Integrity is a quality often sought but rarely achieved; once achieved; it is even more rarely maintained. It is an elusive gem with the potential to inspire and transform a person. Unfortunately, it is often compromised – a valuable payment for something of lesser value – be it wealth, prestige or social standing. This strange but common exchange is demonstrated in Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead and is explored in the context of architecture. First, the concept of integrity is represented through Henry Cameron in the sense that he maintains his integrity but is destroyed by society due to his uncontainable passion. Secondly, Peter Keating and partner Guy Francon willingly exchange not only their own integrity, but also that of their buildings, in exchange for wealth and popularity in society. Finally, Howard Roark challenges and overcomes a seemingly destructive and threatening society, while maintaining his most precious possession: his honor. As demonstrated throughout the novel, society despises passion, devotion, and individuality and will often stop at nothing to destroy any hint of it. However, Cameron and Roark share an understanding necessary for true greatness: it is not only commendable, but desirable to be hated by society, because by doing so one has preserved the precious gem of integrity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original EssayHenry Cameron, although an architectural genius, is seen as a commercial failure among members of society. In essence, his unstable career as an architect is spent introducing into society the assumption that it is more admirable to be a commercial failure while maintaining genius, rather than sacrificing genius for the sake of social success. Essentially, Cameron fights for integrity in a corrupt society. The corrupter of this society – Ellsworth Toohey – convinces the public to hate Cameron on the basis of poor architectural skills. However, Cameron's only mistake is that he “loves his job” (46) and has an unbridled passion for it. As a result, his passion is evident in his buildings and he shouts in the faces of passersby. Ultimately, Henry Cameron's work is passion; it's honesty and courage. Subconsciously, society hates Cameron for the sole reason that his early buildings achieve what they cannot: pure honesty and righteousness. Indeed, “men hate passion, any great passion” (45), leading them to reject Cameron's depiction of passion. However, armed with Toohey's excuses regarding ungodly architecture, the company masks these feelings of inadequacy by condemning Cameron's work. Cameron admits to Roark that “thirty years of a lost cause” (64) is not as romantic as it seems and, in a moment of regret, warns him to follow a different path by saying “accept it, Roark. Compromise. Compromise now, because you'll have to do it later anyway” (62). Ultimately, in the moments in his career when Henry Cameron is most obsessed with his work, he is most successful. However, when his focus shifts from passion to threatening audiences, his career gradually collapses. He begins not only to see them, but to fear them and their hatred; Cameron's public condemnation leads to Cameron's demise. This fear is expressed when he asks Roark “do you ever look at people on the street? Are you not afraid of them?" (64). Later, Cameron admits that he fears these people, and by saying that "their substance is hatred of every man who loves his work" (64) reveals why he is been destroyed by the masses. Only when he begins to recognize and fear the masses is he overcome. Therefore, although Cameron recognizes that he is desirablebeing hated by society for the sake of integrity, his fear of the masses leads him to destruction. On the contrary, for Peter Keating and his advisor Guy Francon, the greatest fear is not sacrificing one's integrity. ,but be hated by society. As a result, Keating and Francon readily give up their honor for social popularity. Like a beggar so desperate for money that he will give up anything, such is Keating and his thirst for respectable social standing. Unlike Roark, who refuses to compromise his integrity for the sake of social acceptance, Keating compromises his morals, his interests, and even the love of his life, Catherine, in exchange for prestige and false respect. The respect accorded him is false, because those who know about his squalid escapades do not respect him in the slightest. This willingness to trade integrity for abstract, valueless goods is the key difference that places Keating and Francon on an entirely different spectrum than Cameron and Roark. Just as the public hates Cameron's buildings because they are honest and upright, Keating resorts to scorning Roark because he represents everything Keating never was. Peter maintains that «it is not necessary to question the reasons. It is necessary only to hate, to hate blindly, to hate patiently, to hate without anger; just hate, and let nothing intervene, and never let yourself be forgotten” (194). Despite this statement, the reason for his hatred is obvious: just as men hate passion, they also hate integrity, because it is a surreal treasure that fades so quickly. Despite his disdain for Roark, after decades dedicated to appealing to an insatiable audience, Keating finally recognizes the truth: that society's hatred for the sake of integrity is not only the most respectable outcome, but the most desirable. In saying “I am a parasite. I've been a parasite all my life” (575) Peter Keating admits that he is truly poor, because even the things he has earned have left him empty. He verbally states the futility of everything he has fought for when he says "I need prestige I do not deserve for an achievement I have not achieved to save a name I have not earned the right to bear" (575). Gradually, social love for Peter Keating becomes merely a reminder to him of his willingness to sacrifice integrity, and he begins to crave their hatred instead. The internal tug of war between social acceptance and maintaining integrity that Keating struggles with throughout his career is not prevalent in Howard Roark's life. In truth, it doesn't even exist. Unlike Keating, Francon and even Cameron, Roark does not take society's opinions into account in the slightest; he also claims not to see them, saying “but I never notice people on the street” (64). His presence «[makes] one feel that he [is not there]; or perhaps that he [is] and they [are not]” (62). It is for this reason that Roark is able to overcome society's hatred and ultimately become not only an artistic and moral success, but also a commercial success – a feat that Cameron fails to achieve. Instead of fearing their contempt, Roark embraces it, viewing it as a commendable and desirable achievement, because it reflects his greatest accomplishment: his implacable integrity. Unlike Keating, Roark builds entirely for the purpose of building, and in doing so, his honor and righteousness are represented in these structures. As with Cameron's buildings, society chooses to reject them because they confidently and unabashedly represent passion and integrity – qualities that most people no longer possess. Roark establishes in his conversation with Austen Heller that “a house can have integrity, just as a person… and just as rarely”,.