him. He does not want any greatness to remain on earth, for he knows that a man who creates greatness has no need of Ellsworth Toohey. • With the help of these characters, Ayn Rand says that happiness is the right of every individual. She condemns altruism, and favours selfishness, ( able to do good to urself without harming anyone). For no creation, can ever take place if it was not for the happiness a man derived from creating it. • THANK YOU