The Contrast Between Howard Roarks And Peter Keating

The contrast between Howard Roark´s and Peter Keating´s core beliefs emphasizes The Fountainhead´s message about Individualism, or the belief that focusing solely on one's happiness can lead that person to their most fulfilling life, and how often by pursuing individualistic liberation people often come face to face with judgment, ridicule, and oppression by society, as a result. Howards and Peters differanting choices, often to the same problem, strengthens the belief that living a life not your own, or living your life selfishly, eventually leads to a life empty of all joy.
Roark, as a person, is best known throughout the novel for his unwavering conviction towards his own thinking and judgment. He's fiercely independent and in spite of what he learns throughout The Fountain his fundamental beliefs remain unblemished. He's the physical embodiment of ¨free will¨, so to speak, and the belief that only the individual concerned has the power to control the choices they make and the outcome and consequences that come from those choices. We see this in the

Making it clear that Howard is a brilliant young man with potential to further his career as an architect once he lays his childish antics to rest, gives him the opportunity to return to school

With Dominique's assistance he dynamites the building while there are no people close to its perimeter. His public display creates a public outrage against the destruction of the housing project and he faces a court trial. Roark defends his right as a creator to shield his work through whatever means possible. He goes on to argue that since he is the one who designed the project then he has the right to get paid for his work. His asking price was that his design be constructed as shown and since his asking price was refused the building was injustice. The jury sees what Roark stands for and rules him not