Favourite Character - #1 Howard Roark

My Favourite Character

and

Is it possible to be like Howard Roark ?

Written By Bookworm RayMa Baxter

“I don’t wish to be the symbol for anything. I’m only myself.”~Howard Roark“The Fountainhead”

Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead” which was published in 1943 had a lot of new things to offer – from architecture to Objectivism, everything was lapped up the cult following it generated. For me, the best part of the book is its protagonist-Howard Roark – Architecture.

Roark is the kind who wonders why ineptitude should be allowed to exist. He is the sort who would rather struggle in obscurity than compromise on his artistic and personal vision. He is from the rare species who in shrugging off a compliment manage to keep their integrity and self-respect perfectly intact. He denies all references to his inherent selflessness, instead declaring himself as selfish as humanly possible and referring to Peter Keating a selfless man. He denounces his kindness while at the same time helping a man face through his most troublesome projects. It is the same man who later refers to him “a failure, a flop, an incompetent”.

Ayn Rand, in descibin’ the character of “Mike” Sean Xavier Donnigan,has given us an inside view of Roark as well-

“…People meant very little to Mike, but their performance a great deal. He worshipped expertness of any kind. He loved his work passionately and had no tolerance for anything save for other single-track devotions. He was a master in his own field and he felt no sympathy except for mastery. His view of the world was simple: there were the able and there were the incompetent: he was not concerned with the latter. He loved buildings. He despised, however, all architects.”

After reading the book I believe that each man has the moral obligation to defend what is good and true- to stand for every man, woman and child who can not be stood for.I believe a man should stand for himself.

To the sheep and the second-handers, I have only one thing to say – Learn to swim.

Bookmarks @ Bookworms say:

We can't say anything actually, havent read the book as yet! But your tongue-in-cheek article has left us gaping for the book.

Rating:

4 Bookmarks

(Rating is on a scale of 5)

Article -#1 Truly Twilightish

Truly Twilightish

Written By Bookworm RayMa Baxter

First there were Tolkien and Lewis.
Then along came Rowling (after a looooooong while)
These writers who taught the world to read had one strand in common
-The genre of Fantasy Literature.
... and then Stephenie Meyer decided to write!

Meyer came forward with the most happening form of Literature ever seen - ChickLit!

Anyone who can dare argue against the apparent ChickLit factor of Twilight has to answer to the highly acclaimed critic, Ms. Zehra Kazmi's claim that if you take out the words "I froze","I cud smell his breath", "my heartbeat rose", "his gaze was intense","his touch was gentle and cold", "with icy fingers,he traced my collarbone/cheek/hair, "with his cold hand"... then only half the book would remain!
(Taken from her "YapYap with a Friend")

The book "Twilight", published in 2005, deals with the seventeen year old protagonist, Isabella Swan's never ending dilemma of How to date a Vampire?
(This work of art coming after my own umpteenth sincere effort to get over the charms of the "vegetarian vampire", Edward Cullen, may actually prove helpful if you somehow manage to land yourself in the town of Forks.)
Isabella, or Bella as she prefers to be known,has just moved from Phoenix to the rainy town of Forks where her stocks seem to have risen through the roof. She tries very hard to understand the wit-scrambling gorgeous hotties on the prowl at her new school. Her endeavours may vary from running bang in the middle of an oncoming truck (and hoping that a Cullen is nearby)or trying to date a Vampire on a non-liquid diet.
(Btw, when a Vampire says that she is on a strict liquid-diet, it would be saner to run a few baker's dozens kilometers in the opposite direction rather than commenting "Ooooo! What a coincidence? Same Pinch!"
... you might just save your family a bloodless-body funeral.)

The character of Edward can be said to be based on a Darcy-meets-Rochester imagination. Edward in the keeping with the Aristotlean tragedy is of a noble upbringing and tries very hard to keep his tragic flaw (of being a Monster) in check. Edward is constantly trying to warn Bella to stay away from him... not that he seems to take heed of it himself. He somehow manages to save Bella's life several times even leaving her with a crescent shaped scar near the end of the novel.

The book stars the impossibly pale looking brood of yum vampires lead by the charismatic Dr. Carlisle Cullen who loves playing Baseball. And in what is arguably the film's most dramatic moment, vampire heartthrob Edward takes Bella to play baseball with his family, only to draw the attention of some visiting vamps who challenge the coven to a game, realize Bella's a human, attempt to take a bite out of what they believe to be an after-game snack and kick off the film's violent climax. Not that being saved by a vampire who completely adores you though lusts for your blood is a thing to be missed - not even in a hundred years!

P.S.- You don't see any mention of Jacob Black because I do not like him. Period.

Bookworms @ Bookmarks say:

Why? Why hate Jacob? ;) Miss Sunshine likes him! and well, even though we personally disagree, we cant help but admire your logics!

Rating:

3.5 Bookmarks

(Rating is on a scale of 5)