...The Fountainhead Essay Contest Howard Roark, the main protagonist of The Fountainhead, embodies Ayn Rand’s depiction of individualism and originality, trying to fulfill his potential in a manipulative world. He never regrets any of his actions or decisions despite rejection from the rest of society. Even from the beginning of the novel, he was clearly aware of the obstacles ahead of him and was confident in his abilities to succeed in a selfish environment. “He knew that the days would be difficult… he knew also that he would not think, because everything was clear to him already” (pg. 15). As an independent man, his interactions with the other characters of the novel clearly represent the author’s notion that being self-sufficient in a collectivist society is a virtue. Rand’s main point throughout the book is that Roark dismisses conventions and is driven by passion, not like the others around him that only lust for power. Ayn Rand’s characteristically dry writing style accentuates the relationships between the characters of The Fountainhead, especially the ones between Howard Roark and his “rivals” like Peter Keating and Ellsworth Toohey. Roark is unique in his willingness to embrace his individualistic mind, act on his own decisions, and be generally indifferent towards the opinion of others. This is a stark contrast to a head figure of architecture like Toohey who is blinded by his own hubris, taking advantage of the work of others in order to achieve his own standing and...
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...In The Fountainhead, Rand characterizes her thoughts of the ideal human being throughout the embodiment of the novel’s hero who lives by his own achievement, does not give or receive the unworthy, and values accomplishment and dismisses resentment and jealousy. The novel’s central character, Howard Roark is a brilliant architect who struggles against a traditionalist society that rejects his revolutionary designs, therefore giving voice to Rand’s own Objectivist philosophy. The Objectivist philosophy states that the ethical purpose of human life is the quest for one’s personal happiness and rational self-interest. Therefore, Roark is innately selfish, entirely unaware of others, and dearly committed to his own success and prosperity. Throughout...
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...Howard Roark and Ellsworth Toohey are declared in The Fountainhead where they both exclaim prime illustrations of a realistic perspective. Specifically, Roark is the hidden side of society that is obsolete, and hard to understand that is actually among realization. Evidently, Roark is an exemplar of the "individual" that is truly successful for his talents, reason, drive, and inner beliefs: " they were sketches of buildings such as had never stood on the face of the earth."-(7). Roark absorbs his art impression into buildings and architecture. His artistic view is quite unorthodox that is questioned. Society's view on abstract structure is irrelevant to Roark's behavior. He avoids any temptation of conformity to commit to his personal...
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...nature of reality meaning that it can’t be absolute. Then to expand objective metaphysics is not real. The whole point of the study of metaphysics is to try and derive objective reality from the subjective reality that human beings experience through their senses and consciousness. Rand’s metaphysics are based on “objective reality” in which she states the human identity and consciousness are the basis. So basically Rand says. “what you see is what you...
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...When I received a copy of James S. Valliant’s book, The Passion of Ayn Rand’s Critics: The Case Against the Brandens, I was a little apprehensive about reviewing it. It seems that every time a discussion commences about the “juicy” bits of Ayn Rand’s sexual and romantic entanglements, it takes on a life of its own, and the discussion never seems to end. Cyber-forums can’t even mention this book without provoking hundreds of rancorous posts among people who are still personally involved in the developments surrounding the break between Ayn Rand and Nathaniel Branden and Barbara Branden. It’s as if the War of ‘68 is still raging. I was fortunate when I came to the study of Ayn Rand. I was eight years old when Rand and the Brandens went their separate ways. I knew none of the principals involved, and didn’t actually discover Rand’s work until nearly ten years later—when I was a senior in high school in 1977. And even after I’d discovered her work, I'd read everything she wrote without the assistance of going to live lectures or attending group meetings of people sitting around a vinyl turntable or an audio-tape player, listening to recordings of said lectures. I eventually listened to the vast bulk of those lectures as background for the preparation of my book, Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical, but even that research was pursued independently. My work was not the product of any assistance from any Objectivist institute or organization. Around 1992, however, as I was researching my...
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...Anthem by Ayn Rand Author's Foreword |F.1 |This story was written in 1937. | |F.2 |I have edited it for this publication, but have confined the editing to its style; I have reworded some passages and cut | | |out some excessive language. No idea or incident was added or omitted; the theme, content and structure are untouched. The| | |story remains as it was. I have lifted its face, but not its spine or spirit; these did not need lifting. | |F.3 |Some of those who read the story when it was first written, told me that I was unfair to the ideals of collectivism; this | | |was not, they said, what collectivism preaches or intends; collectivists do not mean or advocate such things; nobody | | |advocates them. | |F.4 |I shall merely point out that the slogan "Production for use and not for profit" is now accepted by most men as | | |commonplace, and a commonplace stating a proper, desirable goal. If any intelligible meaning can be discerned in that | | |slogan at all, what is it, if not the idea that the motive of a man's work must be the needs of others, not his own need, | | |desire or gain? ...
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