ALL INDIA THE FOUNTAINHEAD ESSAY COMPETITION 2002

Special Prizes for Schools

• A. The school that sends the maximum number of entries, which are of acceptable quality, will receive a set of Ayn Rand’s fiction and non-fiction books.
• B. Two runners up schools will receive a set of Ayn Rand’s fiction.

The topics:

Select ONE of the following 3 topics:

1) For each of the following pairs of characters in The Fountainhead, compare and contrast their approach to life and their basic motivation:

(a) Dominique Francon and Ellsworth Toohey,
(b) Howard Roark and Gail Wynand,
(c) Henry Cameron and Peter Keating.

2) In The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand portrays the essential division between two basic kinds of people: "those "dedicated to exaltation of man's self-esteem and the sacredness of his happiness on earth-and those determined not allow either to become possible." Illustrate this division from the story, and give your reasons.

3) For each of the following quotations from The Fountainhead explain its significance in the story and its wider implications:

(i) Howard Roark: "To say 'I love you,' one must first know how to say the ' I '."
(ii) Howard Roark: "Independence is the only gauge of human virtue and value. What a man is and makes of himself- not what he has or hasn't done for others."
(iii) Hopton Stoddard: "You are a profoundly religious man, Mr. Roark - in your own way. I can see that in your building."
Howard Roark: "That's true."

Rules  and Conditions:

1. Essay should not exceed 1200 words.
2. Type your essay - if hand-written, make sure it is legible - only on one side of page. Leave double line spacing.
3. This contest is open to students of Class XI and XII, and their equivalents such as ISC, intermediate, pre-degree, pre-university, junior college, etc.
4. Your essays should reach us on or before 30 November, 2002. You fax, post or e-mail your entry.
5. Results will be notified by 30 December, 2002. Decision of the judges will be final.
6. Your essay should be accompanied by a covering letter mentioning your name, residential address, name and address of your school or institution, and the topic you have selected. Also enclose a photocopy of your school identity card or a similar certificate from your school.
7. All essays will become the property of Liberty Institute, and will not be returned.

Attention Teachers:

• Copies of Teacher’s guide to The Fountainhead, prepared by Dr. Andrew Bernstein, professor of philosophy, are available on request for teachers who would like to encourage their students to participate in the contest.
• Copies of The Fountainhead are available for purchase at a special price of only Rs 220/- by school libraries, teachers and students. (Postage extra)
• Liberty Institute can, on request from teachers, organize video screening of The Fountainhead for schools in and around Delhi..
• And remember there are special prizes for best schools.

The essay contest seeks to introduce young people to stimulating literature, so that they may develop their critical faculties, be well informed about some of the very basic issues of life, and live up to their full potential in their own chosen fields. For over a decade the Ayn Rand Institute has been organizing similar essay contest is being held in the United States, attracting thousands of participants each year. Another organisation dedicated to improving understanding of Ayn Rand's philosohy is The Objectivist Centre.