Dominique Francon’s Enlightenment and
Allegory
Solemn at first yet
statuesque with a radiance of feminine heroism is the characterization of Dominique
Francon, the daughter of the highly revered architect Guy Francon. Feeling contempt
towards her father’s worth, she comes across a sign of extraordinary potential
enshrined within the one reviled outcast of architecture, Howard Roark. As a
journalist working for the newspaper chronicle the Banner, she carries forth a sentiment of idealism and commendation to the human
potential. Unfortunately her ideals and vision are waned as she cannot
withstand the remarkable burden of society’s inexorable precepts. Pessimistic
about the triumph of man’s endeavor against all odds, Dominique Francon progresses
to an enlightened phase and comes to realize the inner value of independence from
personal experience. This unique cognizance acknowledges the significance of her
and symbolic allegory in the context of the narrative.
Dominique Francon is
introduced in the midst of an appointment through the observation of Peter
Keating, a former colleague of Howard Roark: “A young woman stood before the
railing, speaking to the reception clerk” (p. 111). The mesmerizing imagery further
revealed that “her slender body seemed out of all scale in relation to a normal
human body; its lines were so long, so fragile, so exaggerated that she looked
like a stylized drawing of a woman” and that “her appearance was deliberately
exorbitant-and strangely elegant” (p. 111). Francon’s delicacy delineates a
novelty in relation to the outer world. Young and mysterious, her essence
figuratively flags the collectivist mind frame of society. Her unique physical
appearance stands out apart to the fanatical vision of architecture embraced by
the whole community. Domnique’s exclusiveness is paralleled to her isolated
lifestyle. Living an extravagant and luxurious way of life, her loneliness is
discerned through the act of “surrounding herself with people” in order “that
the experiment of actual solitude was an enchantment to her and a betrayal into
a weakness she had never allowed herself: the weakness of enjoying it” (p.
203). Her aloofness signifies that the
world of her residence is unsatisfactory and incomplete. It is incapable of
measuring up to her level of expectations. Aware of the imperfections of her
surroundings, Dominique longed for the true complete image of her ideals.
Unbeknownst to her is a crusade she is embarking on for seeking out the “Holy
Grail” of what she wishes and desires.
Despite holding fastidious
presumptions, Dominique’s predilection of perfection is manifested within one
individual she unexpectedly encounters. Serenely glancing over a granite
quarry, she caught the glimpse of the “orange hair of a man who raised his head
and looked at her” (p. 205). Reminiscent of an archetypical “love at first
sight” moment, Dominique was captivated by the “cold, pure brilliance of the
eyes that had no trace of pity.” The ideal figuration of her imagination was
flawlessly confined within this one unidentified being. The man who she later
meet as Howard Roark was the embodiment of her desires as his face “was the
most beautiful she had ever seen…the abstraction of strength made visible.” Becoming
intimate with one another, their relationship would stand out as a metaphorical
connotation for strenuousness that is stressed against the prevailing collectivism
of the community. Her bond with Roark epitomizes reverence for heroic
man-worship. The admiration of heroism comes to serve as a virtue for living
one’s life in the narration. Francon’s love for Roark carries a visionary
respect for the inner strength of man. The worship from Dominique energizes the
mind of Roark to endure onward in spite of those who oppose him. Despite
experiencing a surge of new hope, Dominique’s pessimism persisted as she felt
that the insurmountable iniquity of the outer world would batter Howard Roark’s
mind and soul into oblivion.
Believing Roark to be destined for demise,
Dominique strives to demolish him before a world of grave injustice would. She
would accomplish a task through varied and meticulously planned details. In one
attempt, Francon published an article in the Banner regarding the Enright house
designed by Roark and belittled it as an “essential insolence” and a “mockery
to all the structures of the city and to the men who built them” (p. 266). In another,
she forged an alliance with Ellsworth Toohey, Roark’s nemesis in the hopes that
a partnership would bring a quick end to his career in order to avoid any more
suffering. Her actions demonstrate her lack of hope for Howard Roark’s
succession and her naivety. Dominique Francon’s knowledge of truth is incomplete
and she is guided onward to a more genuine state of realization. Her gloomy
view of Roark is confronted by her visitation to the incomplete Enright house with
Roger Enright, the businessman who had hired Roark to design the apartment
complex. Astonished by the “steel cages of future projections, at the insolent
angles, and at the incredible complexity of the shape coming to life”,
Dominique’s experience is one of foreshadowing (p. 286). The imagery was a
powerful “sense of birth and promise” that indirectly hinted at Roark’s victory
over all the corruption and misfortune that held back society.
In the advancement
of the narrative, Dominique undergoes a dynamic shift in character. Observing
the minds and actions of Ellsworth Toohey, Peter Keating, and Gail Wynand, the
owner of the Banner, Dominique sees the inherent weakness they carry forth.
Sharing a trait of megalomania, these individuals appear as an unstoppable
juggernaut and are power hungry with an eager desire to savage and dominate the
apparently weak. Desiring a parvenu’s state, their weakness is their primary
dependence upon the minds of other men for supremacy. This power seeking
attribute is nevertheless incapable of shattering Howard Roark who relies on
his own mind and independence for guidance. From his prevail as the victor
amongst the four men she has journeyed with, Dominique has learned the importance
of the reliance on one’s mind. Dominique sees how the good that radiates inside
of Roark can triumph against the evils of the community. As a thinker, her purpose
in the plot illustrates a literary characterization for independence. The
lesson learned from Dominique is that independence cannot necessarily guarantee
arriving at the truth, but it can aid an individual to learn from past mistakes.
From her experiences with others besides Roark, self-sacrifice deconstructs the
inner meaning of individual potential. To fulfill achievement and success at
the highest potential, man must pursue his own self-interest. This lesson has
Dominique changed into a new person, one who is more embracing of Howard Roark.
Dominique Francon is presented as a secondary
character in the novel. While being the heroine of the narrative, she initially
lacked a fundamental element in her personality. This missing component which
is her knowledge of the world around her is gained through the experiences she
had with a throng of men with widely different views and perspectives. As
Roark’s lover, she is contemplated as a dynamic character through which her
bond with him created a new hope in that the good can overcome and be
victorious in the struggle against the temptations of the inner hearts of men.
She and Roark are a consummate couple whose minds and expectations are linked
upon one another in a myriad of ways.
Works Cited
Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead. New
York: Signet Classics, 1952. 111, 203, 205, 266,
286.
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