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An Independent Affair in Ayn Rand’s Novel, The Fountainhead

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Love is never the same way twice. However, one particularly unusual case is the relationship between Dominique Francon and Howard Roark in Ayn Rand’s novel, The Fountainhead. It is a relationship characterized by destruction and dominance. Roark is an architect who refuses to follow the “rules” of architecture. Dominique, an independent, rich newspaperwoman, does everything in her power to destroy his career. Despite this, it is clear that they love each other, and have a connection and understanding that would be impossible for most. Dominique’s campaign against Howard is largely for his own good, and is motivated by her lack of experience with happiness, as well as the fact that her love is, by nature, destructive. It is easy to see how Dominique might feel that Howard is better off being unsuccessful. His work goes against every idea society has at the time, and as such, people rarely understand or appreciate it. When explaining why she left him, Dominique says, “she had run from the dread of seeing him hurt by the world” (Rand 613). She believes he has no chance to succeed when the public opinion is so consistently inconsistent with true talent. The people of the world will do everything to tear down an independent man like Roark, and she knows it. She recognizes his genius, and knows how much it will pain her to see the far inferior society mocking it. By ensuring that Peter Keating, a mediocre architect who does everything society expects, gets most of Howard’s
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