Society Exposed In Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand: Atlas Shrugged
In the society created by Ayn Rand in her novel Atlas Shrugged, the unmotivated feed off of the desire of the purposeful, politicians destroy success in an attempt to gain it, and entitlement is an epidemic. Dagny Taggart is the Vice-President of Operations of Taggart Transcontinental, her family railroad empire. Her brother, Jim, fills the role of President. The country is slipping into economic turmoil, and the state of the railroad is following suit. Jim and his fellow business elite, known as the “looters”, do not wish to work hard for their success and instead create government regulations to help themselves gain profits and take out competition. At the same time, the great minds of the world begin to disappear. …show more content…
Instead, they turn to making government regulations that redistribute the success of the great minds. For example, Jim Taggart creates laws to take out competition in Colorado. Citizens do not think for themselves and try to stop the government. As governmental regulations are not uncommon in American society and many citizens are uninformed, Rand creates these examples, though they be extreme, to appeal to the audience. Through this she also presents a message on the negative effects of collectivist governments. When the successes of the great are redistributed, others become dependent and do nothing to contribute to society. The motif of the integration of the body and mind plays a major role in the development Dagny. Rand suggest that for a person to be liberated, they must not allow their minds to stop the desires of their bodies. Dagny has relationships with men she respects, showing that her mind and body are connected and she is in possession of a free mind. This motif contains feminist undercurrent and stresses sexuality, making it ineffective and somewhat offensive for those who are not feminist or believe in purity and abstinence. As Rand relates Dagny’s affairs in great detail, some segments of her audience may not wish to continue
In the society created by Ayn Rand in her novel Atlas Shrugged, the unmotivated feed off of the desire of the purposeful, politicians destroy success in an attempt to gain it, and entitlement is an epidemic. Dagny Taggart is the Vice-President of Operations of Taggart Transcontinental, her family railroad empire. Her brother, Jim, fills the role of President. The country is slipping into economic turmoil, and the state of the railroad is following suit. Jim and his fellow business elite, known as the “looters”, do not wish to work hard for their success and instead create government regulations to help themselves gain profits and take out competition. At the same time, the great minds of the world begin to disappear. …show more content…
Instead, they turn to making government regulations that redistribute the success of the great minds. For example, Jim Taggart creates laws to take out competition in Colorado. Citizens do not think for themselves and try to stop the government. As governmental regulations are not uncommon in American society and many citizens are uninformed, Rand creates these examples, though they be extreme, to appeal to the audience. Through this she also presents a message on the negative effects of collectivist governments. When the successes of the great are redistributed, others become dependent and do nothing to contribute to society. The motif of the integration of the body and mind plays a major role in the development Dagny. Rand suggest that for a person to be liberated, they must not allow their minds to stop the desires of their bodies. Dagny has relationships with men she respects, showing that her mind and body are connected and she is in possession of a free mind. This motif contains feminist undercurrent and stresses sexuality, making it ineffective and somewhat offensive for those who are not feminist or believe in purity and abstinence. As Rand relates Dagny’s affairs in great detail, some segments of her audience may not wish to continue