When one no longer relies upon society to formulate their most basic moral principles, the result is individualism. In Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead, this concept of virtuous individualistic thinking is advocated through her characters as well as the roles they play within the collectivist, altruistically-dominated world they exist in. On the surface, architect Howard Roark and author Lois Cook both seemingly demonstrate individualistic qualities through their condemnation of society. However, if one were to look at the cores of their personas, he or she would find that they are indeed polar opposites. Lois Cook is nothing but an individualist in disguise. Throughout the novel, she attempts to pass her incoherent writing as intellectual literature, and she is ultimately successful. Labeled as a “literary genius,” Ms. Cook is granted a fair deal of praise from the public, especially those from the upper-class who feel the need to distinguish themselves by reading her obscure publications. However, her vehemence and absurd ideas cannot elude from the fact that she uses society’s standards as a model to rebel against. Lois Cook makes it a priority to make a statement against every single standard that society holds over her. Not even her hygiene is exempt from her rebellious ways; “Her hair hung about her ears in greasy strands. Her fingernails were broken. She looked offensively unkempt, with studied slovenliness as careful as grooming – and for the same purpose” (pg 244). This gives the impression of rebelling for the sake of rebelling without having anything important to actually rebel against. Likewise, Cook requests that Peter Keating build her the “ugliest house in New York” (245) and states, “I want a living room withou... ... middle of paper ... ...tion of a true individualist: one who is untouched by society’s prying hands. Although they are both presented as individuals, this is simply not the case. Roark, through his unwillingness to compromise his artistic integrity, is the clear manifestation of an individualist. Meanwhile, Lois Cook, despite her numerous acts of rebellion, depends heavily upon the corrupt aspects of the society in which she lives. Rand demands the reader look beyond the traditional views of society that are ingrained deeply into his or her mind to reveal the significant complexity behind her characters. In other words, just like in modern-day society, the most well-known names do not belong to the most integral individuals. Perhaps if everyone were more like Howard Roark as opposed to Lois Cook, true nobility and fulfilment would not only come more easily, it would genuinely be earned.
Ayn Rand’s Anthem is a politically satirical novel is set in a future society that is so highly collectivized that the word “I” has been banned. The world is governed by various councils who believe that man’s sole reason for existence is to enforce the Great Truth “that all men are one and that there is no will save the will of all men together” (Rand, 20). Any indication of an individual’s independent spirit is swiftly and brutally put down, with the transgressors being punished with severe prison sentences or even death.
Ayn Rand’s, The Fountainhead is spearheaded by the struggle between individualism and collectivism in society. This struggle is personified by the individualist Howard Roark and the collectivist Ellsworth Toohey. Toohey’s true nature and objectives do not come immediately apparent, however his goals are fundamentally simple; to acquire as much power as possible.Unlike Wyand, Toohey does not have a prize that he aims to acquire, rather he aimlessly acquires power for its own sake, further setting up the idea that he is truly selfless and a man that could never of been.
The Fountainhead provided and continues to provide a powerful inspiration to the individualist movement in America, and throughout the world. More than any other single work, The Fountainhead revived popular enthusiasm for a way of thinking, and a way of life, that in 1943 was regarded by virtually every sector of intellectual opinion as outmoded. Ayn Rand's courageous challenge to accepted ideas was rendered still more courageous by her willingness to state her individualist premises in the clearest terms and to defend the most radical implications that could be drawn from them.
In “The Fountainhead” Ayn Rand shows her own views on free will. She belligerently shows how the world has come to collectivism to live their lives. ““Fine.” Said Mrs. Keating, “Go to the Beaux-Arts. It’s a grand place. A whole ocean away from your home. Of course, if you go, Mr. Francon will take somebody else. People will talk about that. Everybody knows that Mr. Francon picks out the best boy from Stanton every year for his office. I wonder how it’ll look if some other boy gets the job? But I guess that doesn’t matter.”” (P.35). this quote shows collectivism by showing how “emotional” one can be about not being better than his/her peers around them. Ayn’s point of view on free will in this quote shown telling of how Peter Keating had a choice on whether to take Guy Francons job offer or go to the Beaux-Arts academy for architecture, even though his mother was pressuring him into tak...
...l human character. Writers of American literature have many different opinions on the society. In order for readers to understand an author’s view on the society, they must look at many different aspects including the writer’s life and the time period in which the work was written. Though writers have different theories about the society, they express their philosophies into their work. The town who seem horribly uncivilized, where a son stones his mother, yet they can easily be compared to today's society.
“Fountainhead” identifies that, though treading down the path of imminent defeat, individualism is the only noble pursuit to strive for, backed by the reasonable arguments that logic provides. Collectivism, in all of its publicized glory, serves only to enslave man and force them into subservience. Even those in power, specifically Toohey, fail to reap the benefits that collectivism is famed to offer, because they themselves are slaves to its all-consuming chasm.
Philosophy demands literature that can abet the understanding of social views. Without reflective literature, man cannot begin to comprehend the essential messages behind philosophy. One such philosophy, objectivism, is represented exceptionally by the novel, The Fountainhead. Through the use of compelling dialogue, Ayn Rand reveals her own feelings towards objectivism, and her thoughts towards conformity and independence. The interpretations and the implications of several of the quotes within The Fountainhead accurately depict the essence of objectivism and encourages the opposition of conventional standards through the embodiment of the uncompromising innovator "standing against the world."
The infamous author Ayn Rand dedicated her life wholly to the study and furthering of her political dogma, Objectivism, the uniting theme throughout all of her published literary works. One of the most obtrusive examples is her novella Anthem, which is set in a futuristic yet inept dystopia that is entirely founded on principles of collectivism. Page by page Rand’s sentiments become glaringly obvious, subsequently causing the reader to question her motivation behind this story, their own agreement with her egocentric philosophy, how Christianity aligns with every aspect of it, and if, overall, it was adeptly written.
In this world, and in the world of Ayn Rand’s imagination, there are two kinds of people: those who live to create, and those who wish to live as parasites feeding off the benefits of those creations. In Atlas Shrugged, she explores what might happen when the creators of the world stop creating; the parasites are left to try to live on their own. The novels that Miss Rand writes always reflect this sort of thing. She writes of the battle between the two types of people as some write of the battles between good and evil. In reality, each side of the battle can be equated in such terms. These writings provide a detailed analysis of the two forces, and leave the reader with a profound sense of vitality and inspiration.
Individualism, the doctrine of free thought and action of the individual, forms the basis of Ayn Rand's novel The Fountainhead. The major theme of her fiction is the primacy of the individual, the unique and precious individual life. That which sustains and enriches life is good, that which negates and impoverishes the individual's pursuit of happiness is evil.
"A Woman’s Place", the name of the commencement speech given by Naomi Wolf at the Scripps College graduation in 1992; contrasts the independent and the dependent woman. In today’s society, there are two different types of women: the woman who has a good head on her shoulders and knows where she is going in the world, and the woman who seeks dependence within the masculine world. Just as they were thirty years ago, women are still not considered to be equal to men. They are more or less looked at as being second to men.
“He who loses individuality, loses all” (Good Reads, 2012). This quote said by Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most recognized leaders of the 19th century, can easily be used to acknowledge the importance of a society possessing unique individualistic traits and characteristics as individuality is the fuel needed to run a society. In a world, where even a mere speck of individuality is not present, that society is likely to shatter into utter destruction. Moreover, individuals should possess the ability to embrace their own uniqueness through which they will have the ability to understand distinctive phrases such as that said by William Channing, “no one should part with their individuality and become that of another”. The concept of individuality being vital to society is explored within Caitlin Tom’s essay Individuality vs. Fitting in, the American novel Little Women by Louisa Alcott, and the romantic yet empowering dramatic film Jane Eyre. The concept presented in these three works portrays how it the essence of individuality is a fundamental component for society as it aids with the recognition of societal barriers, allows the ability to empower change, and permits appreciation of the invoked change.
The beginning of this book puzzles the reader. It doesn't clearly state the setting and plot in the first chapter; it almost leaves the mood open to how the reader interprets it. In the romance story The Notebook, by Nicholas Sparks, the plot then shifts from a nursing home to a small town -- New Bern, North Carolina. It baffles the reader so much that it urges one to read on. The romance of Noah and Allie in this book is so deep and complex that it will bring a tear to the eye of any reader.
The main theme of Divergent by Veronica Roth is that no matter where you start, you can always achieve greatness. Even through her parents’ divorce, Roth kept to her true passion and went to Nortwestern University to enter a creative writing program. This book was an action/adventure book based in an alternate universe with a dystopian post-apocalyptic version of Chicago where the entire society was judged and placed in five communities: Abnegation (selflessness), Dauntless (bravery), Amity (kindness/happiness), Candor (honesty), and Erudite (intelligence). The story begin following an abnegation girl by the name of Beatrice Prior. The Abnegation people have many rules about preventing self-indulgence, and other factions criticize their laws
“Altruism — the sacrifice of self to others. This tied man irrevocably to other men and left him nothing but a choice of pain: his own pain borne for the sake of others or pain inflicted upon others for the sake of self.” This dramatic definition of altruism, from The Soul of an Individualist by Ayn Rand, provides a backdrop for similar ideologies. Along the same philosophical vein, one can examine the principles of collectivism, a way of life that puts priority on a group instead of a single member. Individualism, on the other hand, is the complete rejection of these two ideas and a way of thinking that stresses living on one’s own terms instead of being dictated to by a group. As shown