The Fountainhead

Gail Wynand invites Howard Roark on a cruise in his yacht and is surprised to discover that he doesn’t need to enforce his edict that Roark must not work because Roark truly enjoys relaxing. Wynand says that the statue in the Stoddard Temple should have depicted Roark rather than Dominique and admits that he would like to keep both of them locked away from the rest of the world out of avarice. They discuss the importance of independence and the fact that Ellsworth Toohey’s brand of selflessness is the true evil in the world since it forces people to destroy their own souls. Wynand admits that he has sacrificed his soul for his career. The chapter asserts that living as a “second-hander” kills the ego, as people of this type remain dependent on others and value the perceptions of others over their own rational thought; consequently, it is only the egotist who can be independent and virtuous. Roark says that he loves his friends because of who they are and what they do, and he admits that although he would die for Wynand, he could never live for him or anyone else. Roark does not mention to Wynand that the worst kind of second-hander is one who seeks power over others.