Assignment #3 Fountainhead

In dynamiting Cortlandt Homes, Howard Roark breaks the law. What is his moral and philosophical argument for the rectitude of his action?

            In the novel, The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, Howard Roark is an extraordinary character that embodies what every human being wishes they could be. Howard Roark is a college dropout who gets expelled for building what he believes to be beautiful instead of what he is expected to build. Throughout the novel Roark builds what he wants to build and does not let society tell him what to build. Roark is an individual who stands out for going against the crowd. His counterpart in the novel is Peter Keating who graduates top of his class from the best architecture school and is offered a position in a successful firm. Throughout his college years Keating had Roark improve his homework assignments by adding his visionary ideas with a twist to accommodate to the schools professors. Keating is intimidated by Roark because he believes he should be in his own place, while Roark is content with being who he wants to be and not conforming to society. Roark and Keating have a complex relationship throughout the novel because Keating seeks Roark’s approval, although Roark is looked down upon by society for not following the rules.

            The plans for the Cortlandt Homes were designed by Roark, but he allowed Keating to use his plans because no one would take the plans seriously if Roark used his name. Roark did not mind that Keating put his name on the project, but he had one condition for Keating. Roark told him he could use the plans if he promised not to change a single detail about the plans. By not caring if his name was on the project shows Roark’s resistance to social pressure. In addition, Keating’s acceptance to use somebody else’s work as his own just to keep his name in the papers shows the hypocrisy of high society. After Keating breaks his promise to Roark, Roark cannot stand by and watch as his masterpiece is broken and degraded by additions of other architects. Roark’s decides to blow up the Cortlandt Homes because they no longer represented the beauty in which he built them.

 Roark’s moral reason for blowing up the Cortland Homes was that they had become what he had tried to avoid since the beginning. They were becoming the buildings he was “supposed” to build because accepted architects were changing his design to please society. He could not stand by and watch so he decided to act on his believes of individuality. He wanted society to know that he would not submit to their restrains on his vision of the future. He believed it was wrong for Keating to allow the changes to his plans but he also felt sorry for Keating because he was unhappy with his life. Keating worked in the top firm, had a beautiful wife, and a beautiful apartment, but he was not satisfied with his work. In contrast Roark had moments of building, moments of hard labor, and no money to his name. Nobody wanted to hire him because society thought he was arrogant, due to a newspaper writer who wanted to bring him down. Society was so intent on putting Roark down that they did not notice that Keating’s best work reflected Roark’s style.

The philosophy Rand portrays through Keating is that conformity will lead to unhappiness because happiness can only come through pride in your work. Roark is proud of his work and will not let anyone change his views on what he believes is a beautiful building. He refuses to work with clients who want to change any aspect of his piece. This shows his commitment to his work and ideology. Roark idolizes a Architect who was once great because of his unique buildings. He wants to be like this architect because he admires his persistence to work the way he wishes to work. Over time this architect is looked down upon by society because of his modern work. Roark tries and becomes this architect’s employee before he retires. The architect sees the potential in Roark’s work and insists he applies at a better architecture firm. Roark insists on staying and working for him because he believes in this architect and wants to learn from him.

In the end Roark’s fight against society ends because society is too stubborn to look beyond into the future and see how his building style can change architecture for the better. Roark’s struggle with society is the prominent theme in this novel because throughout the novel Roark builds and is turned down, but then builds again. Roark is proud of his work and believes in himself, although society tells him otherwise. His counterpart Keating never finds happiness and ultimately discovers that conforming to society not only hurts himself but those around him.