Roark Versus the World

When viewing Howard Roark  in comparison to the other architects in Rand's The Fountainhead, we are shown a stark difference between them. Architects such as Peter Keating spend their whole lives trying to please others. They want nothing more that recognition and fame. They do not even really care much for there own work, at least not the way Roark does. They do what they must to please the client. They want money and power from their work and they get this from being well known for what they achieve. Roark cares not for the monetary gain he could achieve. He is firm and unmovable when it comes to his designs. Howard could honestly care less about what the client has to say. He does not care what they want, he is giving them what they need.
The other architects compromise their work and make changes to suit other people. Keating even goes as far as asking Roark to make designs for him. Pete believes these designs to be fantastic but when he mentions this to Roark, Howard tells him to never associate him (Roark) with these disasters. Roark does not see beauty they way the rest of the world does. He does not gaze in awe at the traditional works and finds no amazement when viewing the Parthenon.
The classical architecture that is so beloved by the world and favored by, in Roark's eyes, lesser architects is pathetic to him. Roark sees the land, the rocks, and the trees as if they are waiting there for him. Waiting for him to mold them into a masterpiece. This reveals to us Roark's ego yet at the same time he is shown to have almost no pride in himself. His ego is so large that whereas all the other architects in the novel would make changes in order to keep a commission, Roark rather lose his practice and work in a quarry than make a slight change in one of his designs. He is an egotist yes, but he has pride only in his work. This is perhaps the largest difference between Roark and everyone else. They are to proud and to scared to sacrifice anything for themselves. They must have the money and power in order to survive whereas Howard Roark needs only his buildings, his designs, and himself.