ABOUT THE BOOK
It is helpful to think of The Fountainhead as something of a fairy tale. Prince Charming does not act like a fully fleshed out, magnificently flawed human being, and neither does Howard Roark. They are both nice ideals to aspire to, sure, but youll have better luck kissing frogs than finding a man who sticks to his values as resolutely as Roark.
Ayn Rand knew this. She made no qualms about describing Roark as her ideal man rather than a realistic one. Her protagonist has all the moral conviction of a saint (albeit a saint that makes up his own religious code) and the stubborness of a slab of granite. Nobody can convince him to stray from his own version of the straight and narrow.
Is Roark the most likable character to arise from 20th century literature? No, not even by a long shot. We readers like our characters flawed and dripping at every turn with self-discovery and personal growth. There is not a lot of that from Roarkhe largely remains the same stalwart hunk of conviction from the first to the last page.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Hayley Igarashi is a student at UC Davis preparing to graduate this summer with a degree in both history and philosophy. She has been writing fictional short stories since she was a child, and a couple of her pieces have even been published in small online magazines. Only recently has she discovered how nice writing about real life can be, a realization that took surprisingly long considering her background in history. She likes to read and at the moment is most inspired by the writings of Kurt Vonnegut, Jonathan Safran Foer, Kazuo Ishiguro, and because everyone needs a guilty pleasure, George R. R. Martin. When not studying for school, she enjoys doing normal things like hanging out with friends and family and watching movies. Items on her bucket list include sky-diving, running a marathon, writing a full-length novel, and learning how to cook something that tastes good.
If you have a Facebook, you should stop by and say hello! Find her here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1434740403
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK
Nearing his graduation from architecture school at the Stanton Institute of Technology, Howard Roark is expelled by the Dean, who fears his designs are much too modern. Rejected by most of the top firms for failing to graduate, he luckily finds work with the disgraced but immensely talented architect Henry Cameron. Cameron, unfortunately, cannot take the stress of societys disapproval and eventually retires. Roark, unwilling to compromise his vision for clients, cannot find work and leaves for the Francon granite quarry in Connecticut.
Peter Keating, on the other hand, does graduate from Stanton despite mediocre talent, and immediately finds work with famed architect Guy Francon at his New York City firm. Through deceit and manipulation, he becomes a partner in just a few short years and seems like he has built himself a happy and successful life.
Francons daughter, Dominique, is repulsed by society and its obsession with the mediocre. She retreats to her familys granite quarry and is surprised to discover a sudden and passionate attraction to Roark. A few nights later, Roark enters her house and rapes her before leaving without saying a word. Dominique admits to herself that that was exactly what she wanted from Roark.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Quicklet on Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead
+ About The Fountainhead
+ About Ayn Rand
+ Overall Summary
+ Chapter-by-Chapter Commentary & Summary
+ ...and much more
Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead
