Atlas Shrugged I

Atlas Shrugged is a novel by Ayn Rand. In her epochal work, Rand applies the ideas of her philosophy of objectivism through her storytelling. Although I have only read a fraction of this epic novel, I can already identify a few of the characters and what they symbolize with regards towards Ayn Rand's philosophy. The main character is Dagny Taggert, who is the vice president of Taggert Transcontinental. Dagny represents many of the ideals which Rand values. Dagny has an independent sense of value, and isn't influenced by the majority's opinion. For example, Dagny orders Rearden Metal, a new type of metal which everyone else has written off as useless, for use in her train tracks despite everyone else's opinion. Dagny's actions are dictated only by her own judgments and values; she is unswayed by any feeling of peer pressure. Dagny is also very selfish. She is concerned only with making decisions that help her and her business, not with doing things for the "greater good" or to help out companies in need. Ayn Rand, who is a believer in absolute capitalism, views this as a great thing. She believes that people should be driven towards advancing themselves and not helping out the less successful. She believes that the great people in society should not have to be constrained by the weak, and punished for their greatness.