Dimond 1 Willy Dimond Mrs.

Keyes AP Literature and Composition, Period 7 3 March 2012 Happiness in The Fountainhead In The Fountainhead, as in life, all the characters are instilled with an innate desire for happiness, and all employ differing techniques to pursue it. Some characters fare more successfully than others. Howard Roark, the protagonist, finds happiness through fulfillment of his own desires while remaining independent of others. Peter Keating, another character, never finds the happiness he yearns for because he looks for it in the admiration and affections of society. In The Fountainhead, through the contrasting struggles and triumphs of Howard Roark and Peter Keating, Ayn Rand demonstrates that sincere happiness can be attained when one puts his own needs and desires before those of others. The character who most successfully attains sincere happiness is Howard Roark. He attains happiness primarily through architecture. While talking to Peter Keating, Roark states that he cares about his work, but he does not care about his clients, Ill be glad if people who need it find a better manner of living in a house I designed. But thats not the motive of my work. Nor my reason. Nor my reward (Rand 276). To Roark, clients are the means to his end, his work. Roark does not care about what his clients think of him and therein lies the secret to his happiness, he does not seek the approval of others. Roark maintains his peace and his bliss by ignoring societys norms and opinions. When Ellsworth Toohey asks Roark what Roark thinks of him, Roarks replies, "But, I

Dimond 2 dont think of you, (389). This conversation carries significance because Roark does not think about society at large. Throughout the novel, Ellsworth Toohey acts as the voice of society, and as such, he influences all those around him except for the independent man. As an independent man, Roark does not think about Toohey. He carries no empathy for those whom he does not know; He lives solely for himself. If he were to care about what others thought about him, he would be an entirely different person; He would no longer be independent which would render him unable to make decisions for himself. Despite his perceived coldness, Roark finds happiness through his relationships with others. Howard Roark does not care about public opinion, but he does care about others, and he receives love and affection from others in return. While speaking to his best friend Gail Wynand, he tells Gail, I could die for you. But I couldn't, and wouldn't, live for you" (511). Roark loves Gail, and he would do anything to help Gail. Roark would not, however, devote his life to Gail because it would require sacrificing his independence, the means to his happiness and his self. Peter Keatings tragedy in his quest for happiness is his lack of an ability to think for himself. Keating devotes his entire life to pleasing others, and he finds himself depressed and alone as a result. When Keating asks Roark to help him with his architecture, Roark replies, Peter, before you can do things for people, you must be the kind of man who can get things done. But to get things done, you must love the doing, not the secondary consequences. The work, not the people(97). Keating represents the average man, and, as an average man, he cares about what others think about him. Keating does not hold himself to a high standard. He thinks of others as greater than himself. He frequently

Dimond 3 forfeits his own integrity by asking Roark to design buildings for him in order to garner public respect. In his perusal of social standing, he destroys his sense of self. Keatings unhappiness lies in his regard for society. In a conversation with Roark where Keating begs Roark to design the Cosmo-Slotnick building for him, Roark tells Keating, "To sell your soul is the easiest thing in the world. That's what everybody does every hour of his life. If I asked you to keep your soul--would you understand why that's much harder?" (234). Society hinders Keating and paralyzes him with fear in the face of failure. Keating became an architect for fame and prestige and because his mother told him to go into architecture, he does not enter the field by his own reasoning. Keating gives up his individuality to appear successful in front of others. He succeeds in projecting an image of success and others put him on a pedestal. Keating fails to realize that success is internal. Keating will not and cannot achieve happiness because happiness cannot be found within others, only within oneself. When Keating asks Roark if he should work in New York at a successful firm or study at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, Roark questions him, "If you want my advice, Peter, you've made a mistake already. By asking me. By asking anyone. Never ask people. Not about your work. Don't you know what you want? How can you stand it, not to know?" (35). Keating does not make decisions for himself. He leaches upon the ideas of others. When Keating realizes his incompetence he tells Roark, "I'm a parasite. I've been a parasite all my life, (575). Keating finally understands that he has spent his life in vain, chasing the approval of others, an approval that does not matter. Keating lives unhappily because he does not think for himself. Peter Keating does not live for himself; he lives for the approval of others.

Dimond 4 Howard Roark attains happiness by himself and for himself, but Peter Keating fails to attain happiness due to his fixation upon societys judgments. The foils inhabit the same world, but react differently to it, and, accordingly they achieve various degrees of success and happiness. By living for himself, Roark lives up to his potential and creates progress. He stays true to himself and maintains happiness in the face of adversity through confidence and determination. Keating inspires no change because he merely duplicates the ideas of his predecessors. Keating contributes nothing to the society which he holds in such high esteem. Ayn Rand juxtaposes the happiness of Peter Keating and Howard Roark to demonstrate the differences between independence and an inhibiting desire for approval.

Dimond 5 Work Cited Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1943. Print.