The Fountainhead Essay Contest

The Fountainhead cover

25th Annual Essay Contest on Ayn Rand’s Novel The Fountainhead

For 11th and 12th Graders

Deadline: April 26, 2010

Cash Awards:

First Prize: $10,000
5 Second Prizes: $2,000
10 Third Prizes: $1,000
45 Finalists: $100
175 Semi-Finalists: $50

Topics

Select ONE of the following three topics:

  1. Howard Roark refuses a major contract when he most needs it, claiming that his action was “the most selfish thing you’ve ever seen a man do.” (Ch. 15) Why does he call his action “selfish”? And why do other people call it “selfless”?

  2. Gail Wynand is a brilliant individual who rose out of the slums by means of his own talent and effort. But despite his reverence for man’s noblest achievements, his newspaper, The Banner, presents the most lurid and loathsome values. Why does Wynand pander in this manner? And why doesn’t Howard Roark?

  3. Choose the scene in The Fountainhead that is most meaningful to you. Analyze that scene in terms of the wider themes in the book.

Judging

Essays will be judged on both style and content. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of The Fountainhead.

Essay submissions are evaluated in a fair and unbiased multi-round judging process. To ensure the anonymity of our participants, cover sheets and identifying information are removed after the first round. Winners’ names remain unknown to judges until after the essays have been ranked and the contest results finalized. The Ayn Rand Institute checks essays with Ithenticate Plagiarism Detection Software.

Rules

  • No application is required. Contest is open to students worldwide.
  • Entrant must be in 11th or 12th grade.
  • Essay must be between 800 and 1,600 words.
  • Essay must be submitted by April 26, 2010, by 11:59 PM, PST.
  • Essay must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarized essays will be disqualified.
  • Entrants may submit only one essay. Decisions of the judges are final.
  • Employees of the Ayn Rand Institute, its board of directors and their immediate family members are not eligible for this contest. Past first-place winners are not eligible for this contest.
  • All entries become the property of the Ayn Rand Institute and will not be returned.
  • Participants will be notified of the contest results by July 27, 2010.

To Enter

» Submit online

You will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt of your entry within 24 hours. If it has been at least 24 hours, and you have not received e-mail notification, please e-mail essay@aynrand.org. Please check your junk e-mail for your notification. Please do not re-submit.


Students unable to submit their essays online may mail essays to:

The Fountainhead Essay Contest
The Ayn Rand Institute
P.O. Box 57044
Irvine, CA 92619-7044

For mailed-in essays only—You MUST include a stapled cover sheet with the following information: your name; mailing address; e-mail address; the name and address of your high school; topic selected (#1, 2 or 3 from the list above); your current grade level; the name of the teacher who assigned the essay (if applicable).

If you wish to verify our receipt of your essay, please paperclip a stamped, self-addressed postcard to the essay.

Please do not submit duplicate essays!

Comments or questions about the essay contests are welcome. Please write to essay@aynrand.org.

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