Guy Francon Character Analysis in The Fountainhead

Guy Francon is a partner at Francon & Heyer, the most prominent architecture firm in New York City. Like Keating and Roark, he graduated from the Stanton Institute of Technology, and he is its most famous alumnus. By the time Keating joins the firm, Francon is coasting by on his reputation while leaving the actual designing to others. He spends his days on business luncheons and his evenings at social events. He immediately takes to Keating, and appreciates his schmoozing despite detecting his insincerity. He is convinced of Keating’s talent, and decides to make him partner after Lucius Heyer’s death. Guy Francon is also Dominique Francon’s father, and he has always found his daughter to be difficult and incomprehensible. He thinks that Peter Keating might make her happy and sets them up, but when he visits her after they are married, he senses right away that she is suffering. He feels real tenderness for Dominique and comes through to support her at the end, offering her a home after her divorce from Wynand and supporting her through Roark’s trial. While Francon is a traditionalist who profits in a world of mediocrity, he comes across as having a stronger value system when compared with many others in his field. At the Stoddard trial, he refuses to testify against Roark despite disliking the temple he built because Francon doesn’t think that those opposing Roark were “behaving like gentlemen.” Also, when he is getting ready to retire, he confesses to Keating that he doesn’t feel like he is leaving him anything of worth. He seems to have realized that his years of following the crowd haven’t given him any satisfaction. This perhaps helps him see the positives of living like Dominique, and to understand why she would be happy with Roark.

Guy Francon Character Timeline in The Fountainhead

The timeline below shows where the character Guy Francon appears in The Fountainhead. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Guy Francon, the famous architect and Stanton’s greatest alumnus, delivers a verbose commencement address to the Class... (full context)

...in Paris. Everyone congratulates him while his mother hugs him and sobs in happiness. Earlier, Francon had offered him a job at his firm. (full context)

...Roark’s opinion on whether he should take the scholarship in Paris or work for Guy Francon in New York, but Roark is amazed that Keating doesn’t know what he wants. Ultimately,... (full context)

Keating discovers that Guy Francon hasn’t designed anything for years and that most of the work in the firm is... (full context)

The most famous building Francon has designed is the Frink National Bank Building, built in marble in the Classical style.... (full context)

Francon directs Keating’s attention to a review of the newest Francon & Heyer construction, the Melton... (full context)

Keating has made himself a favorite of Francon’s at the firm, and he is also popular with the other draftsmen who like how... (full context)

While telling Catherine about Francon, Keating calls him an “old fool and a pompous fraud,” shocking himself since he has... (full context)

...work.” He tells Roark he’ll find a job for him at some other firm—maybe even Francon’s—but that he doesn’t want Roark to end up like he did. He tells Roark that... (full context)

Peter Keating has spent a year with Francon and Heyer and has ingratiated himself with both partners. Francon likes to take him out... (full context)

...start his own firm but he lacks projects and capital. So, Keating convinces one of Francon’s potential clients, Mrs. Dunlop, to giving her project to Stengel by telling her in confidence... (full context)

...work is to tell himself that he can do it if others like Stengel and Francon could. He copies Classic photographs of houses but is unsure of the end product and... (full context)

When Keating shows the design to Francon, Francon says it is daring, but exactly what he’d hoped. Keating tells him he’d learnt... (full context)

...accomplishments and she gives him a lot of advice. She also suggests that he meet Francon’s daughter. No one at the office seems to have met her, and Keating has wondered... (full context)

When Keating is away from the office, Francon sends for Roark. He tells him they have an odd client who wants an office... (full context)

...union is on a strike. While most of the newspapers support the strikers, Wynand’s publications don’t—Francon knows it is because Wynand’s corporation owns the hotel where the strike started. Francon and... (full context)

Francon snaps at Keating because of his worries, and Keating goes home in a bad mood.... (full context)

After the strike is settled, business booms once again at Francon and Heyer, and this is why Keating is surprised when he sees Francon come in... (full context)

...and Keating attends reluctantly because it bores him. There, he sees Dominique again and persuades Francon to introduce them, which he does, telling Keating not to blame him for it afterwards.... (full context)

...says Toohey is perfect, like “a monolith,” while everyone else seems broken up in comparison. Francon drives Keating home after the party, and he tells him he’s impressed that Keating managed... (full context)

...mocked in the club rooms of the A.G.A. by architects like Ralston Holcombe and Guy Francon, who call it a “modernistic stunt” and a “disgrace to the country.” People who drive... (full context)

Dominique Francon assists Alvah Scarret with investigating the conditions of the slums and gathering human material for... (full context)

Francon worries about Dominique, sometimes wondering if he hates her. But then he recalls an image... (full context)

...theater later that night and to call her by her first name, both of which Francon is delighted to hear about later that day. He tells Keating he wishes she’d get... (full context)

...says he doesn’t want Dominique, and Mrs. Keating points out that he’s being foolish because Francon is offering him a partnership and asking him to marry his daughter. She asks Keating... (full context)

...him the news the previous night. Keating tells her about Heyer being ill and that Francon has hinted that Keating might be the next partner. He also says that Francon has... (full context)

...his stroke and returns to the office, ignoring the protests of his doctor and of Francon, who offers to buy him out and is refused. Keating ignores him, and Heyer cannot... (full context)

...Cosmo-Slotnick Building, a skyscraper that will be the New York office for a Hollywood studio. Francon encourages Keating to enter. Keating reworks his project several times, hating “every girder of that... (full context)

...occasional, inconsequential evening.” He has begun to desire her, and not just because she is Francon’s daughter. One evening, after a ball, Keating asks to come up to her apartment and... (full context)

Keating now forgets his desire for Dominique but remembers that she’s Francon’s daughter. He asks her to marry him, saying he loves her and understands her. Dominique... (full context)

Keating is terrified that he will lose the competition, after which he thinks Francon will be very disappointed in him and won’t make him partner. Keating is convinced he... (full context)

...work in construction in the same town, he says he’ll get him a job at Francon’s granite quarry in Connecticut. (full context)

Meanwhile, Keating has been named partner at the firm that will now be called “Francon & Keating.” At the celebratory dinner, there is “a grave feeling of brotherhood,” and Ralston... (full context)

...since everyone tells him he must be, but sometimes he feels uneasy. He avoids Guy Francon because Francon thinks his daughter is in love with Keating, while Keating knows she isn’t.... (full context)

...home, and he is greeted by shouts and cheers. He is happy to see Guy Francon’s pleased face, and Francon tells him the whole firm will now be Keating’s since Francon... (full context)

That evening, Francon has dinner at Keating’s apartment, and when he is alone with Dominique he tells her... (full context)

...designing to his employees. Meanwhile, after he hears the news of Dominique getting a divorce, Francon decides to retire, leaving the firm to Keating. Keating chooses Dumont as partner and does... (full context)

Guy Francon calls Dominique, asking if she will be leaving Wynand now, and she says she will... (full context)