upon as just another schmuck trying to get ahead. But since Roark possesses the inability to define his reasoning to anyone, as he does not see the need too since he cares not what he or she think of him or his work, others he encounters in his field look at him as a fool. Because of this fact alone, Roark struggles to gain clients for his buildings since he can not persuade them to view architecture as he does without the ability to appeal to others, as they do not appeal to him. Keating, however, does excel for awhile in his career not because he's an exceptional architect like Roark, but merely on his public relations skills that he flexes upon his employer, Francon, and others in the firm where he works to manipulate them to do what he wants. Keating does this much in the same manner his mother does, by appealing to what he says is best for whomever he's trying to control. Keating's values, therefore, seem just as transparent as he is, but are overlooked by his sly demeanor to get what he want's. Although other people may prefer 4 to deal with Keating as their architect for a while, those people do not truly appreciate his work as do Roark's clients, who hire Roark to do a job based on his skills in architecture, not by his skills in persuasion and conformity like Keating. Peter Keating and Howard Roark differ greatly in their personality, a difference that drastically affects how the world sees them. Keating is looked upon as an ideal architect, almost a model of conformity in his field. Roark, on the other hand, is looked at as a drifter, with his inability to care what other people think being mistaken by the general public as the inability to care. While at the beginning of the book, the odds seem to be in favor of Keating as far as getting ahead in life is concerned, the tables turn in the favor of Roark towards the end of the novel. The theme of the story, therefore, seems to be that the personality characteristics Roark poss...
