Toohey is a canny villain who has no illusions about the nature of his power. He makes a splash with his first book on architecture, called Sermons in Stone, in which he praises architecture as an art form that is “anonymous.” This lands him a contract at a popular newspaper, the Banner, to write a daily column called “One Small Voice,” which Toohey uses to disseminate his socialist opinions and attack those who do not fit into his plans, like Howard Roark. Toohey’s message to the world is the glorification of the collective and the erasure of the individual. Because he stands with unions and supports workers’ rights, the working class loves him, and since he is witty and influential in the art world, he is welcomed into drawing rooms and fancy parties. While Toohey is physically diminutive and seems genial at first, he has a way with words and is described as having “the voice of a giant” which he can use to “prove anything.” Unlike Roark, who ruffles feathers wherever he goes, Toohey has popular appeal and charms his way into various social circles. He is extremely intelligent and has a deep understanding of human nature, and he uses this to exploit people and gain power over them. Ellsworth Toohey is the villain of The Fountainhead.
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