The Fountainhead

The Fountainhead is a novel about the ideals of four characters: Howard Roark, Peter Keating, Ellsworth Toohey, and Gail Wynand, all brought together to play different roles in the architecture industry. Ayn Rand introduces confusing concepts in her novel The Fountainhead; her characters do not fit the status quo and therefore they do things that the reader does not understand. They are caught up in the world of architecture and deciding between acts of selfishness and selflessness. Howard Roark had an unusual definition of selfishness opposed to the reader; he believed selfishness is was staying true to ones ideals and goals no matter what people might say. As for Peter Keating his definition of selfishness is doing everything for oneself and not worrying about who they are hurting or using.

The novel is a constant war between altruism and egotism. Howard Roark is a true egoist, he has no desire to be involved in others business, he just wants to live up to his ideals and morals for architecture. On the other hand there is Toohey, who is what we would describe as a second-hander. He uses altruism to make men believe they need to live for others and put others before themselves. Peter was already an altruist before he met Toohey, but he still fell victim to his beliefs making the reader see that he is supposed to be selfless only it seems selfish.

“Howard, I’m a parasite. I’ve been a parasite all my life . . . I have fed on you and all the men like you who lived before we were born. . . . If they hadn’t existed I wouldn’t have known how to put stone to stone. . . . I have taken that which was not mine and given nothing in return” (Rand 575). This scene takes place in Roark’s office; Keating comes to see him and begs Roark to h...

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... rest of the characters that Roark is selfless and Keating is selfish. Peter Keating lies, cheats, and uses people to get ahead. Those are the qualities of a truly selfish man, not someone who believes that no one can compromise their morals and ideals.

Ayn Rand based her novel of the idea of objectivism the idea that reality exists independent of consciousness, and that the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or rational self. We see this throughout the entire novel and within all of her characters. Ayn Rand had an interesting perception of selfishness and selflessness, along with her view of objectivism. As a reader we are thinking the opposite of what the characters are thinking, and never know what is going to happen next. Roark and Keating gave new meanings to selfishness and selflessness within the world of architecture.