Ellsworth Toohey

Ellsworth Toohey is a fictional character from Ayn Rand's novel "The Fountainhead," serving as a symbol of manipulative, collectivist influence. He is an influential architecture critic and social commentator who uses his power to promote conformism and suppress individualism. Through charm, persuasion, and orchestrating social trends, Toohey seeks to control others and shape society according to his collective ideals, often at the expense of personal achievement and integrity. His character illustrates the dangers of intellectual manipulation and the importance of independent thinking and artistic integrity.