Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Fountainhead by Ayn Rand was not an easy read for sure. I started with the author’s note and had to use my dictionary every few statements. I remember almost giving up. But my colleague had sworn by this book, and so I had to stick it out and find out why.

At one point, frustrated, I sent my friends a text:

“I know life’s too short to force yourself to read books, but life’s also too short not to challenge your brain to calm down and concentrate on the hard reads.”

Yep. It was not the easiest read, as you can see.

One weekend, I took a break and read a recently published popular book and honestly, the quality of writing was very different. Ayn Rand’s writing wasn’t a sneak peek into her characters’ lives- it was a full excavation. She gave me the roots, the soil, the storms that shaped them. (Well, except Ellsworth Toohey his actions took me by surprise)

I’m currently reading Sapiens, and seeing how Toohey manipulates belief systems felt like watching a live demonstration of Harari’s theories. It was beyond phenomenal; my neurons were on fire.

Speaking of links: I read an article today about the Reticular Activating System (RAS), and how when you become conscious of something, you start seeing it everywhere. The word “altruistic” is used a lot in this book, and now, I see it everywhere.

Now, where was I? Oh, Ayn Rand’s characters.

I honestly anticipated things ending badly for Roark. I admire his spirit; that unsplit focus on one’s craft. Not chasing the high of success from his work, but chasing the high of his work. The book ends with him winning the case filed against him. I was talking to my colleague about how I didn’t get why Roark selected the jury he did but while speaking, I ended up answering my own question.

Gail Wynand the book thief (No, not the novel. I’m done digressing.) That line made me laugh, pause, and then hit me. His vicious actions weren’t so much about malice, they were about fear. On the opposite end of the spectrum from Roark, we find Wynand: hungry for power. You can tell he loved the Banner but for him, power was the prize. And it ended up being his death.

Dominique; my alter ego. She’s like her: uncaring, confident in herself, wise without being loud or pompous. When she warns Gail about Toohey and he tells her to stay out of the magazine’s business, she does exactly that. But when he’s down in the trenches, she’s there writing, cleaning, being a rock. And then, immediately after, she walks away. She’s always a step ahead. Wisdom and grace are not meant to be loud. They never were. And I get this from her.

Peter- I’ll need a minute for this one. Every time he made a decision, I shouted in my head: “You could have chosen differently, you know.” He was a reminder that the saying “he who laughs last laughs longest” doesn’t apply to him. What he did to Catherine was unforgivable and I’m glad for how it ends with them. More so, I’m glad for how much better Catherine is without him.

Ayn’s female characters were all strong. You might be misled at first even in the middle about their strength and self-awareness. But when you close the book, pause, and step back… you see how each of them displayed strength differently. Not loudly. Not dramatically. But gracefully.

Ayn Rand, you’ve got a fan in me(Why did I sing that to the tune of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”? It’s Friday. That’s my excuse, and my reason.), though if you’re anything like Howard Roark…you probably couldn’t care less.