Individualism In The Fountainhead

Individualism advocates that interests of the individual should achieve precedence over the state or a social group.Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance. Ayn Rand, a Russian-American novelist,a champion of individual rights , in her celebrated works Anthem and The Fountainhead upholds the cause of Individualism manifested in characters like Equality 7-2521,International 4-8818,Liberty 5-3000 and Howard Roark. The bloody dictatorships in Anthem couldn’t alter the very terms in which humans think as to eradicate the vocabulary of individuality.Consequently, main characters, in successive episodes of purposeful self-naming, subvert the discourse of the decline and thus reclaim individualism and volition.In The Fountainhead also, the whole story revolves around Roark’s struggle to retain his individuality in the face of forces bent on bringing him to heel. On the other hand, closer home contemporary Indian novelist ArvindAdiga’s The White tiger detailsBalram’s rags to riches story turns out to be an ample proof of his stubborn individualism. Subverting the prevalent caste dynamics, he embarks on individual betterment even at the cost of sacrificing morality.These characters adopt varied approaches towards the common goal of individualism. We observe that whereas ptotagonists Equality 7-2521 and Howard Roark use rational, moral approach to counter ominous external forces, Balram’s blind pursuit of individualism threw morality wayside. Despite differing in moral undertones, the protagonists of both the writers managed to script their individual success stories in an affirmation of their invincible streaks of individualism. Keywords---Individualism, Society, Struggle, Morality Introduction Individualism is a moral, political or social outlook that stresses human independence and the importance of individual self-reliance and liberty. It opposes most external interference with an individual's choices, whether by society, the state or any other group or institution. It is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that emphasizes the moral worth of the individual. Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance and advocate that interests of the individual should achieve precedence over the state or a social group, while opposing external interference upon one's own interests by society or institutions such as the government. The term "individualism" was first used by French and British proto-Socialists, followers of Saint-Simon (1760 - 1825) and Robert Owen (1771 – 1858). The 19th Century American Henry David Thoreau is often cited as an example of a committed Individualist. In popular usage, the connotations of "individualism" can be positive or negative, depending on who is using the term, and how. The scope of the present research article consists in exploring the instances of individualism in characters from the chosen works of Ayn Rand and ArvindAdiga. …show more content…
Below the theme of individualism has been discussed in the works Anthem, The Fountainhead and The White Tiger in a sequential fashion.
Individualism in Anthem---Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She was a champion of individual rights, which protect the sovereignty of the individual as an end in herself. Anthem, by Ayn Rand, is a very unique novella. It encircles individualism and makes the reader think of how people can conform to society and do as they are told without knowing the consequences and results of their decisions. Also, it teaches the importance of self expression and the freedom that comes along with being your own person and having the power to choose what path to take in life. “We blew out the candle….” The first thing that is apparent about this quote is the use of we. The word we is used throughout the novella in place of I. This is directly related to the society in the novel that completely takes away individualism. The citizens of the setting do not have names and are not allowed to choose their jobs, friends, or even spouses. The character says “There is nothing left around us”, which is directly related to the main character feeling alone. He feels like he is the only person who questions life and knows that it was not meant to be this way. Also, this quote sets a dark setting which then gives the reader an ominous feeling that is present throughout the book. This also is related to the dark and dismal lives that everyone lives during