Individualism versus Collectivism in The Fountainhead Essay example --

Individualism versus Collectivism in The Fountainhead      Ã‚  Ã‚   The theme of The Fountainhead as stated by its author, Ayn Rand, is "individualism versus collectivism, not in politics, but in man's soul." Three major characters serve as types for the noble, contemptible, and parasitic in this comparison. Howard Roark is an architect who serves as Rand's model for individualism to the extent that he is willing to sacrifice everything he has in order to retain his status as an individual. Ellsworth Monkton Toohey is a charismatic genius who uses his knowledge of human nature and collectivism to manipulate and control the masses, who hang on his every word. Peter Keating is an ambitious young man who is in all actuality exactly what the public says he is; he reaps the benefits--and the curses--of collectivism in his rise to and fall from the top. The actions and motives of these three men serve as a means of bringing the two concepts in question to life for the readers of The Fountainhead.    Howard Roark summarizes his philosophy of existence when, in the course of a courtroom speech, he states: "I came here to say that I do not recognize anyone's right to one minute of my life."(1) Roark designs buildings for a living, or more accurately, he lives to design buildings. He sees his clients as a secondary--albeit necessary--element of his profession. When someone asks him to design a building, he accepts only the basic requirements and funds for the project; he designs the structure to make optimum use of the building materials and construction site. He will agree to no suggestions or modifications; he builds for himself only, and his clients may accept it as they accept him, or reject it in much the same... ...ions of three distinct philosophies. Roark is the individualist--the man who will not borrow his life from others; he is the man who will give all he has to preserve the fundamental purity of his soul. Toohey is the propagator and employer of collectivism, the voice of the people, the enemy of the individual and everything it stands for. There is no Peter Keating--the name represents the shell of a man who is shaped and directed by society and its caprices. Peter Keating is collectivism incarnate. It is through the concrete characterization of each of these men that the reader is able to grasp the meaning of individualism and collectivism, and their effect on mankind.    1. The Fountainhead, 50th Anniversary Edition (Penguin Books), page 686, line 3. 2. ibid. page 640, line 7. 3. ibid. page 640, line 22. 4. ibid. page 637, line 6.