Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Fountainhead: Blog Three

1.) Gail Wynand is a brilliant individual who rose out of the slums by means of his own talent and effort. But despite his reverence for man's noblest achievements, his newspaper presents lurid, loathsome values to the most vulgar people. Why does Wynand pander in this manner? What is the meaning of such a self-betrayal?

Wynand is thinking of suicide because he, in my opinion, hates society, but goes along with it because it would be too difficult to go against it like Roark does. He creates a paper that is corrupt, like society and also because he is corrupt himself.Dominique saves Wyand because she marries him, and finally makes him happy. He has never been happy before, and now with Dominique, he knows how it truly feels.

2.) Toohey presents Mallory's sculpture of Dominique to Wynand in an effort to bring Dominique and Wynand together. What is the purpose of Toohey's scheme? Why does he need something to distract Wynand's attention away from his newspaper?

Dominique arrives just in time to save Wynand. This is because of Toohey. Toohey introduces Wynand to a structure of Dominique, which Wynand falls in love with.I believe that Toohey did this because he wants Wynand to forget about the paper so he can run it. In my opinion, if it wasn't for Dominique accepting to marry Wynand, he would still control the paper, something that Toohey doesn't want. Wyand worked hard and backstabbed everyone just to release this paper, and now, someone is taking over.

3.) What is Toohey's overall purpose on The New York Banner? What is his overall purpose in regard to society in general? Dominique warns Wynand against Toohey, but he is too contemptuous of Toohey to heed her. Is Dominique correct in her assessment of Toohey's actual motives?

Dominique warns Wynand that Toohey is replacing everyone that he appointed and putting people in charge that aren't able. She warns him and he doesn't seem to care.Dominique is correct in every manner to warn him. She is trying to protect the one that keeps Wynand sane. She knows this, and this is why she warns him.


5.) Why does Wynand fall deeply in love with Dominique? Do they share noble qualities in common? Have they made a similar mistake? Because of Wynand's undeniable virtues, do Dominique's feelings for him change?

Wynand falls in love with Dominique in this part of the book. Dominique agrees to marry Wynand because in some strange way, he is something like Roark. He is strong and somewhat corrupt in his society. This, in a way, turns her on, like he did when she meet Roark.Dominique treats Wynand differently than she did Keating. Because he is like Roark, she likes that mystery and strength that she had with Roark, but can get from him also. However, she later realizes that Wynand is nothing like Roark, and apologizes for marrying him.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Fountainhead: Blog Two

1.) At the granite quarry, Dominique is deeply attracted to the red-headed worker who stares at her insolently. She pursues him aggressively, but resists him in the moment of her triumph. Given that Dominique is eager to make love to Roark, why does she physically resist? Ayn Rand once stated regarding this scene that, if it is rape, “ then it is rape by engraved invitation.” What does she mean? Is this actually rape, i.e., is Dominique an unwilling victim?


Dominique doesn't necessarily resist Roark, but chooses to lose control of the situation. She feels a need to always be in control of situation. She dislikes the result of the 'rape', but later accepts it because of her psychological behavior.Ayn Rand once said that if the scene was rape, 'then it is rape by invitation.' By this, she means that Dominique tempted Roark by maintaining an interest in him. It is more of her fault than his because of the temptation that she created. Dominique wanted what Roark gave her, but her mind had to resist him in order to fill its needs.



2.) Though strongly attracted to Roark, Dominique both pursues and fights him. Is this inner conflict regarding her love representative of some deeper aspect of her character? How does this ambivalence relate to her destruction of the Greek statuette that she loves? To joining forces with Ellsworth Toohey in an effort to wreck Roark’s career? To refusing to pursue a serious career in spite of her great intelligence? Are Dominique’s motives for thwarting Roark the same as Toohey’s?



Dominique treats Roark in two opposite ways, which represents her complicated belief that all men are imperfect, even though Roark is not. She believes that all things beautiful should never be used by the imperfect and destroys them so the imperfect can use them. Roark should be imperfect, but is not, and she must destroy anything that is perfect. Her love for him only complicates that matter more, for she must love and destroy someone who shouldn't exist.

Dominique makes some unique choices from this point on. First, she teams up with Toohey to ruin Roark's career. Second, she starts dating Roark secretly. And from the start of the story, she punishes herself for her desires by destroying priceless objects so no one can see their beauty again, even herself. She must love and destroy perfection.


4.) At Kiki Holcolmbe’s party, Keating gives advice to Roark. He says: “ Always be what people want you to be.” What is the meaning of such a statement? Why does Keating believe this? What does such an approach to life reveal about the soul of Keating and of people like him?


The meaning of Keating's advice to Roark is that when you become what people want you to be, you progress without the worry of fighting. With the problems that Roark is facing as being an individualist, it is natural to suggest something of this sort, but the point of being an individualist is to work through it and not give in to collectivity. The difference between the situation and Keeting's normal morals is that, while he is suggesting that Roark apply it to the problem, he applies it to everything.
Keeting believes that being what society wants of you is acceptable for a few reasons- the first being that all individualists have been shot down and rejected to a life of failure. The second reason that Keeting enjoys pleasing others is that it gets him into the positions that he wants without going through extensive work to get there. . This approach to life shows lacks of confidence, originality, and intuition.


5.) At the same party, Dominique thinks of Roark’s as “ the face of a god.” What is she responding to in Roark? In seeing such beauty in Roark’s face, an evaluation not shared by the rest of society, what does Dominique reveal about her own soul?

Dominique thinks of Roark as 'the face of a god.' By 'face', Dominique is describing Roark's representation of an idea/belief. By 'god', she is describing the ideal of architecture. The meaning of the saying is simplified: Roark represents the true ideal of architecture, which is also part of Roark's belief system.
By saying this to about Roark, Dominique reveals more about herself than what most people might miss. She reveals her acceptance of him being perfect among an imperfect world by using the word 'god'. She also reveals that her intelligence allows her to understand and accurately analyze Roark's designs for their deeper meanings. She supports Roark by saying this to him, but must still destroy him.


7.) Toohey convinces Hopton Stoddard to hire Roark to build the Stoddard Temple. What is Toohey’s purpose? Why does he seek to brand Roark an enemy of religion? What is Toohey’s deeper reason for attempting to end Roark’s career?

Elsworth Toohey is trying to destroy Roark. I believe that Toohey is a bit crazy.I feel that in some way elsworth is threatened by Roark and what he stands for,although he doesn't know much about Roark.I think that Toohey branded Roark as an enemy of religon because of what Roark stands for. I really don't understand the reason for Toohey to want to end Roarks career.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Fountainhead: Blog One

1.) Explain in detail the reasons for Howard Roark's expulsion from the Stanton Institute of Technology. The Dean states that Roark has "a determined little group of defenders" among the faculty, while other professors "felt it their duty" to vote for his expulsion. Why do the faculty members on each side evaluate Roark and his work so differently?

Howard Roark was expelled from the Stanton Institute of Technology because of his architecture style. He chose not to follow the designs from the past. His architecture style was more modern than the criteria the Institute taught him. Everyone at the Stanton Institute of Technology resented him for his negligence to follow the style he was told to use. The Dean told him the board would consider taking him back, but he showed no interest to return to the Stanton Institute of Technology.His attitude also had alot to do with his expulsion from the Institute. He was always defiant about his work. On his final exam he chose not to follow the criteria the Institute provided and turned in the modern style he designed. He gave no thought to the consequences of his actions because he strongly disagreed with the criteria.


2.) At the end of Chapter One, Roark comprehends that there is a fundamental difference between his approach to life and the Dean's. Roark understands his own, but not that of the Dean and those like him. He recognizes that there is a principle that explains the difference, which he calls the "principle behind the Dean." Based on subsequent events of the story, explain the "principle behind the Dean."

The Dean has no problem with using other people's work and following the designs of past architects, but Howard Roark wants to create his own design for the benefit of the future. Roark's designs are very modern and unique, but are better suited for them. The "principle behind the Dean" will change if Howard Roark uses his designs and puts them into action because the Dean's principle is to keep everything the same. Roark does not understand the Dean's intentions to follow the past designs to create the future when he has brilliant new syles the would be better.



3.) Roark gains employment with Henry Cameron. Cameron, though a genius, is a commercial failure. Why has society rejected his work? Why does Roark nevertheless revere him? What qualities do Roark and Cameron share in common? What is the fundamental difference between them and Francon and Keating?

The society has rejected Cameron's work for the same reason as Roark. Roark goes to work for Cameron because he respects that he uses his own designs as well and did not care what anyone thought. Roark works the same way that Cameron does, so he seeks employment with him. The difference between them and Francon and Keating is that they actually want to change the future of architecture and Francon and Keating want to follow other people's designs from the past.


4.) Peter Keating graduates as valedictorian from the Stanton Institute of Technology. Does this mean that he is an outstanding architectural student? By what methods did he get such high grades? What does this say regarding his moral character?

Peter Keating is not an outstanding architectural student. He is nothing more than a people pleaser.He only got to graduate as valedictorian because he learned early that the best thing to do is to follow the instructions of his teachers to copy the past designs and they will say that he is the best.He is good at copying everything the teachers told him. He combinies several different designs from the past and calls it his own and he is praised by his teachers. The only thing he is good at is copying and making people happy.


5.) Keating goes to work for Guy Francon, the most successful and prestigious architect in the country. What are the methods by which Francon has achieved commercial success? Does he have anything in common with Keating? In what ways do they both differ from Roark?

Francon got his success by having other architects create his work for him while he puts his name on it and claims it as his own. It takes a different kind of person to be able to accept compliments for his "brilliant designs" that he didn't even create. Keating is very similar to Francon, which is why he chooses to go work for him. Keating and Francon differ from Roark because Roark actually creates his own designs. Francon does none of his work and Keating use other people's ideas.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

BLOG # 3

1. What might it be like to be in a society where there are no "selves" and "we" has replaced "I"? I dont tink anything would be accomplished by depending on someone else for everything. I could not live in such a society. People would not get along as much as they did if they were independent.

2. I think that names give an effect of what her concept is, as far as what the book is about. Often times while reading you notice the character is not addressed specifically by name, but by something else.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Definitions 9/19/08

Collectivism - a society under the supervision of the government as a whole.

Individualism- an independent belief or thought of an idiviual without the sources of anyone else.

Socialism- an economic system in which the production and distribution of goods are controlled by the government rather than by the community.

Capitalism- an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained by private individuals.

Communism- a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and holds power, claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Comedians

My favorite comedians are Chris Rock and Adam Sandler. They have both been doing movies and comedy shows for years. I've never seen anyone as intelligent as they are.