Objectivism, a philosophy on life created by Ayn Rand, states that man must live for his own sake, with the achievement of his own happiness as the highest moral purpose of his life. In her novels, Ayn Rand illustrates men at different levels of perfection according to her philosophy. Ayn Rands first novel, The Fountainhead, contains many excellent examples of men that are not ideal because they are not happy with themselves. The most tragic character in The Fountainhead is Gail Wynand, a great newspaper publisher.
Wynand is the most tragic character in the novel because he is not happy with his accomplishments, he makes himself suffer unnecessarily, and he is ashamed of himself. Gail Wynand is not happy with his accomplishments. He is a self-made man that came from the gutter and had to fight his way to the top by being ruthless and persistent. Wynand has the potential to be a great man, but he lets imself conform to society when he opens his first newspaper, the Banner.
The Banner gives people what they want; murder, arson, rape, and corruption. When Wynand realizes that he is not happy with his accomplishments he decides to destroy men that do have integrity. Wynand makes Dwight Carson, a young writer devoted to the conviction of the individual against the masses, write a column in the Banner about the superiority of the masses over the man of genius. Carson becomes an alcoholic because of Wynands manipulations.
Wynands losing sight of what will bring him happiness makes him the most tragic character in the novel. Gail Wynand tortures himself unnecessarily when he realizes that his success is based on corruption. Wynand marries Dominique Francon even though he knows she does not love him; she does not even want his love. He had refused to give his love to anyone all his life but tortures himself by giving his ove to the one woman who will never love him back.
Giving his love to a woman that does not appreciate it makes Gail Wynand a tragic character. Gail Wynands tragic nature shows through when he allows himself to be ashamed of his newspaper for trying to destroy Howard Roark. When Wynand actually meets Roark he is impressed by his individuality and he respects him; that goes against his nature in general. It is tragic that Wynand defends Roark nd destroys his life work, the Banner, in the process.
Gail Wynand is the most tragic character in The Fountainhead, Ayn Rands first novel. Rand believes that men must seek their own happiness to be great. Wynand loses sight of his own happiness, and it destroys him. Gail Wynand could have been a great man but he is not happy with his accomplishments, he makes himself suffer unnecessarily, and he is ashamed of himself.
