The Fountainhead
Ayn Rand
Report by Ethan Hall
The Fountainhead represents Rand's worldview through her striking characters
Howard Roark- Architect, represents individualism, and incorruptible (Protagonist)
Peter Keating- Architect, former classmate of Roark, "Golden Boy"
Ellsworth Toohey- Columnist, manipulator, power-hungry
Dominique Francon- Columnist, represents individualism, hates corrupted society
Gail Wynand- Owner of the Banner, not completely corrupt, married to Dominique
Setting
New York City, Conneticut, Massachusetts, and Ohio
Viewpoint
Type of novel
To what lengths would you go to defend your ideals? How much would you sacrifice?
Howard Roark against the world...
After years and years of failed commissions, Roark left the architecture business to work in a stone quarry in Connecticut. It's here that he met Dominique Francon, and the two fell in love. However, Dominique didn't believe that Roark was as perfect as he seemed, so she aimed to test him through her column in the Banner, a prominent newspaper. Ellsworth Toohey was another writer for the Banner, and wanted to gain power over people through altruism. Toohey's practice was to convince other's that the only virtue worth possessing was self-sacrifice. As the public lost all sense of self-worth, Toohey came down into their lives and molded them to suit his purposes. His character was a direct foil to Roark. Toohey convinced a man to give Roark a commission for a temple, but then used his influence to destroy Roark publicly. Roark is sued for the temple, and Dominique defends him at the trial. Afterwards, Dominque asks Peter Keating to marry her.
Gail Wynand was the owner of the Banner, and an incredible publisher. He was at the end of his rope, but then he met Dominique Francon, who he fell in love with. Dominique had since married Peter Keating, and Wynand gave Peter the commission on a large project and a equally large check to divorce Dominique, so the two could get married. Wynand and Dominique got along well, because Wynand was an individualist at heart, but has since been corrupted. Eventually, Wynand scheduled a meeting with Roark about building a house for him and Dominique. Roark agreed, and became very close with Wynand through the process.
Peter Keating has failed as an architect, so he begged Toohey to give him one last commission in hopes of restoring his name. Toohey agreed, and knew that Keating would go to Roark for help, and that Roark would create the housing project without a second thought. Keating gave Roark's plans to Toohey, who had people under him managing the whole project. Toohey instructed his men to alter Roark's plans before they were built, which was the ultimate insult to Roark and his ideals. The climax of the book occurred when Roark discovered this, and then used dynamite to destroy the project. Roark was hated by nearly everyone, and Wynand ran himself and his paper into the ground trying to defend Roark from the public. Eventually, pickets forced Wynand to give up control of the Banner, and he is crushed. Before Roark's second trial, Dominique declared her love for Roark, and stood with him. Roark was found innocent. Afterwards, a millionaire decided to purchase the land of Roark's disgraced project, and gave Roark the opportunity to design it again. Gail Wynand and Roark worked together to design the Wynand Building, which was a monument dedicated to the spirit of individualism in Roark.