Old School

Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, published in 1943, promotes and celebrates rugged individualism. It remains a popular book among libertarians because it prioritizes the desires of the individual over the needs of society.

At first, this book captivates the narrator. He mimics its protagonist, Roark, and re-reads it several times, becoming “alert to the smallest surrenders of will” (70). This obsession with The Fountainhead’ represents the concrete sense of self that the narrator wants to obtain. Rugged individualism is appealing because it seems free of persona.

However, in line with his continuous search for identity, his infatuation is fleeting. In a way, The Fountainhead does help him find a truer version of himself. After deeming it unrealistic, he turns his attention to Hemingway, who inspires him to tell the story of himself, even if this makes him appear vulnerable and wounded.

In this post-World War II period, issues pertaining to Judaism remain at the center of the global stage. At the prep school, incidents related to Judaism, along with allegations of anti-Semitic behavior, illustrate how, despite a superficial harmoniousness, dividing lines exist in the campus community.

Shortly after starting classes at the school, the