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.