An Investigation Into Howard Roark As The Proud Man

735 Words3 Pages
An Investigation into Howard Roark as the Proud Man Aristotle speaks in his magnum opus Nicamachean Ethics book IV chapter 3 about a rue, proud man. This man represents the pure, ideal way to live. He adheres to higher principles above the constraints of society. He works for himself because of himself. He lives independently, outside of societies norms. He lives happily because of who he is and only because of who he is. In Ayn Rands best selling novel The Fountainhead there is a stubborn architect who doesn’t fit in with society. He has brilliant designs for his buildings but his buildings are eccentric. Society rejects these odd new things. However the man doesn’t give in and change his ideas to fit what society wants and he seems content doing it. This confuses the masses and encourages them to hate him more. Aristotle calls him “the great-souled man” Ayn Rand calls him Howard Roark but they are one and the same. Howard Roark is the novel's personification of the perfect man. Rand wants us to admire his talent and individualism, and his struggle to resist society's pull and remain true to himself. “…is that which we render to the gods and which people of position most aim at, and which is the prize appointed for the noblest deeds; and this is honour.” (Aristotle) Roark’s honor is the ability to remain true to himself. Like a fish swimming upstream Roark has to battle the currents of society to reach his goal, completely independent from outside forces swaying him this way and that. “To sell your soul is the easiest thing in the world. That’s what everybody does every hour of his life. If I asked you to keep your soul-would you understand why that’s much harder?” (Rand 577) Roark is able to remain free only because he does not let his soul be swept away by the currents of society. The society presented in The Fountainhead tries to destroy Howard Roark, they
Open Document