Everything You Need to Know About The Fountainhead

Includes summary and analysis of The Fountainhead's plot, characters, and main themes.
Includes a short introduction about the life and political philosophy of Ayn Rand
Includes a Table of Contents.



"The book is the story of Howard Roark's triumph. It has to show what the man is, what he wants and how he gets it. It has to be a triumphant epic of man's spirit, a hymn glorifying a man's 'I.' It has to show every conceivable hardship and obstacle on his way--and how he triumphs over them, why he has to triumph." - Ayn Rand, The Diaries of Ayn Rand. 


Few novels have raised the kind of controversy and critical discourse that Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead has. Since its publication in 1943, Rand's book has been admired and exalted just as much as it has been dismissed and ridiculed. It has generated a veritable cult of diehard fans, with the book having sold in excess of 6 million copies in multiple languages, while others have subjected it to harsh, unyielding criticism. American philosopher Allan Bloom labeled it "hardly literature", while Canadian philosopher Mark Kingwell called it, "Rand's best work, which is not to say it is good." 


Regardless of the praise and criticism, only a book of importance could have kept the public interest ignited so many years after it first surfaced, lending credence to its influence on international pop culture and politics if not the literary landscape. Moreover, its appeal may have as much to do with its controversial author as does the book itself. 


When Russian-born Ayn Rand first embarked on writing The Fountainhead, her first major literary success, she intended to deliver a book that incorporated her philosophies on 20th century society while telling a story that was less politically inclined than her initial novel, We the Living, which was set in post-revolutionary Russia and promoted her tough, unwavering stand against communism. In The Fountainhead, Rand took many of the seeds of individualism that she sowed in We the Living, enhancing and heightening them into her new book's dominant theme. The Fountainhead clearly represents Rand's disdain for and rejection of the notion of collectivism, and holds not merely individualism but also objectivism, a philosophy attributed to the writer herself, as components critical to man's ideal state. Her objectivist posture, given its basic foundation in self-service and the belief that the pursuit of one's own happiness alone reigns supreme over any other human activity, was certainly polarizing. Supporters claimed that it was a natural progression from existentialism, while opponents asserted that it was systematically self-interested and therefore bordered on amorality. 


Because of its philosophical bent, The Fountainhead includes some of the most quoted passages of 20th century writings, and it is considered a special favorite among coming of age populations due to its emphasis on the importance of individualism. Stylistically, Rand lacks the finesse of contemporaries like F. Scott Fitzgerald or Hemingway, and there's no question her themes outshine and outlive her prose. But The Fountainhead remains a book about which none of its readers, regardless of age, are ever neutral. It continues to be a "love-it-or-hate-it" novel that continues to fascinate. 


Everything You Need to Know About The Fountainhead is the perfect resource for understanding Rand's novel, including a synopsis and a comprehensive explanation of the novel's characters, plot, themes, and its influential and enduring legacy. With The Fountainhead and Ayn Rand as relevant as ever today, get caught up quickly with this resourceful guide.