THE FOUNTAINHEAD

The world is divided into two parts- Those who have read FountainHead and those who haven’t. In very simple words FountainHead is a saga of real and unreal characters. It also redefines religion and moral values. Every human being has two shades inside his soul- The good and the bad. This book explores all the shades of human character and incorporates them into characters of the story. We find characters like Toohey, Peter Keating, Guy Francon and Katie in real life but we don’t chance upon Howard Roark or Dominique Francon. Roark and Dominique are composed of virtues we always want to possess. They set expectations for themselves and live upto them inspite of all hardships and obstacles in their way. This is how an individual should be- Rigid in values not in character. All the other characters in the book are like common man-unsure of themselves, resorting to tact to get to their destination and never being content with it. This book also brings a revolution in terms of religious thoughts. Religion is defined by human beings and it is practised best when we live up to our responsibilities and moral values. The essence of theism lies in human virtues and not in worshipping deities or reading psalms. Both Roark and Dominique are strong atheists but they never wrong others and they never question their conscience about their deeds because it is always their conscience which prompts them to act in every situation. These two characters are epitome of virtues and spiritual solace. Whenever they say “I am not sure”, it is not that they are confused but they want to say “I don’t know how to convince you or make you understand”. They are very composed in nature and mature in thoughts. They despise attention, fame, wealth and prosperity and experience victory in soulful pleasure. Success and Happiness is always relative- It is experienced when we emphasize on how we acquire it and not what we get from it. This book hurls on simple concepts and elucidates simple facts in the form of examples and characters. The intellect is poignant and impressive because it clearly demarcates the two shades of our character-The good and the devil. This novel will continue to be pertinent in all times because of its foundation-It stands like the rock in the sea, dauntless and sturdy.

The other characters in the book are grey as we usually find individuals to be in real world. We are a composite blend of black and white and we do good as well as bad deeds and the ultimate manifestation of it is a heap of nothing which makes us forgettable and also undermines the success we get out of the good things we do in our lifetime.

Roark and Dominique are individualistic while the others play pivotal roles as individuals but they can bend or can let their values bend when needed. They never venture into their souls or have the quest to know themselves. That is why they are volatile.

Roark is strong and confident. He is rigid with principles but never in character. The others are rigid in character and love power and authority. They feel repentant after certain steps they take because of wrong ideals.

Roark and Dominique are atheists for they challenge the predictable dogmatic beliefs. They experience the spirit of theism through ethics and goodness. The others again fall prey to beliefs and conventional practices which makes them miserable failures in every walk of life.

All I can say after reading this book- It should be a vanguard of future and usher renaissance in thoughts. The universal virtues and ideology never die. In order to ensure that the sands of time don’t annihilate our existence from the face of this Earth we should embrace the religion of humanity and chaste disposition. A simple and honest life lived with sincerity and responsibility is the gateway to salvation.