The Fountainhead(1943) by Ayn Rand is the story of a man, Howard Roark, who holds ideals contrary to the society he lives in.  Believing in the need to think and live for himself, he stands out amongst the "second-handers"(Rand 681) around him, whose sole purpose in life seems to be to live for and through others.  He meets a woman, Dominique Francon, who shares his passion for living, though not his willingness to indulge in such passion; she would rather destroy beauty herself than to watch others destroy it.  As he fights to maintain his individuality and protect his right to his own creativity, Howard encounters intense hatred for all original thought and innovation.  Those who hate him try to destroy him, but they don't understand that they ultimately cannot touch him because what they are trying to destroy isn't tangible--it's part of who Howard is.

I chose this quote because I think that it is important to be yourself and think for yourself.  You stop growing if you don't continually seek new knowledge and stimulate your brain.  Everyone has their own capacity for creativity, and it is a waste to not use it and keep striving to come up with new ideas.  This is how inventions are made, how society and the world advances.  Individuals must take care of themselves--otherwise everyone becomes dependent on everyone else and creativity dies out.
" 'When you see a man casting pearls without getting even a pork chop in return--it is not against the swine that you feel indignation.  It is against the man who valued his pearls so little that he was willing to fling them into the muck and to let them become the occasion for a whole concert of grunting' " (Rand 356).
Dominique Francon says this while testifying in court regarding charges brought against Howard Roark by a client who is not satisfied with the architectural work he has done because it does not fit any traditional style.  It represents her attitude toward greatness at this point in the novel, an attitude based on her hatred for others destroying creativity and innovation.  It relates to her reactions to the world: she doesn't blame the ignorant people who don't appreciate original thought or creativity; rather, she blames the one who surrenders his original thought or creativity to the masses to be criticized, dismissed, or destroyed.  For example, if an artist creates a beautiful, original painting, she should love and value it so much that she refuses to release it publicly.  She should keep it for herself to appreciate, because the critics and those who don't understand it will make a mockery of it.

This quote stood out for me because it refers to the vulnerability you experience when you open yourself up to others and share what you are passionate about.  It can be excruciatingly painful when someone rejects you or simply doesn't understand or appreciate who you are.  It makes you want to protect yourself, to put up a wall, but if you do that, you won't be able to reach the people who will understand and appreciate you.  I don't really agree that you should hold yourself back just to avoid devastation, even though it is an easy way out sometimes.  You should proudly put yourself out there and not worry too much how others will react. 

How The Fountainhead has affected my life: 
I have probably read this book at least 4 or 5 times since it was recommended to me in high school.  Each time I read it, I feel refreshed, like there is a true purpose for everybody's life.  Everybody has a unique identity and a gift for doing something--whether it is teaching, writing, creating art, building structures, etc., and we need to strive to keep nurturing and strengthening that gift, because it is who we are.  The pain that we may feel from failures, criticism, and rejection is a challenge, but it should not be a roadblock that stops us from being ourselves.  If we give up, we have lost everything because we have given up who we are.

The Fountainhead serves as my reminder that every truly great human being faces struggles; it is how we deal with it that really matters.  In the book, the characters who remained true to themselves, regardless of the circumstances, were the ones who triumphed in the end.  Those who lived off of other people, didn't think for themselves, were too scared to be original or different, were the ones who fell apart.  This difference inspires me to take the first path, though it is difficult at times to remain there.  I have had to make some hard decisions because it is what I know is the right thing to do, but I believe that it is better to do what is right and be uncomfortable than to choose the easy way out.

Many times when I feel lonely and nobody understands me, I turn to the ideas in this book.  I don't consider myself to be a very religious person, but I suppose this is kind of like my Bible.  I feel spiritually uplifted when I read and reread Ayn Rand's words, because, according to her philosophy, each person is an end in him/herself.  In other words, I don't have to look outwardly to find salvation, comfort, forgiveness, or any other positive outcome; it is within me.  I know that may sound kind of blasphemous to some people, but I think that this is true to a certain extent.  If I do not remain true to who I am, it doesn't matter what happens around me; I will still feel (and be) lost.  However, if I have integrity, remaining committed to my principles, and use my abilities to continue striving for achievement, it doesn't matter what happens around me; I will accomplish great things and live joyfully.