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THE EDUCATION OF AYN RAND, 1905–1943
shortly after the book’s release she told him, “It’s time we realize—as
the Reds do—that spreading our ideas in the form of fi ction is a great
weapon, because it arouses the public to an emotional, as well as intellectual
response to our cause.” Sales of The Fountainhead confi rmed Rand’s
understanding. Rather than tapering off after reviews and commentary
had faded from public memory, the book’s sales increased steadily year
after year. Readers were discovering the book, experiencing its powers,
and pressing copies on all their friends. 45
Among the most dedicated fans were many who used Rand’s characters
as templates for self-assessment and self-improvement. Worried
by Rand’s condemnation of “second-handers,” they wondered if they
fell into this category. An army lieutenant confessed to Rand, “However,
admire him and agree with Roark as I do, I haven’t the personal guts,
if you call it that, to emulate him. . . . Perhaps I am, after all, closer to
Gail Wynand, because I have no reason to believe I could hold out longer
than he did.” Others credited The Fountainhead with rescuing them
from conformity or surrender. After fi nishing the book one reader told
Rand, “I was profoundly challenged and frightened. The challenge has
outlived the fright. . . . Thank you.” A young woman compared herself to
each of the book’s characters in turn, fi nally concluding, “I am myself—
believe in that, living by what I really want.” By compelling readers to
accept or reject parallels between themselves and her characters, Rand
inspired many readers to refl ect on their own choices and motivations
in life. 46
For others the book was a more intellectual experience. Rand’s rejection
of traditional morality and her counterintuitive theory of selfi shness
provoked many readers to thought, debate, and discussion. Her
book was particularly popular among soldiers, who found in Rand’s
enormous tome both relief from boredom and a welcome meditation
on the reasons for U.S. involvement in the war. As a serviceman stationed
in Texas put it, “Though I do not entirely agree with hypotheses
established in this book, I must admit that this material warrants much
serious consideration. Indeed, superfi cially it appears to offer a logical
recapitulation of the forces behind present-day global turmoil.” Several
letter writers told Rand that her novel was a hot commodity among
their military units, eagerly passed from reader to reader. An army private
wrote, “[The Fountainhead was] giving my brain some well needed
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