Howard Roark is designed by the author to be "perfect" in her sense of the meaning. At the beginning of the book he is a student of Architecture, he already is a perfectionist and has a style of his own. He does not believe in borrowing on any other established architectural designs. He designs buildings based on the land where it is to be built, the requirement and maximum efficiency of design. He will not add unnecessary decorations to the buildings.
Most people cannot relate with him and hate him. Here the author tries tries to classify people in 2 categories. The Egotists - who are creators, inventors, ambitious, self sufficient, proud and the best people on earth and The Second Handers - who copy ideas, live on other peoples appreciation and opinion and believe that the Egotist are selfish and sinful.
Here she introduces Peter Keating as a Senior of Roark who is the topper of the Institute. But comes for all his projects to Roark for approval, inspiration or correction. Peters mother detests Roark, she is the guiding force in Peters life.
Peter and Roark move to New York to get started on their careers. Peter starts with a famous architects group headed by - Guy Francon. He slyly ensures that all the good people in the firm are thrown out one by one and he establishes himself. He also presents his most amiable side to Guy Francon and becomes his favorite. Roark starts off with Henry Cameron who is also an individualist and matches Roark style. Cameron has lost all his business and spends his days wastefully. This pair understand and appreciate each other. They set off to revive their business. But all customers insist on copying existing architectural forms.
Cameron is driven out of business. Peter mocks Roark and offers him a job. Roark decides to accept a job in construction but not in doing borrowed designs. He is kicked out of work because of his ideals time and again but he manages to build a home, a gas station and a store for like minded people. Associations and individuals alike ignore him and his work. He does not mind menial jobs but will not do second hand designing.
A stormy romance ensures between Dominique Francon and Roark. Dominique who would not fall for Peter who wanted her to get the Francon partnership. Roark gets occasional work with the Enright housing project & a hotel. He makes a few like minded friends also along the way.
Ellsworth Toohey appears a saint. But is a sadist who likes breaking people down and ruling over their spirits. He is popular being a art critic, a socialite, a newspaper columnist. He wins instant approval with people like Peter. He preaches selflessness and makes people lose their individualism and rush to him for any small concern. This is his power. He uses all his resources to popularize mediocre people thus destroying excellence in all fields.
He makes it his mission to break Roark with a commission of building a temple. He does not break in spite of the public outbursts and pressure. Dominique wants to punish herself and the world for Roark. She marries Peter Keating. Peter destroys his life by his multiple choices of marriage, landing commissions and becomes a hollow man.
Gail Waynand a multi- millionaire and publishing giant marries Dominique. But she slowly discovers that he is a man of ideals too. He becomes a close friend of Roark. Soon another war on ideals of design come up and Howard ends up blowing up a housing project to prove the point. A public storm ensures where Howard and Dominique unite and stand by their ideals but Waynand fails. As a mark of repentance he closes down the newspaper. But he cannot face Roark as his guilt shows Roark as the man he could have been.
The Fountainhead turns out to be a very long book. With me not being able to understand the motive behind few of the decisions and actions of the characters.
Most people cannot relate with him and hate him. Here the author tries tries to classify people in 2 categories. The Egotists - who are creators, inventors, ambitious, self sufficient, proud and the best people on earth and The Second Handers - who copy ideas, live on other peoples appreciation and opinion and believe that the Egotist are selfish and sinful.
Here she introduces Peter Keating as a Senior of Roark who is the topper of the Institute. But comes for all his projects to Roark for approval, inspiration or correction. Peters mother detests Roark, she is the guiding force in Peters life.
Peter and Roark move to New York to get started on their careers. Peter starts with a famous architects group headed by - Guy Francon. He slyly ensures that all the good people in the firm are thrown out one by one and he establishes himself. He also presents his most amiable side to Guy Francon and becomes his favorite. Roark starts off with Henry Cameron who is also an individualist and matches Roark style. Cameron has lost all his business and spends his days wastefully. This pair understand and appreciate each other. They set off to revive their business. But all customers insist on copying existing architectural forms.
Cameron is driven out of business. Peter mocks Roark and offers him a job. Roark decides to accept a job in construction but not in doing borrowed designs. He is kicked out of work because of his ideals time and again but he manages to build a home, a gas station and a store for like minded people. Associations and individuals alike ignore him and his work. He does not mind menial jobs but will not do second hand designing.
A stormy romance ensures between Dominique Francon and Roark. Dominique who would not fall for Peter who wanted her to get the Francon partnership. Roark gets occasional work with the Enright housing project & a hotel. He makes a few like minded friends also along the way.
Ellsworth Toohey appears a saint. But is a sadist who likes breaking people down and ruling over their spirits. He is popular being a art critic, a socialite, a newspaper columnist. He wins instant approval with people like Peter. He preaches selflessness and makes people lose their individualism and rush to him for any small concern. This is his power. He uses all his resources to popularize mediocre people thus destroying excellence in all fields.
He makes it his mission to break Roark with a commission of building a temple. He does not break in spite of the public outbursts and pressure. Dominique wants to punish herself and the world for Roark. She marries Peter Keating. Peter destroys his life by his multiple choices of marriage, landing commissions and becomes a hollow man.
Gail Waynand a multi- millionaire and publishing giant marries Dominique. But she slowly discovers that he is a man of ideals too. He becomes a close friend of Roark. Soon another war on ideals of design come up and Howard ends up blowing up a housing project to prove the point. A public storm ensures where Howard and Dominique unite and stand by their ideals but Waynand fails. As a mark of repentance he closes down the newspaper. But he cannot face Roark as his guilt shows Roark as the man he could have been.
The Fountainhead turns out to be a very long book. With me not being able to understand the motive behind few of the decisions and actions of the characters.
