Assignment #3- The Fountainhead

Prompt: Choose the scene in The Fountainhead that is most meaningful to you. Analyze that scene in terms of the wider themes in the book.
The philosophy of Ayn Rand is very important in this novel since the idea of objectivism is very much emphasized. She believes that that reality exists independent of consciousness and that there is direct contact through sense perception, where knowledge can be obtained through logic, specifically inductive and deductive logic; the purpose of life is the pursuit of one’s own happiness or rational self-interest. In short, objectivism is the principle that human knowledge and values are objective that have been determined and it is up to the man’s mind to discover them. When analyzing both Keating and Roark, Keating cares more about the pursuit of self-interest, in which he works in one of the most important architecture businesses and he hopes to gain a higher status in the business, going to the point of asking Roark for his help however, he also seems to fall in love. Roark cares more about the pursuit of happiness, in which he does not necessarily care about being at the top in his job and struggles against society.

In my opinion, the most meaningful scene in the novel is in the very beginning, where it is stated that Roark had been expelled from the Stanton Institute of Technology because of his refusal to abide to the traditions he found outdated. By Roark being introduced in the beginning and in this manner, the readers can foreshadow the type of person he is and have an idea of how he would progress throughout the novel. There is an important difference between Roark and Keating, they are total opposites as seen in Keating’s personality that is not reflected in Roark, such as his lack of creativity which shows his conformity to society. Roark does not agree with society or wants to comply with what has been established in the architectural world, as he shows his individuality through various drawing of buildings, which are not the typical buildings seen in the city; he stays true to himself.

In this scene, that identifies who Roark is, the various themes in the novel are exemplified, one of which is the importance of individuality. Roark serves as an example of a perfect man who is admired because of his talent and courage to resist the norms of society and that through it all, he does not change. The novel revolves around this character, who struggles to retain his individuality even in the face of all the obstacles put forth by society. Nevertheless, he is not the only one in the novel who faces the struggle of acting individually, since the most important virtue is to not change because society does not accept you. It can be seen in the novel that laborers are admired as individuals but feared as a group since they could revolt. At the end of the novel, he symbolically wins against society because he is able to live based on his own principles. Another of the themes is the importance of reason, which can be applied not only to this scene but to the characters specifically. In the novel, it is argued that everything worth thinking, feeling, or producing should be a result or reason and not of emotion. The fact that some of the characters, including Roark, defend their individuality through logical means further supports the fact that sentimentalism is not approved and does not lead to success. This idea tries to convey the fact that one should be cold-hearted and selfish, where feelings are not to be considered and that the mind should dominate one’s self to reach one’s dreams. Everything in the novel is very precise, as seen in the field of architecture, such as the various shapes used in the buildings. Also, Roark is an intelligent individual who does not conform to society and has a sense of creativity as shown in the various buildings he has created, which do not reflect those normally seen. He does not let himself be bent to what is found acceptable and normal, and if emotion were to dominate him, then his ideology could certainly change since he might become confused of who he is. However, a theme that might contradict the previously mentioned, in the cold love experienced between both Roark and Dominique. Love in one of the principles that is worth fighting for, just like individualism. Humans should be able to interact and experience love between each other. Both characters have expressed their feeling of independence, which they let go for each other. The love seems to contradict the idea of reason over emotion. However, they are both so demanding of their relationship to be perfect that it loses the emotional part and becomes logical. It is argued in the novel that relationships should help maximize people’s potential, where they should be precise and logical, the only manner in which it can be approved.