Comparing Howard Roark, Mr. Keating and the "proud Man"

Comparing Howard Roark, Mr. Keating and the "Proud Man"

In the Fountainhead, Dead Poets Society, and Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, their characters can relate to each other in multiple ways. All three of these men are extremely honorable and are similar in a myriad of ways. Mr. Keating is an unorthodox teacher while Howard Roark is a strong determined man. In all, these characters can all relate to the "proud man" in Aristotle's Book IV Chapter 3.

Howard Roark is able to be a parallel to the "Proud Man". Roark is known to take Domonique back multiple times, but never will he put her above his own needs. The quote "He must be unable to make his life revolve around another, unless it be a friend; for this is slavish, and for the reason all flatters are servile and people lacking in self-respect are flatterers" explains that one must not slave for someone when keeping them important to them. Again, Roark can compare to the "Proud Man" because Dominique comes back to him after being with other men and wants him back. Roark overlooks all of this and takes her back, showing traits of the "Proud Man" in this quote "Nor is he mindful of wrongs; for it is not the part of a proud man to have a long memory, especially for wrongs, but rather to overlook them". Howard Roark is a hard-headed, brilliant man and able to be compared to the "Proud Man".

Mr. Keating also can compare to the "proud man" that Aristotle writes about. The first reason being, Mr. Keating is a man that does not care about fortune or wealth but values the little things in life. When Aristotle says "For without virtue it is not easy to bear gracefully the goods of fortune; and, being unable to bear them, and thinking themselves superior to others, they despise others and themselves do what they please" it explains that one must live for the small things in life as Mr. Keating displays. Another reason they can compare is because Mr.Keating is always looking to stay out of trouble and do what's best, he also believes that everything happens for a reason and that he does not have control of some things in life, including life itself.