Plot Summary & Notes

from http://www.powells.com/book/fountainhead-9780451191151

The story of an intransigent young architect, Howard Roark, of his violent battle against a mindless status quo, and of his explosive love affair with a beautiful woman who worships him yet struggles to defeat him. In order to build his kind of buildings according to his own standards, Roark must fight against every variant of human corruption, including an unprincipled, parasitic rival; a powerful publisher of yellow journalism; and, worst of all, the country's leading humanitarian and power-luster ("Everything that can't be ruled, must go"). Epochal, impassioned, and hugely controversial, The Fountainhead with more than six million copies in print has become the classic American statement of individualism. Rand shows why every great innovator was hated and denounced, and why man's ego is the fountainhead of human greatness. Brilliantly written and daringly original, here as resonant today as it was sixty years ago is a novel about a hero.

Synopsis

Howard Roark is an architect whose genius and integrity will not be comprised. He has ideas that work against conventional standards.

When The Fountainhead was first published, Ayn Rand's daringly original literary vision and her groundbreaking philosophy, Objectivism, won immediate worldwide interest and acclaim. This instant classic is the story of an intransigent young architect, his violent battle against conventional standards, and his explosive love affair with a beautiful woman who struggles to defeat him. This edition contains a special Afterword by Rand's literary executor, Leonard Peikoff which includes excerpts from Ayn Rand's own notes on the making of The Fountainhead. As fresh today as it was then, here is a novel about a hero--and about those who try to destroy him.

amandabrphy, March 30, 2008
Ayn Rand's, The Foutainhead, is a very fast paced book. However, there are ups and downs. While the book is making it'??s way to it's next climax, there is down time that may turn the reader off. Don't give up on it though; it will be worth it once you a??re finished. The Fountainhead is most definitely a book that makes you think. It is based on Rand's philosophy Objectivism, which promotes individuality, integrity, and egoism. In the story, Rand's ideal man, Howard Roark, projects her philosophy through his way of living and magnificent architecture. Roark struggles through writers manipulating society into hating him and his architecture to his lover, Dominique, who only gets satisfaction by destroying any chance he has at happiness. Yet, he stays strong and does not give in to societal ??norms.â?� Dominique is a truly unique individual. She believes in destroying things she thinks are beautiful because she knows no one will ever appreciate them as much as her. Dominique marries horrid men, such as Peter Keating, to punish herself. Peter Keating is a second-hander who will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He uses Howard Roark to design buildings for him because he cannot think for himself. The Fountainhead gave my brain a work out and challenged my beliefs. From the beginning, I agreed with Rand's ideas of non-conformity and that anybody can do anything they set their minds to. However, I do not agree with being completely selfish. I feel humans can help each other make changes and live autonomously. â??Men have been taught that it is a virtue to agree with others. That the creator is the man who disagrees. Men have been taught that it is a virture to swim with the current. But the creator is the man who goes against the current.?� The first time I read this, I got chills.
 

dani_l3anani, March 30, 2008 When Howard Roark is expelled from Stanton University, he moves to New York to begin his career as an architect. He chooses to work for Henry Cameron, a washed-up modern architect with little commissions. His classmate Peter Keating works for Francon & Heyer, the most popular company in the country. Roark works for others after Cameron dies but is repeatedly fired. After not making it on his own, he works in a quarry where he meets his perfect match. She does not commit to a relationship because she is afraid to see the world destroy what she loves. Soon after, he goes back to work as an architect. Keating claws his way to the top and Roark joins the race slow but steady. Ellsworth Toohey writes against modern architecture and preaches selflessness. He tries to ruin Roark, but Roark pays no attention and continues to receive commissions. Gail Wynand, editor of the New York Banner, hires Roark and, after the pair become friends, decidedly attempts to embrace his beliefs. Many sacrifices, marriages, plots, and speeches later, everyone gets the ending they deserve. Ayn Rand based The Fountainhead on her philosophy Objectivism. The main conflict in the story is collectivism versus individualism. Howard Roark is an egoist and Ellsworth Toohey, a second-hander. Rand is trying to show that man’s purpose in life is to pursue his own happiness regardless of the opinions of others. Roark has incredible integrity and is portrayed as the ideal person. The book has a good message and opened my eyes to the importance of one’s self. “His vision, his strength, his courage came from his own spirit. A man’s spirit, however, is his self. That entity which is his consciousness. To think, to feel, to judge, to act are functions of the ego” (678). Life can be simple if one knows what he wants and goes after it; Roark would rather work in a quarry than compromise his beliefs. Because of his strength, he is able to enjoy life’s simple pleasures regardless of what he is doing. “Roark lay stretched on his stomach, his face buried on his arm, the orange hair on the white shirt sleeve, one hand extended before him, palm pressed to the ground, blades of grass between his fingers. The fingers moved once in a while, crushing the grass with lazy, sensuous pleasure” (583).

- - -

from: http://www.powells.com/book/fountainhead-9780452286375

About the Author

Born February 2, 1905, Ayn Rand published her first novel, We the Living, in 1936. Anthem followed in 1938. It was with the publication of The Fountainhead (1943) and Atlas Shrugged (1957) that she achieved her spectacular success. Ms. Rand's unique philosophy, Objectivism, has gained a worldwide audience. The fundamentals of her philosophy are put forth in three nonfiction books, Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, The Virtue of Selfishness, and Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal. They are all available in Signet editions, as is the magnificent statement of her artistic credo, The Romantic Manifesto.

color_side, March 24, 2008 Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead is truly an incredible piece of literature. This novel showcases the journey of the ego and its embodiment in Howard Roark. Architecture is the name of the game in this book, and many contestants struggle to broadcast their work and their name across New York City. One of the worst architects, Peter Keating, rises to fame because of his success with the politics of the business. He aims to please and nothing else. Where Roark follows only his principles and ideas, Keating is a mirror of society, only reflecting what pleases the mob at the time. Intertwined with these two characters is Ellsworth Toohey. Toohey is an advocate of selflessness (in this case, having no self). He glorifies the commonplace and the ordinary to minimalize greatness. Roark is Toohey’s antithesis. Howard Roark is determined to be successful, and after quite a few years of despair, he is. Creating buildings is what he loves, and nothing else matters, except for one thing, Dominique Wynand. They met under the worst of circumstances and were drawn to each other. Their love is true, but Dominique must learn to accept society the way it is and not be afraid to fight for what she believes in. Eventually, Roark meets Gail Wynand who is the business tycoon of a newspaper empire. They become friends because of their likeness in spirit. In the end, Roark is put on trial for committing an action that would save his building, his masterpiece. Will he go free, or will the verdict say he is guilty? Will he get to build more masterpieces for all of the world to see, or will he be subject to rot in prison? Read The Fountainhead and find out! Ayn Rand’s main theme of the story is to trust yourself and only rely on yourself for judgment; to not be a slave to society, but to respect and work with others to achieve individual greatness because it is only as individuals that the whole will be successful. Personally, I loved the theme of the story. I totally agree with what Ayn Rand is trying to say. I would recommend this to any person who is looking for a good read. The reader will need quite a bit of time on his hands, however, because this book is lengthy, but totally worth it.