Roarks schoolmate, peter keating, moves to new york and goes to work for the prestigious architectural. Few films have ever so explicitly expressed a political ideology. An analysis of the book the fountainhead by howard roark 1180 words, 2 pages howard roark from, the fountainhead, was the physical representation of ayn rands philosophy, objectivism, and various other main characters represented other philosophies which were rejected by objectivism. The book itself is a masterpiece of stark writing and strong characterizations, but the message is both deadly and evil particularly when taken to the extreme to. A look at ayn rands the fountainhead, one of the three books that launched. Part two cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test. It is a story of individualism fighting collectivism.
In various ways, he attempts to gain control over the lives of other men. As the story opens, twentyoneyearold roark is expelled from the stanton institute of technology for insubordination. Born february 2, 1905, ayn rand published her first novel, we the living, in 1936. Editions of the fountainhead by ayn rand goodreads.
It lays out the basic position of all of ayn rands writing. In spite of gail wynands individualism and creative spirit in the fountainhead, he compromises these values in his work and succumbs to the power of the people, believing this double identity to be his only option in achieving the power he seeks. This could be the summary of the fountainhead, what i feel is ayn rands best novel. Before calling it the fountainhead, ayn rands working title was secondhand lives. This lesson will introduce characters, provide a summary, and give an analysis of the book.
It is important to note that the hero of this rape scene is, in rands words iii. As the novel opens, the hero, howard roark, has just been expelled for insubordination from the. Fountainhead essay examples download free or order. The novels protagonist, howard roark, is an individualistic young architect who designs modernist buildings and refuses to compromise with an architectural establishment unwilling to accept innovation. The fountainhead is a 1943 novel by russianamerican author ayn rand, her first major literary success. This edition contains a special afterword by rands literary executor, leonard peikoff, which includes excerpts from ayn rands own notes on the making of the fountainhead. Rand did extensive research while writing the novel. Ayn rand and king vidors film the fountainhead jstor. The fountainhead takes place in the united states, mostly in new york city, during the 1920s and 1930s.
It is rare that one can sit down, for pleasure, read a book, for pleasure, and accidentally fumble upon a set of views that challenge those previously held. It was with the publication of the fountainhead 1943 and atlas shrugged 1957 that she achieved her spectacular success. She wanted the novel to be imbued with a spirit of individualism and to convey the idea that mans ego is the fountainhead of human progress the fountainhead, front matter. Buy the fountainhead book online at low prices in india.
It may seem rather odd to title part 1 of the fountainhead peter keating, and then open its first chapter with a powerful description of someone else. It also brings on the collapse of peter keating, a spineless, mamasboy and fellow architect and it is the last event, the rape being the first, that lets dominique free her self of he negative ways and fully except roarks philosophy. After that, they only have sex when she is cheating on her husbands. It chronicles the struggles of the innovative architect howard roark in his effort to achieve success on his own terms.
An exposition of the authors anticommunist philosophy of objectivism, the fountainhead tells of the struggle of genius architect howard roarksaid to be based on frank lloyd wrightas he confronts conformist mediocrity. Theyre todays most popular study guideswith everything you need to succeed in school. The rape scene in the fountainhead ayn rand and sex 1. Her idea for the book was to contrast the firsthanded independence of her hero, howard roark, with other characters who are variations on the theme of secondhandedness. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. The fountainhead is a novel by ayn rand that was first published in 1943.
More than any other work, the fountainhead reawakened popular enthusiasm for a way of thinking, and a way of life, that in 1943 was regarded by virtually every sector of intellectual opinion as outmoded, discredited, and even dangerous. When she was writing the book that was to become the fountainhead, rand used a different title. As fresh today as it was then, here is a novel about a heroand about those who try to destroy him. Westcotts translation of the sepher yetzirah was a primary source for the rituals and knowledge lectures of the golden dawn. The fountainhead part 1 chapters 1 2 summary course hero. In the fountainhead, why does dominique francon marry peter keating. Inscription on a fountainhead signed, limited edition ariel poems series, number 24 by quennell, peter albert rutherston, illus. I found the book to be wonderful when i was young, and im a ucla graduate, so i think i would meet your criteria of educated young fan.
Nonconformity many of the characters in the fountainhead are described as nonconformists to illustrate rands idea that nonconformity, which is popularly believed to be a breaking away from social convention, is simply another version of it. The fountainhead hardcover edition is published by penguin usa under centennial hardcover edition. It means the psychological destruction of gail wynand, a hard working businessman and friend of roarks. How ayn rands wildly popular novel got made into 1949 gary cooperpatricia neal film. If the whole world tells you youre wrong, but you are convinced youre right, then ignore the world.
They often have difficulty relating to others, and so feel alienated and frustrated. Fountainhead by rand, first edition, bobbs merrill. Written by harvard students for students, since its. Atlas shrugged and the fountainhead are becoming more relevant as we head into 2009. He said of her novel the fountainhead, it relates to business and. The fountainhead, novel by ayn rand, published in 1943. Fountainhead by rand, first edition, bobbs merrill abebooks. To celebrate the anniversary of the fountainhead heres a look at how it continues to. Her description of the tactics and motives of the parasite class connected lots of dots. Atlas shrugged by ayn rand bigtent21, thebookpile bigtent21. Much like howard roark had a hard time finding a client for his innovative architectural designs, ayn rand had a hard time finding a publisher for the fountainhead.
Since for rand a theme is the summation of a novels abstract meaning, it. At the personal level, he acquires a legion of followers who blindly obey his every command. Large government buyouts and regulation are the scourge of atlas shrugged and the outright sponsoring of mediocrity predominates the fountainhead. The fountainhead is about the struggle between the individual and society. The fountainhead, ayn rand the fountainhead is a 1943 novel by russianamerican author ayn rand, her first major literary success. These free notes consist of about 105 pages 31,227 words and contain the following sections. His personal values are strong and he will not compromise on his art. Rands unique philosophy, objectivism, has gained a worldwide audience. Thus, when in the fountainhead austen heller asks howard roark why he. The fountainhead is one of those great books that everyone should read. The fountainhead contains an undeveloped form of rands philosophical beliefs. Dominiques marriage to peter keating is one of deliberate selftorture. These feelings can translate into a negative opinion of people in general.
Roark embodies what rand believed to be the ideal man, and his struggle reflects rands. The fountainhead by rand, ayn and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Howard roark, a brilliant young architect, is expelled from his architecture school for refusing to follow the schools outdated traditions. While the fountainhead made me consider my ethics, it also altered them. More than any other work, the fountainhead reawakened popular enthusiasm for a way of thinking, and a way of life, that in 1943 was regarded by virtually every sector. The fountainhead was a surprise popular success that catapulted ayn pronounced to rhyme with mine rand to fame. Her first major literary success, ayn rands the fountainhead is an exalted view of her objectivist philosophy, portraying a visionary artist struggling against the dull, conformist dogma of his peers. So if you are in love with the fountainhead and want to collect it then go for this edition.
Buy a cheap copy of the fountainhead sparknotes literature. Dominique francon character analysis dominique francon represents the part of ayn rands philosophy that is ethics. This idea of living a secondhand or conventional life crops up near the end of the book in a scene with roark, the protagonist, and his frenemy gail wynand. Its integrity is to follow its own truth, its one single theme, and to serve its. See a complete list of the characters in the fountainhead and indepth analyses of howard roark, ellsworth toohey, dominique francon, gail wynand, and peter keating.
Here, it means that the independent reasoning mind is the original source of all human progress and prosperity. Although there is much more that can be said about ayn rands art of structural integration in the fountainhead and atlas shrugged, i hope that this brief discussion has been sufficient to suggest the importance of reading these works with a heightened attention to their structural patterns. The first character and hero of the novel, howard roark, embodies. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary.
What philosophy does the book the fountainhead preach. The book of formation translated from the hebrew by wm. Structural integration in the fountainhead and atlas shrugged. Smith goes to washington to dave, most mainstream hollywood films that deal with politics have delivered a populist message. The fountainhead part ii, chapters 15 summary and analysis. It falls short, as do so many modern novels, in the apparent inability of the author or editor to be a ruthless surgeon. In spite of this excess of verbiage, the novel is a. Summary chapter 1 howard roark laughs as he recalls he has just been expelled from architectural school at the stanton institute of technology. The fountainhead summary and analysis of part ii, chapters 15.
Polarizing, because they offer a new set of ideas to look at things. He goes to new york to work for henry cameron, a disgraced architect whom roark admires. Rand uses two specific characters to develop this theme throughout the course of her novel. The free the fountainhead notes include comprehensive information and analysis to help you understand the book. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the fountainhead and. Easiest to specify is the books political and ideological significance. The fountainhead 1949 considering the time it was made, its hard to imagine a more unlikely candidate for a screen adaptation than ayn rands bestselling novel, the fountainhead, which espoused her philosophy of objectivism, a belief in the integrity of the individual and a general contempt for the mediocre standards accepted by the masses. That is great because we can observe a new perspective and whether we decide to agree. It made me realize that man could be as great as he wants to be, and how acheivement is our ultimate goal. Wynn westcott the sepher yetzirah is one of the most famous of the ancient qabbalistic texts. The story would have been faster paced, the characters more sharply limned, had whole episodes, repetitive and tautological, been eliminated. And, cherry on the cake, it includes one of the most beautiful and longest love declaration i have ever read. Keating looks at cooks book and feels that it is somehow a defense against roark. The fountainhead originally provided, and continues to provide, a powerful inspiration to the individualist movement in america and throughout the world.
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