At the outset of ayn rand s the fountainhead, howard roark and peter keating depart from the stanton institute of technology in very different ways. In 1932 she made her first sale of a screenplay to universal studios. On one side are the strong and independentminded and thus by. Ellsworth toohey toohey is the antagonist of the novel, he seeks to control the minds of people. The fountainhead originally provided, and continues to provide, a powerful inspiration to the individualist movement in america and throughout the world. The fountainhead was a surprise popular success that catapulted ayn pronounced to rhyme with mine rand to fame. Includes a primer on atlas shrugged and the fountainhead that will quickly bring readers up to speed on the plots, characters, themes, symbols, and philosophy of rands classic novels. Water by the spoonful summary and study guide supersummary. The fountainhead sparknotes literature guidenook book.
Roark has friends and colleagues, but relies on himself alone. The character of lois cook in the fountainhead from litcharts. Ayn rand was a part of the modern period of writing. Epic in scope atlas shrugged is 1200 pages the two books make the case that selfishness is the ultimate human ideal and that human progress is based on a mans ego. Henry cameron was once a highly successful architect but has fallen from grace for his individualist thinking. The first act of the fountainhead basically follows our boys keating and roark, from the time they leave architecture school until roark meets his icy beloved, dominique. Her novel the fountainhead is one of the few works of fiction that donald trump likes and she has long been the darling of the us right. He is part of a literary tradition of romantic heroes who possess the same characteristics, like the eponymous hero of mary shelleys frankenstein, who is determined to find the secret to creating life, despite this being against religion and morality. He hates men like howard roark, who show that outstanding achievements encourage the growth of everyone around them, for toohey seems to be incapable of outstanding achievements himself. Buy a cheap copy of atlas shrugged cliffs notes book by ayn rand. Dominique is roarks lover, his greatest admirer, and, simultaneously, an ally of roarks most implacable enemy ellsworth toohey in the attempt to ruin his career. Ellsworth toohey is an advocate of selflessness and preached a doctrine of for the greater good throughout his life. Summary in the spring of 1935, howard roark completes a summer resort, monadnock valley, in the mountains of pennsylvania. All the characters in the fountainhead have a very strong and a complex personality that only a few acto.
Created by harvard students for students everywhere, sparknotes is a new breed of study guide. Essays on ayn rands the fountainhead kindle edition. Howard roark is expelled for his refusal to complete exercises in classical design. It also analyzes scenes from the book, symbols from the book, narrative techniques used in the book, as well as its characters thoughts, motives, actions, and emotions in my own words. Roark greatly admires him and insists on working for him. Includes a full length biography of ayn rand that examines her life, works, philosophy, objectivism, and legacy. Howard roark and peter keating are both architects who are. Even to classify the fountainhead as a novel seems slightly beside the point.
He goes to new york to seek a position with the recently eminent but now reviled modernist designer henry cameron. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Roark has bright orange hair and an angled, muscular body. 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.
Monadnock valley is both an artistic and a commercial triumph. It chronicles the struggles of the innovative architect howard roark in his effort to achieve success on his own terms. The fountainhead character analysis ayn rand slideshare. As the story opens, twentyoneyearold roark is expelled from the stanton institute of technology for insubordination. But only now do her devotees hold sway around the world. Apr 29, 2017 by far, the book that has moved me the most. Critical essays the literary integration of the fountainhead. Easiest to specify is the books political and ideological significance. The villain of the fountainhead, toohey seeks to destroy the spirit of individual achievement in new york city, followed by that spirit in the world. I have read the fountainhead many times and i was pleasantly surprised by this cliffs notes summary and analysis of the book. Introduction, author biography, plot summary, characters, themes, style.
The fountainhead is a 1943 novel by russianamerican author ayn rand, her first major literary success. Ayn rands novel the fountainhead powerfully and credibly depicts how important moral integrity is in maintaining ones personal independence, and in achieving success and happiness. His motivation for working and living is his own ego, and he practically ignores the ideas of others. The ayn rand institute makes that happen every day. The character of lois cook in the fountainhead from. His name contains the words hard and roar, both of which accurately describe his tough, determined character. That said, this reference guide is not simply a verbatim organization of the fountainheads facts in ayn rands own words. Detailed analysis of characters in ayn rands the fountainhead.
Ayn rands the fountainhead is still remembered and enjoyed today as the philosophers first bestselling novel. The fountainhead study guide from litcharts the creators. Fountainhead and ayn rands ideology are, as rightly pointed out by many, pretty polarizing. This lesson will introduce characters, provide a summary, and give an analysis of the book. In the fountainhead, howard roark, the protagonist, is ambitious, individualistic, and unconcerned with societys opinions. Howard roark stands on the edge of a cliff in the coastal township of stanton, massachusetts, watching the granite around him and the water below. If youve been following this blog over the last few months, youll know i just finished reading the fountainhead and atlas shrugged by ayn rand.
Howard roark, ellsworth toohey, dominique francon, gail wynand, peter keating, henry cameron, catherine halsey, guy francon, stephen mallory, alvah scarret, mrs. We encourage young people to read ayn rand and become passionate about her ideas through educational programs, articles, talks, blog posts and social media. Ayn rand makes her case by depicting characters whose lives and choices represent the logical variations on her philosophical and psychological themes. Roarks buildings suggest his personality, for like roark they are innovative and austere. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt pressured to do something you didnt want to do. Geared to what todays students need to know, sparknotes provides. In her novel, the fountainhead, ayn rand explores the struggle between the individual and society.
Not particularly attractive, roark has a selfconfidence that dominique finds irresistible. Before calling it the fountainhead, ayn rands working title was secondhand lives. Book summary the fountainhead takes place in the united states, mostly in new york city, during the 1920s and 1930s. Rands characters are for the most part onedimensional. See a complete list of the characters in the fountainhead and in depth analyses of howard roark, ellsworth toohey, dominique francon, gail wynand, and peter keating. Her notable works included the fountainhead 1943 and atlas shrugged 1957. 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. First produced in 2011, it is the secondplay of a series, known as the elliot trilogy. Atlas shrugged, her other major work, was published in 1957. Rand exaggerates certain historical facts and features of 1920s and 1930s america in order to explore her ideas, but the fountainhead would have been a stronger novel had she created a historically accurate vision of america. Dominiques marriage to peter keating is one of deliberate selftorture. Toohey makes her the chair of the council of american writers, a group of young writers that he creates. The fountainhead study guide contains a biography of ayn rand, literature essays.
Ayn rands novel the fountainhead powerfully and credibly depicts how important moral integrity is in maintaining ones personal. Review of the fountainhead and atlas shrugged scott h young. I recommend this book to anyone interested in reichs theories and psychiatry in general. The novel begins as howard roark is expelled from stanton and peter keating graduates. Dec 25, 2015 fountainhead and ayn rands ideology are, as rightly pointed out by many, pretty polarizing. The fountainhead takes place in the united states, mostly in new york city, during the 1920s and 1930s. She insists writing should not be confined by sentence.
Katie halsey is one of the books most fascinating characters. Ayn rand, russianborn american writer whose commercially successful novels promoting individualism and laissezfaire capitalism were influential among conservatives and libertarians. The fountainhead is a novel by ayn rand that was first published in 1943. What philosophy does the book the fountainhead preach. Demonstrated by ayn rand in the book, the fountainhead, objectivism seems to most, to be morally wrong, and socially impractical, despite seeming to be a stressfree way of life. Consumer demand has been so strong that the guides have expanded to over 150 titles. Lois cook is the author of the novels clouds and shrouds and the gallant gallstone. The free the fountainhead notes include comprehensive information and analysis to help you understand the book. Apr 10, 2017 her novel the fountainhead is one of the few works of fiction that donald trump likes and she has long been the darling of the us right. It is a major commission at a time when he needs it desperately, but the board wishes to alter read more critical essays ayn rands writing style.
The fountainhead is a 1943 novel by russianamerican author ayn rand, her first major. Roark is a brilliant young architect of the modern school, whose bold and innovative designs are rejected by large segments. A feminist critical reading of the fountainhead english. Steven mallory sculptor of significant ability, who portrays man the exalted hero in his figures. He dives into the water, then gets out, gets dressed, and returns to his boarding house at the architectural school of the stanton institute of technology.
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. It is fascinating to read an intelligent analysis of the characters i love. Roark is a brilliant young architect of the modern school, whose bold and innovative designs are rejected by large segments of society. What does the character of ellsworth toohey stand for, and. His independent functioning serves as a standard by which to judge the other characters either they are like roark or they allow others, in one form or another, to control their lives. Henry cameron is an awesomesauce architect who is basically an older and unluckier version of. Its been a long time since i read the fountainhead but i remember howard roark is be both an intriguing and despisable character.
The fountainhead book summaries and study materials. Water by the spoonful tells the story of multiple characters connected by familial bonds and online community, and their experiences with trauma and recovery. Ayn rands philosophy offers a muchneeded antidote to the present culture. The original cliffsnotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. Her first book, we the living was written in 1933 and it was published by macmillan publishers in the united states of america in 1936. Although ayn rand does not base roarks life on the specific events of frank lloyd wrights life, roark does possess many of the qualities and face many of the obstacles that the great, reallife, american modernist did. The novels most controversial character is roarks lover, dominique francon. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. The first book of ayn rand, the writer more famous for her epic trilogy atlas shrugged takes place in the united states roughly in late 1920s and at the beginning of 1930s. The fundamentals of her philosophy are put forth in three nonfiction books, introduction to. This book was an eye opener for me and made me take a good look at myself and my attitudes. Born february 2, 1905, ayn rand published her first novel, we the living, in 1936. Robert mayhew brings together historical, literary, and philosophical essays that analyze the novels style, its use of humor, and its virtues of productivity, independence, and integrity. When she was writing the book that was to become the fountainhead, rand used a different title.
Moving on, about fountainhead id like to say that it has the best and most well conceived perception of a human brain ive read. The fountainhead sparknotes literature guide by ayn rand making the reading experience fun. 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. When rand first embarked on writing the fountainhead, her first major literary success, she intended to deliver a book that incorporated her philosophies on 20th century society while telling a story that was less politically inclined than her initial novel, we the living, which was set in postrevolutionary russia and promoted her tough. The fountainhead suggests that she thinks the country is facing steep obstacles. By the end of the book, keating is a usedup hasbeen and one of. The fountainhead book notes the fountainhead by ayn rand the following sections of this bookrags literature study guide is offprint from gales for students series.
Understanding the major characters of the fountainhead. Theres already a film based on the fountainhead but i learnt it didnt ring well with the audience and was loathed massively by rand herself. One of those rare polarized treasures that play on your mind for a long long time. Howard roark the novels hero, a brilliant architect of absolute integrity. Polarizing, because they offer a new set of ideas to look at things. Character list cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. Rands unique philosophy, objectivism, has gained a worldwide audience. 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. It includes a short biography of ayn rand but the bulk of the book is spent on detailed going over of ayn rands plot, theme, and characters. The main location is new york, though the characters sometimes travel to other places.
Customers love roarks concept and design, and they flock to it. Summary and analysis part four howard roark the fountainhead. Bernstein explores how the plot and conflict of the fountainhead convey this theme, including a detailed, indepth analysis of the five major characters in the storypeter keating, ellsworth toohey, gail wynand, dominique francon, and the hero howard roark. Theyre todays most popular study guideswith everything you need to succeed in school. Presenting analysis, context, and criticism on commonly studied works. Jun 30, 2010 but when common literary terms are applied to so individual a book as the fountainhead not a page of which could be mistaken for anything other than a page of the fountainhead, by ayn rand those common terms lose much of their usefulness. The fountainhead cover of the first edition authorayn rand countryunited states languageenglish genrephilosophical fiction publisherbobbs merrill publication date 1943 pages753 oclc300033023 the fountainhead is a 1943 novel by russianamerican author ayn rand, her first major literary success. 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. Some of my favourite characters in the book are peter keating, gail wynand the best, ellsworth toohey never has a character been this interesting in his villain own self and the hero, howard roark. Roark embodies what rand believed to be the ideal man, and his struggle reflects rands. That struggle is what ayn rands 1943 novel the fountainhead is all about.
The fountainhead questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on the fountainhead. That is great because we can observe a new perspective and whether we decide to agree. Her first success as a novelist was with the fountainhead, a dystopian novel. It was with the publication of the fountainhead 1943 and atlas shrugged 1957 that she achieved her spectacular success. Hes very unlikeable, yet the book forces you to sympathize with him. Lois cooks books are streamofconsciousness collections of words that. Roark admires cameron as he does no one else in the novel. The fountainhead suffers from many of the weaknesses of pulp fiction. I liked the lucid exposition of character analysis and the discussion of the emotional plague. 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. The fountainhead study guide from litcharts the creators of.
In the fountainhead, why does dominique francon marry peter keating. The fountainhead study guide contains a biography of ayn rand, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Written by harvard students for students, since its inception sparknotes has developed a loyal community of dedicated users and become a major education brand. Character list it is his struggle to succeed as an architect on his own terms that forms the essence of the novels conflict. Book summary about the fountainhead character list summary and analysis part one part two part three part four character analysis howard. It brought her fame and financial security, and was also made into a movie in 1949, for which rand. Howard roark is the undisputed hero of the fountainhead, and his story drives the novel. This onepage guide aa plot summary and brief analysis of the fountainhead by ayn rand. Description, analysis, and timelines for the fountainheads characters. The fountainhead receives a lot of criticisms because of ayn rands philosophies. 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.
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