The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand, 1943Ayn Rand's unique, thoroughly compelling perspective...which grew into her renowned philosophy Objectivism, is put to even greater use through her impeccable, finely-crafted storytelling. The Fountainhead stars Howard Roark, a young architect whose meaning in life is his work. He is a self-possessed, uncompromising artistic genius who lives by the courage of his convictions. And though he exists in a world where emulation is revered and creation is ignored, or despised, (ie; our own) he never allows his integrity to be compromised. No matter how bleak the situation, or how much pressure is put on him to surrender, Howard stands resolute against the overwhelming forces of the mediocre and common.
While one may claim that he's a self-serving, incompassionate egotist. . .Howard's passion for his work and the clarity of his purpose exemplifies man's capacity for greatness. Howard Roark is certainly a hard character to like, and his stoic, self-assured insouciance is harder still to relate to. However, he has an inner peace that's unaffected by circumstance. He's self-sufficient, secure, and complete unto himself. So while you may not find yourself wanting to be friends with Howard, it's difficult not to at least admire him.
Elsworth Toohey, serving as the novels antagonist, is an aging but popular architectural critic and proponent of altruism and the destruction of the ego. He has a discerning mental acuity and an ability to influence the public mind through a number of avenues at his disposal. He's an affable intellectual with a good sense of humor and a welcoming energy. He's also much more than what he seems. You start off hearing about his great accomplishments and when he's first presented, he has a selfless, humble, even somewhat endearing demeanor. But soon you realize how powerful he is, since he schemes, plots, and pulls strings from behind the curtain. That he's eventually revealed to be manipulative and altogether villainous isn't as surprising as the REASON behind his behavior. Indeed, when he's completely forthright about his intentions near the end of the novel, you'll be blown away by just how malevolent someone so seemingly harmless can be.
If you're looking for a book with a lot of main characters, you've found one. The Fountainhead has at least five integral characters who cannot be ignored, or omitted from discussion....especially when reviewing this book. However, I disregarded all of them except for Howard and Toohey, because when you get down to the CORE of the story, these are the two idealists who stand in stark contrast to one another.
The seeds of Ayn Rand's philosophy are spread throughout this story, and some of her ideas definitely have merit. I find it hard to choke down any belief system that presents a dichotomy, however. Here, she purports that people are either individualists or collectivists. Those that create and those that live second-hand, through other person's thoughts/beliefs/and creations. While interesting, people are simply too complex to pigeonhole them in such a manner. I personally believe in the old adage: There are two groups of people in this world... Those that believe there are two groups of people in this world, and everyone else. Now I'm not sure if this particular belief constitutes a branch of Objectivism, but even if it were just an underlying theme in her novel...I find the whole conceit terribly old-fashioned. Why must things be one way or another? Can't a person act in his self-interest and in his fellow-man's best interest simultaneously? Or choose to act one way, and then another, as the occasion demands? And what of the critic, a "second-hander" who seeks to influence others opinions on art by means of effectively communicating his own? Can a critic know no artistic integrity, since he doesn't create so much as judge those who HAVE created? I'm curious what Ayn Rand would say to the legions of critics who have praised her works for the last 70 years....seeing as how she's basically vilified their (and so many other's) profession.
Be that as it may, I was undeniably intrigued by her ideas...even though I disagreed with many of them. Few books make me think about the meaning of life while managing to both entertain and inform. The Fountainhead did so consistently, without effort or strain. Ayn Rand's words flowed like poetry; smooth, articulate, even elegant. She was also careful to never slow the momentum, or spend time on needless detail. Her prose was refined, and her understanding of language exemplary. Reading her words was never an undertaking, though it certainly seemed like a chore in the paperback I read...simply because of the WAY in which it was published. The chapters merged into one another, and there were no blank pages or even white spaces in the entire novel. This is a huge deterrent for me. I like to feel as though I ACCOMPLISH something when reading, and the way I read the Fountainhead was incredibly frustrating because I didn't feel like I was making any progress until I read the entire book!. But that's a minor, pragmatic concern that has nothing to do with Ayn Rand's superlative writing.
The Fountainhead is a profound achievement. It not only tells an engrossing tale of pride, integrity, truth, and the indomitable spirit of mankind....it remains a masterful, singular vision of Ayn Rand's most cherished beliefs.
Rating: A+
I've played a song from the 2004 remake of Battlestar Galactica. I believe it's President Roslin and Admiral Adama's theme, and it alludes to a kind of restrained but nevertheless deep love that they share. It reminds me in no small way of the love between Howard and Dominique.