Individualism And Collectivism In Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead

As Glenn Woiceshyn illustrates that “... individuals does not mean looting others to satisfy one’s desire...Individualism, not collectivism or altruism, is the root of benevolence and goodwill among men”; Ayn Rand philosophically declared that these two distinct fundamental ways of living - individualism and collectivism- in her novel ,Fountainhead, as her themes. In Ayn Rand’s words, the theme is “ individualism vs collectivism, not in politics but in men's souls”. The Fountainhead contain forms of Rand’s philosophical belief and her novel would envision the idea that “ man’s ego is the fountainhead of human progress”. (Fountainhead, front matter) Her novel contrasts two different methods of approaching reality and achievement, including …show more content…
Through their opposing appearances, dialogues, actions and beliefs, Rand illustrates theses themes- individualism and collectivism- and reveals how individualism leads to the triumph success of a first-handers and collectivism leads to the downfall of the second-hander like the downfall of Peter Keatings and Gail Wynand- who valued and believed that society should have a discussion in their careers. Moreover, Rand's illustration of Roark’s honest morals, decision, and self-dedications of his mind led to his accomplishments of building his own dreams in his buildings, having a triumphant win over society, and remaining the same throughout the world of “socialism” while Toohey’s immoral collectivism of controlling a weak individual led to his demise and not being on top of the world in life , Rand reveals to her audience how philosophical ideas leads to actions and actions leads to either success or an career downward …show more content…
When Toohey approaches Roark asking what does Roark think of him, Roark simply replied “ But I don’t think of you”, illustrating that Roark does not of Toohey because Roark and Toohey live by two different worlds of life: first- hander and second-handers.Roark-a first-hander- worked hard for his success and never asked for anyone’s opinion or wanted use of anyone’s work while Toohey control’s everyone’s life, mind, and human achievement to achieve his success- which makes him a second-hander. (Rand 287) While addressing Peter Keating in Part III, Toohey reveals how superiority of a man leads to success of second-handers: “...preach selflessness.. Tell man that he must live for others ...Kill man’s sense of value”, illustrating that every dictator in history of mankind, preaches self-sacrifice, yet men still fall for it.(Rnad 635) Toohey also demonstrates that destroying a soul, dream, value, and integrity while preaching altruism gives him power over the weak-individual to follow his cult of second-handers. Toohey’s superiority and destruction of another individual would lead to his belief of being on top of the world and gives him the pursuit of power- which is really is second-handing in a different form. However while representing himself in the courtroom, Roark says that a man’s “ truth was his only