Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead presents four men who demonstrate varying strengths of character, determination, and ethics to create a concise illustration of the distinct levels of objectivity that dot the spectrum of human character. The obvious protagonist of this literary work, Howard Roark, is an exquisite personification of Rand's philosophy, while the other three main characters are depicted in terms of their views and relationships with Roark. The four parts of The Fountainhead speak primarily to the character for whom they are named, but Roark is a vital and indispensable force throughout the novel, and the characterization of the other three men would be impossible without him. Using a writing style that reflects Roark's Objectivist philosophy—absolute, unwavering, and unadorned—Rand constructs conspicuously simple characters to present a stripped-down allegory of Objectivism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay When we first meet Howard Roark, his primal intimacy with the natural world is brilliantly highlighted through concise, beautifully illustrative language. The metaphysics of objectivism, according to which the external world exists independently of man's consciousness and that man's task is to perceive reality, not to invent it, is personified in Roark. As he stands on the cliff at the beginning of the book, he appreciates the natural beauty around him while remaining a separate entity. The concept of man shaping nature emerges as Roark reflects on the landscape around him; "He looked at the granite. To be cut, he thought, and made into walls. He looked at a tree. To be split and made into rafters. He looked at a trail of rust on the stone and thought of the iron ore beneath the ground. To melt and emerge like beams against the sky (16.) Roark is further a perfect example of Rand's doctrine in that he rejects mysticism, particularly in his discussion of the Stoddard Temple. . He tells Mallory, “The place is built around her. The statue of a naked woman. If you understand the building, you understand what the figure should be. The human spirit. The heroic in man. Aspiration and achievement, both. Elevated in its quest – and uplifting in its own essence. Seeking God - and finding himself showing that there is no higher reach beyond his own form..." (332) In this statement, Roark is not only rejecting faith as a means. to acquire knowledge; he explores his confidence in the value of the individual, beautiful and priceless human spirit. Furthermore, he expresses the idea that art should be “a selective recreation of reality according to value judgments. metaphysics of an artist". In other words, Roark conforms to Rand's philosophy by remaining faithful to his art, to his architecture, throughout the novel in order to preserve it as a unique and primary offspring of none other soul than his own. Gail Wynand is the only main character in The Fountainhead who does not fit neatly into the black and white distinction between Objectivists and non-Objectivists. of Objectivism, Wynand has chosen to run his media empire as its antithesis because he believes it could not survive otherwise. It can be argued that Wynand understands Objectivism even better than Roark, in that Wynand has subjected this value system to greater scrutiny in order to manifest its polar opposite within itself. It is certain, however, that Wynand appreciates the fact that allmen are not equal. He differs from Roark in that he did not attempt to devote his life to his own individuality, but used this fact to become a model of material wealth and soul deficit. He takes pleasure in corrupting men with ideals, hoping to prove that there is no such thing as an incorruptible man. After his first conquest, a talented young writer who had a reputation for remaining perfectly faithful to his ideals, "...(Wynand)he laughed too long, as if he could not stop it; his laughter had a side hysterical." (414) His private art gallery is a synthetic soul that replaces the one he left behind. He acknowledges this by saying: "Every man on earth has his own soul that no one has I can look at. ...everyone but me My soul is spilled in your Sunday scandal sheet...so I must have a substitute” (413) His appreciation for art is in harmony with the Objectivist mentality, and the. gallery allows him to appreciate beauty, but it serves as a tortuous reminder. ideals of his youth. Wynand, however, subscribes to reason and capitalism in his own life, as these facilitated his rise to power. He uses reason to survive in the business world by producing what the public will buy, and he. capitalizes on the public's interest in the absurd, the sordid and the scandalous. When Wynand meets Roark, they have an instant connection, as is the case with all men who truly understand Roark's genius and ideals. Roark refuses to be corrupted by Wynand, so Wynand. must reevaluate his worldview. As their relationship strengthens, Roark gives Wynand the capacity for redemption, but ultimately the tycoon rejects his own salvation so as not to destroy the empire he has built. In his last act of the novel, Wynand recognizes this. all that happened in commissioning Roark to build the Wynand Building "...as a monument to the spirit that is yours...and could have been mine." (692) The weakest of the four main characters in The Fountainhead is Peter. Keating. While Roark is first introduced naked, alone, in nature, contemplating and reveling in his own genius, Keating is introduced wrapped in a graduation gown, constantly reflecting on the opinions others have of him, comparing himself to others, and evaluating and reviewing. evaluate one's self-opinion on the basis of these opinions and comparisons. Initially, he serves as a foil to Roark, but by the end of the book, he has become a broken man who is not worthy of such distinction. Keating disagrees with Objectivism to the extent that he is parasitically dependent on others for his sense of values, ideas, and decisions. The need for approval motivates every decision he makes, leading him to inevitable discouragement and failure. In pursuit of what he thinks others will find enviable, Keating only encounters a more pronounced emptiness of mind as his material wealth increases. He hates and relies on Roark, his hatred intensified by his dependence on his far more talented peer. While working with him at Francon & Heyer, “(Keating) felt sensual pleasure in giving orders to Roark; and he also felt a fury of resentment at Roark's passive submission. » (91) All Keating's repressed jealousy, resentment and rage. , as well as his mental justifications for his artificial superiority over Roark, explode during his visit to Roark. He shouts, "Who do you think you are? Who told you you could do this to people? Why should I listen to you? You can't scare me! You can't touch me! I the whole world with me! Don’t look at me like that! I’ve always hated you! I’ll break you one day, I swear, if it’s the last thing I do!”.