Super Short Summary

The Fountainhead follows protagonist Howard Roark as he struggles to establish himself as an innovative Modernist architect in a society that stifles independence and creative achievement. He is expelled from college for refusing to design in historical styles, while his peer Peter Keating—an inferior architect who is dependent on Roark’s support—graduates with top honors. The narrative explores Roark's fight to maintain his creative integrity against antagonists like Ellsworth Toohey, who seek to crush individualism and innovation. This book includes depictions of sexual violence, unequal sexual relationships, alcohol addiction, and suicidal ideation.