Dominique Francon, central character in Ayn Rand's novel The Fountain Head, falls in love but wishes to destroy the novel's protagonist, Howard Roark. Dominique's love for Roark comes from her recognition of Roark's greatness and individuality and wishes to destroy him before the rest of society can. An ulterior motive for his destruction could also stem from fear of the similarities they share. She believes that by destroying Roark, she is saving him and thus ensuring that his greatest fear never comes true. In a society where altruism is considered an important virtue, independent creators like Roark and Cameron are left with nothing. Dominique recognizes the man's capacity for success and is attracted to it, which is why she falls in love with Roark. Because she recognizes it, she hates most people who fail to reach true human potential. She places very little value on men because she believes: “Ask men anything. Ask them to achieve wealth, glory, love, brutality, murder, self-sacrifice. But don't ask them to gain self-respect. They will hate it. your soul” (Rand 355). In the courtroom, during his testimony against Roark in the Stoddard trial, Dominique asserts: "When you see a man throwing pearls and not even getting a pork chop in return, it is not against pork that you you are indignant. It is against the man who appreciated his pearls so little that he was ready to throw them into the mud and let them become the occasion for a whole concert of grumbling...." (Rand 356). Dominique is overall pessimistic and thinks that only the corrupt and evil (Keating and Toohey) will succeed in society So, because of Dominique's love for men who are at their highest potential, she loves Roark yet, because; of her pessimis... middle of paper ...... her thirst to destroy Roark comes from several different reasons despite the love that Dominique shares with Roark. Because Dominique loves Roark, she feels like she is destroying him. , while protecting him Dominique understands that Roark's individualistic and non-conforming personality will not be considered unpleasant by society and believes that he will fall. She thinks it would be better for Roark to fall into someone's hands. who loves it rather than in the cold and cruel hands of society. Additionally, Dominique is afraid of the similarities between them, but cannot accept how Roark is unaffected by the world while the same cannot be said of her. This is a hidden motivation for her desire to destroy him, as it gives her hope that she too can succeed in this world. After all, the only thing stronger than fear is hope.