Howard Roark was expelled from the Statnton Institute of Technology because he was different from all of the other students and he actually enjoyed architecture. His focus on architecture revolved around being creative and expanding possibilities, while on the collective side resides ideas about preserving history and following the footsteps of past work. Roark was an individualist, and the Institution was teaching different ideas than he was creating. It was expected of the best to take examples of former architectures and reinstate their success. Roark simply wanted to create what was necessary to each situation, and actually have a use for each part of his designs instead of just decorating to sell.
The Dean told Roark that he was rebellious and too daring, while architecture should be conservative and heratage-based. Roark called himself insubordinate and the Dean agreed, but he was simply insubordinate because he was an individualist in a society full of conservationists. Roark had new and creative ideas because he used logic instead of laziness. He fit each situation differently and showed discontent with just keeping one type of building because it worked in the past. Roark was expelled because they were scared of his ideas, as each one was something different.
Each member of the faculty evaluated Roark differently because they were different people with different opinions and strengths. Certain instructors wanted to keep him because they could see his strength and intentions and found the combination an excellent base. Other instructors did not want to keep him because all they saw was that he was different, and they found it disrespectful.
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 "principle behind the Dean" is collectivism and conservation. Roark is an individual, and he cannot understand what the difference between himself and the Dean is because those ideas are absolutely insane. Why would someone want to bring the past into the future, call it the present, and steal from other's work? Why would the mass majority of the society want to keep everything the way it was? These things happen because they are easier than being creative. If a group decides upon an idea, who is an individual to be themself and defy the ideas of others?
Roark does not understand the Dean because Roark has a strong voice, and he does his own work. The Dean, and the rest of the collectivists, find it easy to use others ideas, even when they are not best-suited for the situations at hand. Roark turns a building into something useful, and creates buildings unique to each situation, while the ideas that he does not understand are simple repetitions of buildings already created.
3.) 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?
Keating is not an outstanding student, he only copies from others. In his relative society, the vast majority of people believe him to be outstanding simply because he is manipulative. He uses everyone he comes into contact with, although he has no ideas of his own. He got such high grades by giving the professors exactly what they wanted. He took ideas straight out of history, even though they were not the best for the situations.
Regarding his character, this shows that he has twisted morals. He finds it alright to use others in order to succeed because it has always worked for him. Keeting is simply a leech, but he has the intelligence to create the idea that he is brilliant, and that he is creative, even though he openly presents the facts that he is just altering others ideas.
4.) 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 has achieved success by having his workers create buildings for him while he puts his name on the trademark. He has a many designers, and the market often calls on him for his "brilliant designs." Francon has achieved success simply by using others, and Keeting sees fit for himself, as well.
Keeting and Francon both manipulate others, and they both know it. They both differ from Roark because he actually does all his work in relation to his own ideas. Roark publishes nothing but his creativity and logic, while Keeting and Francon both use others. Francon does none of his work, and Keeting uses others ideas.
5.) 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?
Cameron has been rejected by society for the exact same reasons that Roark is being rejected for. Roark respects Cameron because he was not afraid to fail. Cameron published his own ideas, and for a while he succeeded, but then others became lazy and he was the only one creating his own work. Roark operates in the same ways that Cameron does, therefore he goes to work for him.
Roark and Cameron share almost everything in common in terms of architecture, but Cameron has already failed where Roark has just started. Cameron tries to keep Roark from making the same mistakes that he did, because society did not accept Cameron, but he sees that Roark has what it takes to succeed. In respect to how Keeting and Roark differ, Francon and Cameron differ the same ways. Their fundamental difference is that Francon and Keeting are collectivists while Cameron and Roark are individualists.
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