In The Fountainhead, love is an exceedingly desirable precept, especially sought after by the main characters of the novel with their continuous need to build and improve their relationships. This concept can be seen particularly in Howard Roark and Dominique Francon’s relationship, as they focus their attention on each other before their own selfish needs.
Dominique and Howard exemplify a theme of love through the complicated lives they both lead. As they first see each other at the granite quarries and Dominique’s character changes to where she finds herself attracted to Roark so much that she finds a way to see him. After their love story sparks, she realizes that she has been violated in a very intimate way, but that it was the only natural thing that could have occurred when the two such forces met. At the time, however, she does not even know his name, and they do not see each other for a very long time after that.
Once they do meet again, though, it is at cocktail party, where Mr. Heller has courteously invited Roark, and by happen-stance, Dominique is there too. As they speak in public, they have to hide their love for one another because they do not want society and the derivative ideas of society to ruin their love. Not only does Dominique go through the trouble to explain her hatred for him through her articles, she marries other men as well. Love not only directs the lives of these two characters, but also depicts the storyline into situations that other characters become involved in.
Identity plays a role in the novel, as each character strives to develop their own in the midst of discouragement towards being an individual. Howard Roark is a man with a strong identity in which he prides himself as a unique individual. The many other characters, however, who believe that all humankind would be better off at the equal to the rest of the world, discourage this. Characters such as these are Mr. Toohey and Mr. Peter Keating. Toohey knows that his audience of believers who agree with his opinions strengthens his identity. Those who follow Toohey are naïve, however, and are struggling to find their own identity, therefore relying on Toohey to create one for them. People such as these are similar to Keating; he believes that his reasoning for everything is valued because it is his own ideas, but that is not true. Keating has lost his identity by following in Toohey’s footsteps and jumping on his bandwagon, where the destination is hell.
Roark, on the other hand, also develops a path for men to follow, but it has its own break-offs so that they may become an individual too; he sets up this path for such people as Dominique. She exemplifies this as she derails from the common society and expresses her own opinions. Identity drives the characters into different directions by giving each of the characters opportunities to express themselves, creating a grand foundation for the novel.
As Roark continues valuing his architecture, he remains set on keeping purely his designs. Regardless of the press, their opinions, or consequences of what might come from others about the original projects, he defends and believes in himself. Howard is the main factor behind the theme of man vs. society. This theme leads the storyline to one of the few court cases he becomes involved in; where he must struggle to help, the audience understands his reasoning in his unique and individualistic lifestyle. These cases are extremely essential to the outcome of the novel because they express Rand’s theories in a more obvious way.
When Kent Lansing approaches Roark and asks him to create a temple honoring humankind, Roark accepts. He works on this project and, eventually, it is revealed to the public. According to Kent, it represented nothing in regards to what the temple was assigned to symbolize. Kent becomes infuriated, and sends the event to court. During this experience, Roark always fashions a calm manner. Throughout the incident, the press, and even a woman’s group, sympathize for Kent and are sickened by Roark, saying that the temple is dangerous to the citizens. Toohey creates more drama by writing stories that make Roark’s reputation shatter into pieces. Regardless of how anyone portrayed him or his creation, Howard stood his ground and still believed he did what was asked of him in his way. It becomes a situation where it is Roark against the world.
Deceit and betrayal are key themes in part two of The Fountainhead. Dominique plays a very unique role here, as she intertwines two completely different situations based on her own selfishness. She betrays Roark in her own way, becomes deceitful to Peter, and causes Peter to betray Catherine.
One night Peter goes to Catherine’s house and they decide they want to get married the following morning. The same night Dominique approaches Peter and asks him to marry her. This is her own way of protecting Roark based upon her own beliefs and philosophies about greatness and who deserves it. Dominique knows that she loves Howard, and he loves her too, she betrays him. Peter takes Dominique’s offer and they marry one another. Dominique hid her reasoning for marrying Peter. His lack of knowledge leaves him to betray Catherine by accepting Dominique’s offer after being engaged to Catherine only a few hours earlier. She runs the story into a mess that ends up hurting Keating the most in the end.
Dominique and Howard exemplify a theme of love through the complicated lives they both lead. As they first see each other at the granite quarries and Dominique’s character changes to where she finds herself attracted to Roark so much that she finds a way to see him. After their love story sparks, she realizes that she has been violated in a very intimate way, but that it was the only natural thing that could have occurred when the two such forces met. At the time, however, she does not even know his name, and they do not see each other for a very long time after that.
Once they do meet again, though, it is at cocktail party, where Mr. Heller has courteously invited Roark, and by happen-stance, Dominique is there too. As they speak in public, they have to hide their love for one another because they do not want society and the derivative ideas of society to ruin their love. Not only does Dominique go through the trouble to explain her hatred for him through her articles, she marries other men as well. Love not only directs the lives of these two characters, but also depicts the storyline into situations that other characters become involved in.
Identity plays a role in the novel, as each character strives to develop their own in the midst of discouragement towards being an individual. Howard Roark is a man with a strong identity in which he prides himself as a unique individual. The many other characters, however, who believe that all humankind would be better off at the equal to the rest of the world, discourage this. Characters such as these are Mr. Toohey and Mr. Peter Keating. Toohey knows that his audience of believers who agree with his opinions strengthens his identity. Those who follow Toohey are naïve, however, and are struggling to find their own identity, therefore relying on Toohey to create one for them. People such as these are similar to Keating; he believes that his reasoning for everything is valued because it is his own ideas, but that is not true. Keating has lost his identity by following in Toohey’s footsteps and jumping on his bandwagon, where the destination is hell.
Roark, on the other hand, also develops a path for men to follow, but it has its own break-offs so that they may become an individual too; he sets up this path for such people as Dominique. She exemplifies this as she derails from the common society and expresses her own opinions. Identity drives the characters into different directions by giving each of the characters opportunities to express themselves, creating a grand foundation for the novel.
As Roark continues valuing his architecture, he remains set on keeping purely his designs. Regardless of the press, their opinions, or consequences of what might come from others about the original projects, he defends and believes in himself. Howard is the main factor behind the theme of man vs. society. This theme leads the storyline to one of the few court cases he becomes involved in; where he must struggle to help, the audience understands his reasoning in his unique and individualistic lifestyle. These cases are extremely essential to the outcome of the novel because they express Rand’s theories in a more obvious way.
When Kent Lansing approaches Roark and asks him to create a temple honoring humankind, Roark accepts. He works on this project and, eventually, it is revealed to the public. According to Kent, it represented nothing in regards to what the temple was assigned to symbolize. Kent becomes infuriated, and sends the event to court. During this experience, Roark always fashions a calm manner. Throughout the incident, the press, and even a woman’s group, sympathize for Kent and are sickened by Roark, saying that the temple is dangerous to the citizens. Toohey creates more drama by writing stories that make Roark’s reputation shatter into pieces. Regardless of how anyone portrayed him or his creation, Howard stood his ground and still believed he did what was asked of him in his way. It becomes a situation where it is Roark against the world.
Deceit and betrayal are key themes in part two of The Fountainhead. Dominique plays a very unique role here, as she intertwines two completely different situations based on her own selfishness. She betrays Roark in her own way, becomes deceitful to Peter, and causes Peter to betray Catherine.
One night Peter goes to Catherine’s house and they decide they want to get married the following morning. The same night Dominique approaches Peter and asks him to marry her. This is her own way of protecting Roark based upon her own beliefs and philosophies about greatness and who deserves it. Dominique knows that she loves Howard, and he loves her too, she betrays him. Peter takes Dominique’s offer and they marry one another. Dominique hid her reasoning for marrying Peter. His lack of knowledge leaves him to betray Catherine by accepting Dominique’s offer after being engaged to Catherine only a few hours earlier. She runs the story into a mess that ends up hurting Keating the most in the end.