Summary

Chapter 1 opens with a young, discouraged, unnamed man cycling through the woods in 1935. He comes upon a resort designed by Howard Roark, and this viewing of the design gives the man enough bravery to last his entire lifetime.

We are told the back-story of how Roark becomes the builder of the resort. He hears of the developers doing a project in Monadnock Valley for people of moderate income. Although he does not think he will get the job, Roark goes to see the developers nonetheless, and surprisingly, they give him the job after he argues the resort should make the people feel individually unique and sheltered. He becomes engrossed in carrying out this project and notices the board might be a little too eager for their own good. And as it turns out, we learn the board actually has nefarious purposes. Roark...