Connection to Objectivism for Part Four
Ayn Rand’s theory of objectivism plays a large role in section four of The Fountainhead. She expresses her theory through her characters, particularly in Roark and Toohey. Roark represents selfishness in contrast to Toohey, who displays the selfless role in the theory of objectivism.
The climax of section four was the trial scene in which Roark reveals his theory of the selfish and original man. Roark expresses throughout his speech that the natural man is a selfish creator, an original person that creates all he has for his personal happiness and gain. This creator never thinks of the wants of others and is loyal to only himself and his beliefs. He expresses that every great ideal and item we have today was because of one individualistic person: the creator. All the creator has is because of his brain and the thought process which he follows. Roark expresses this originality in the Cortlandt homes with Keating as his pawn. Once again, showing his inner self and devotion to his own work when he chooses to destroy the bastardized version of the Cortlandt Homes. His work is not the work of the other “parasites” that bowed to the every whim of the costumer and should not be infected by such men.
“The primary act-the process of reason- must be performed by each man alone. We can divide meal
among many men. We cannot digest itin a collective stomach. No man can use his lungs to breath foranother man. No man can use his brain to think for another. All thefunctions of the body and spirit are private. They cannot be shared or transferred” (Rand 679).
Following this theory, Roark display’s his individualism and value in his work into the building of the Cortlandt Homes. He explains in this particular quote that men are not meant to be selfless, and he must control his soul and body in order to be a selfish creator. A creator that follows his own path and idea, rather than a “second-hander”, that only follows the safe road on which many have trekked
Toohey believed that man must give up one’s soul in order to give to another. He often expressed that he must control other people’s originality for his personal gains. Toohey explains his lust for control to Keating as “A single heart pumped by hand. My hand…” (Rand 638). He also stated that “Everything that can’t be ruled must go” (Rand 638). These quotes explain that Toohey believes that the creator must be controlled entirely in order to have world happiness, a world he wishes to control. “The soul… is that which can’t be ruled. It must be broken. Drive a wedge in, get your fingers on it- and the man is yours. You won’t need a whip-he will bring it to you and ask to be whipped” shows how Toohey has controlled men throughout his life by breaking the man’s individual soul. (Rand 635). The prize would be the control of
that man’s soul. The man of the topic in this speech was not only Roark, whom Toohey wished only to control entirely rather than destroy, but was also stated for the confidence in him being able to state that he has the ability to control the trial that is Roark. With this speech he realizes that he knows how to destroy Roark and is giving Keating (the student) a last lesson before heading in separate directions in life. In essence, Toohey strips the final bit of what he would consider a flaw, the trait of originality and identity, from his beloved student by revealing his true self, Toohey shows what is to become of Keating in the future.
Expressing her theory through her writings in The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand finds the ideal characters of her version of the differing ideal men and creates Toohey and Roark. They represent the polarizing differences in her theory of selfishness verses selflessness.
The climax of section four was the trial scene in which Roark reveals his theory of the selfish and original man. Roark expresses throughout his speech that the natural man is a selfish creator, an original person that creates all he has for his personal happiness and gain. This creator never thinks of the wants of others and is loyal to only himself and his beliefs. He expresses that every great ideal and item we have today was because of one individualistic person: the creator. All the creator has is because of his brain and the thought process which he follows. Roark expresses this originality in the Cortlandt homes with Keating as his pawn. Once again, showing his inner self and devotion to his own work when he chooses to destroy the bastardized version of the Cortlandt Homes. His work is not the work of the other “parasites” that bowed to the every whim of the costumer and should not be infected by such men.
“The primary act-the process of reason- must be performed by each man alone. We can divide meal
among many men. We cannot digest itin a collective stomach. No man can use his lungs to breath foranother man. No man can use his brain to think for another. All thefunctions of the body and spirit are private. They cannot be shared or transferred” (Rand 679).
Following this theory, Roark display’s his individualism and value in his work into the building of the Cortlandt Homes. He explains in this particular quote that men are not meant to be selfless, and he must control his soul and body in order to be a selfish creator. A creator that follows his own path and idea, rather than a “second-hander”, that only follows the safe road on which many have trekked
Toohey believed that man must give up one’s soul in order to give to another. He often expressed that he must control other people’s originality for his personal gains. Toohey explains his lust for control to Keating as “A single heart pumped by hand. My hand…” (Rand 638). He also stated that “Everything that can’t be ruled must go” (Rand 638). These quotes explain that Toohey believes that the creator must be controlled entirely in order to have world happiness, a world he wishes to control. “The soul… is that which can’t be ruled. It must be broken. Drive a wedge in, get your fingers on it- and the man is yours. You won’t need a whip-he will bring it to you and ask to be whipped” shows how Toohey has controlled men throughout his life by breaking the man’s individual soul. (Rand 635). The prize would be the control of
that man’s soul. The man of the topic in this speech was not only Roark, whom Toohey wished only to control entirely rather than destroy, but was also stated for the confidence in him being able to state that he has the ability to control the trial that is Roark. With this speech he realizes that he knows how to destroy Roark and is giving Keating (the student) a last lesson before heading in separate directions in life. In essence, Toohey strips the final bit of what he would consider a flaw, the trait of originality and identity, from his beloved student by revealing his true self, Toohey shows what is to become of Keating in the future.
Expressing her theory through her writings in The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand finds the ideal characters of her version of the differing ideal men and creates Toohey and Roark. They represent the polarizing differences in her theory of selfishness verses selflessness.