HISTORY 3

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY 7:30 9:00 AM

REACTION PAPER

THE FOUNTAINHEAD

ELAINE SORILLO BS ARCH 3C ARCH. ALVIN SAMODAL

STUDENT INSTRUCTOR
 THE FOUNTAINHEAD
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, individualism is defined as a belief that the
needs of each person are more important than the needs of the society or group. This is the belief
that caused the downfall of the young architect, Howard Roark. In the movie, Roark is defined as
a brilliant and an individualistic architect who followed a new artistic path in the face of
conformity and mediocrity. The movie discussed the rise and fall of Roarks character as he
surmounted all then trials and hardships he experienced.

The movie revolved around Howard Roarks life. A young architect who is criticized
because of his work. He was expelled from his school because he refused to follow the schools
outdated traditions. He goes to New York to work for Henry Cameron while Roarks
schoolmate, Peter Keating, moved to New York to work for a prestigious architectural firm
owned by Guy Francon. Henry Cameron retired and Roark opened his own small office. His
unwillingness to compromise his designs in order to satisfy clients eventually forced him to close
down the office and take a job at a granite quarry in Connecticut. In Connecticut, Roark feels a
passionate attraction to Dominique Francon, Guy Francons daughter.While Ellsworth Toohey,
an architectural slowly prepares to rise to power. Toohey sees Roark as a threat and plans to
destroy him. Toohey destroys Roark by convincing Hopton Stoddard to hire Roark to build a
temple then sue him after the construction. Stoddard won the case and Roark loses his business
again. To punish herself, Dominique married Peter Keating. Then Dominique met Gail Wynand,
a brilliant publisher, who fell in love with Dominique. He brought her from her husband and
offered Dominique to marry him. Wynand and Roark met and became good friends, but Wynand
does not know the truth about Roarks relationship with Dominique. Meanwhile Keating, who
has fallen from grace, asks Roark for help with the Cortlandt Homes, a public housing project.
He agrees to design the project and let Keating take the credit on the condition that no one makes
a single alteration to his plan. When Roark returned from a summer-long yacht trip with
Wynand, he found that, despite the agreement, the Cortlandt Homes project has been changed.
Roark asks Dominique to distract the night watchman one night and then dynamites the
building.Then one night, he put dynamite in the building. When the police arrived, he submits
without resistance. At the trial, Roark seems doomed, but he rouses the courtroom with a
statement about the value of selfishness and the need to remain true to oneself. Roark described
the triumphant role of creators and the price they pay at the hands of corrupt societies. The jury
found him not guilty. Roark married Dominique. Wynand asked Roark to design one last
building, a skyscraper that will testify to the supremacy of man.

As a architectural student, I have come to the conclusion that I should be a responsible

architect in the future. I should value others before I value my own decision especially in this
field. I should not let my own intentions get in the way of my success.