| The
Fountainhead Essay Contest |
| for
students of high schools and junior colleges in
India |
| 2000
Second Prize Winner: Prithika Nair |
|
|
|
Prithika
Nair,
Kendriya Vidyalaya (MEG & Centre), Bangalore
Topic:
Identify any two characters from The Fountainhead with
whom you relate the most, and give reasons for your choice.
CHARACTERS
AND REASON FOR EMPATHY
The
Fountainhead is a work of art in which the characters
themselves lead one into an endless journey of thought which
slips imperceptively in and out of introspection. In this
respect it more than fulfils Ayn Rand's test of a book,
that is the pleasure of contemplating these characters is
an end in itself.
PETER
KEATING
Peter
Keating is an architect. In the course of the book he graduates
at the top of his class from an architectural college -
Stanton. By way of on campus recruitment he is employed
by the firm Francon & Meyers. Throughout his life he
remains in this firm building his career. Keating commits
treachery, deceit and even murder in order to reach the
top of the firm.
We are
introduced to his character when he is experiencing one
of the most glorious moments in his life - his graduation.
A curly haired, good looking, young man participating in
a hollow celebration. The happiness he experiences springs
from his triumph over his adversaries and hence is no triumph
but an acknowledgement of bondage. His inability to decide
the course of his own life soon becomes apparent as his
manipulative, self righteous mother makes his decisions
for him. Thus he moves to New York to join the firm. Peter
Keating does not love his work; instead he loves fame and
admiration and so arises the fundamental difference which
decides his ability to experience happiness in his lifetime.
This is the difference between choosing your work and choosing
a career.
However
due to skills taught to him by his mother (manipulation),
he does enjoy initial success. Eventually the tides turn
and he goes out of vogue. That fickle monster called the
public upon which he fed like a parasite, moves away, leaving
him floundering to realize too late his emptiness.
When
the irreplaceable chance of bye comes his way, he fails
to recognize it or the nature of the happiness he experiences
in the company of Katie, So instead of marrying her, he
yields to that indefinite postponement which has proved
fatal for countless dreams and desires since time immemorial.
His character inspires nothing but contempt, an emotion
which changes only once to pity when he is in the midst
of what one might term a midlife crisis. The book mentions
these trips he starts taking to the countryside, where he
sits in a make shift shack and tries to paint. This pathetic,
almost unconscious attempt to ignite sparks which had died
a long time ago comes too late because Peter Keatings betrayed
soul had already died.
Peter
Keating is the worst my life might become. His example as
a successful mediocrity stands as an ominous warning to
us. As a student about to leave school this is the time
when I must choose my path. If I postpone the time of decision
making, if I choose with only commercial viability in mind,
if I accept the superior age and experience of others as
qualification to take my decisions for me, if I allow fear
and trepidation to govern me, if I give up my calling and
relegate it to a hobby worthy of only spare time instead
of allowing it to grow and fill my senses at every working
moment, if I ignore my soul at any time, happiness will
be lost to me and Peter Keating.
HOWARD
ROARK
Howard
Roark. Architect. Through out the story he and his career
oscillate between obscurity, fame and notoriety. After being
expelled from Stanton he goes to New York to work for Henry
Cameron. When Cameron retires, Roark tries to work independently,
for a few inconsequential firms, at a granite quarry and
finally goes back to working independently.
The
book begins with him indulging in a glorious celebration
of life on the day of his expulsion. A tall, wiry, orange
haired beautiful human revelling in his senses. Beauty is
used here in its true essence and not pertaining to the
possession of attractive features. His only thought of the
expulsion is surprise that he had not dropped out earlier.
He goes to work for Cameron because his building designs
are based on the same logic which Roark believes in with
extensive use of space and sunlight. Howard Roark truly
loves his work. Architecture is his obsession and through
it he gives expression to his religion. He is a deeply religious
man in that he worships value and perfection and ignores
all except the highest and the best. He is happy not in
terms of bubbling laughter and joy but he is happy deep
down in his bones. This is because he remains true to his
soul. People like Peter Keating try to hurt him with pity,
others such as Ellsworth Toohey by destroying his career
and creations. Yet they succeed only till a point beyond
which he exists in a world they can never reach almost the
way his skyscrapers in described as rising far above the
city. People are both attracted and repelled by his untainted
creativity.
When
Dominique Francon enters his life he recognizes and surrenders
to the love and passion he feels for her. His love is violent
and calm all at once; violent because of the sheer magnitude
of his emotions and calm because of his lack of doubts and
quiet beliefs in his love. Howard Roark is a person who
has learnt to trust himself and his feelings.
Every
quality of his springs from this arrogant belief in himself.
His ruthless dedication to truth, his indifference and innocence
of hatred and lastly his purity. This attitude of wanting
'everything or nothing', that is, his inability to compromise
gives rise to a pure soul.
Howard
Roark is the best my life can become. His untainted energy
seems unrealistic, yet the essence he embodies reaches out
to something inside each one of us. Ayn Rand explains it
as being the "View with which - in various degrees of longing,
lustfulness, passion and agonized confusion - the best of
mankinds youth start out in life. It is not even a view
for most, but a foggy, groping undefined sense made of raw
pain and incommunicable happiness. It is a sense of enormous
expectation, the sense that one's life is important, that
great achievements are within one's capacity, and that great
things lie ahead".
Thus
he is a conformation of the spirit of youth. If I can learn
to live life like he does where every day is a renaissance,
every moment is alive and vital, deep connection will help
me navigate this world - and my soul shall triumph in freedom.
Copyright
2000. Liberty Institute, New Delhi
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