Category: Writers Block
The Fountinhead by Ayn Rand, is a 752 page novel that is an exciting philosophical sample of literature. It is a clear winner in intellectuality. It’s pages are splashed with meaning, excitement, lessons, ideas, and quite a few things to consider.
I had read this novel because of Atlas Shrugged. I picked it up because I thought the author might be worth more of my time. I wasn’t wrong about it, and don’t regret reading this novel. I was use to Rand’s style when I read this. I was so impressed that I bought myself a copy. I don’t buy books often. I am blind and I can’t read them. So, I have very few print books. I bought this one though. It had a lot of meaning to me. It was worth my money. I often recommend this book and I often tell people about Rand. I lend The Fountainhead out in April and I haven’t seen it since. I don’t know whether I’d get it back but it doesn’t matter to me. I take it as a gift. The more people exposed to Rand the better. If I get it back, that’s great but if I don’t, Maybe it’s something the guy I gave it to can cherish and love forever. I do plan to replace it. I actually did the same thing with Atlas Shrugged, so, I might replace both at the same time. But, I probably seem like I obsess over this book. I do this because of the principals and themes it presents.
The central theme in this novel is the individual. Mr. Howard Roark is a new seemingly stupid architecture in town. He’s not worth anything really since he builds buildings that no one likes or wants. Besides, he was kicked out of the most known school for architects. Is he worth the time and trouble?
Yet, there’s more to this. Mr. Roark doesn’t seem to be concerned about that. The whole of New Yourk doesn’t like him. Yet, he goes on living life. He gives no thought to who likes his works or does not. It is all irrelevant to Howard Roark.
Howard Roark only cared about his buildings. He cared for nothing more. He built them for his pleasure in his own way. He would not allow his customers to change his style. Is it that wrong to do that? He liked how he had developed them. He didn’t care what people say. The fact they didn’t like it didn’t matter to him.
Roark kept on being Roark. He was special, and he was himself. No one could be him. No one wanted to be him. No one thought anything of him. Yet, he kept on living his life. He kept on building. Throughout Roark’s life, he had one person and only one person to recognize his achievements. Who else could that be but himself? Is it not self evident?
This book raises questions and makes one think. Is it really that good to be “in?” Is conformity really the way to go? Is it good to have pride in oneself and one’s work? Should you ever put others opinions before one’s own judgement? Is living an honest life worth it? Is being selfish really that bad? Does power corrupt? Should one do things to please others? When is compromise good anyway? Is shaking up the fabric of society appropriate? Is new ideas worth a try? Who can and should you trust? What quality does a man that you can have? These are only some of the questions you will have to think about when reading. You will be called to think about them. However through Roark’s Career. You will have time and lots of it to ponder about these things and learn.
It talks about Roark And his career. It talks about His relationship with a woman that matches his character. He also must deal with a man who is honest in intention, and want the best, yet, is corrupted by power. We learn how roark is, who he is, what he thinks, how he thinks, what he wants, what he accomplishes, and how he does it. You will get to know him by going through his life’s ambition and struggle.
Who is this howard Roark and what good is he anyway? Allow me to tell you a little.
Roark We discover came from nowhere. His father worked with steal and he had a passion for architecture at a very young age. During his teens and his brief three years in college he did a lot of work by hand. He was good at it too. Then, he gets expelled.
He then goes to work for Henry Cameron. Roark’s decision of working for Cameron is not liked by the people he knows. He works for Cameron for a few years and then Cameron dies. Meanwhile, he had befriended the man who was once mocking and contemptuous to him. The one that first when he showed up at his office was hostile to him. So, he went and opened his own business. It didn’t succeed or go very far, so He was forced to take the offer proposed by his supposed friend Peter keating and work for Francon who was the most powerful man in the country.
He was fired by Francon, and so was forced to go find mmmmmmore work. He had a employer or two but none liked him too well. He walked out on the last one when the employer was all but ready to fire him. He walked out with a customer’s of his last ever employer with a client who was going to do business with that particular employer. Roark was fired because he insisted in front of the customer named Austin Heller, that his idea was better to the employer. The customer who was not satisfied with the companies offer was impressed by Roark. He liked Roark’s idea very much, and wished for Roark to design the building for him. So, Roark did that, and he reopened his business. This time he would not back down and he never did. From then forward he struggled.
He had few customers but they did come. People laughed at his buildings and only a few liked them. Only a few wished that he’d build one for them just as he’d built the others. His work done his way.