Comparing The Fountainhead And Atlas Shrugged

Throughout the course of history, the individual has always been the driving force of progress and innovation in any society. As a result, the importance individual became the primary focus of the prominent 20th century author Ayn Rand. Best known for her novel Atlas Shrugged, Rand rose into relevance in the middle of the 20th century as an outspoken critic of communism and the founder of the philosophy of objectivism. Being born during a tumultuous time in Russian history, Rand’s early life experiences are clearly expressed in her writings through her distaste of communism. Furthermore, Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism is explored through the themes of individualism and rationalism that defined her most influential works, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Finally, the prominence of both The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged is clearly reflected in modern day politics. During the early 20th century, Rand’s native country, Russia, faced substantial political and financial unrest as a result of the Russian Revolution in 1905, and World …show more content…
In Atlas Shrugged, John Galt describes a place referred to as ‘Atlantis’, a remotely located utopia for all the intellectuals who could not bear to live under constant regulation and government sponsorship (Neumann 1). After Rand’s education at Petrograd University, she escaped to America, eager to live within the unlimited freedom that comprised the nation as presented by her study of history. In Rand’s view, America served as an escape to Russian communism and represented a place where she was free to pursue her passion for writing. With this perspective, the parallel between Galt’s Atlantis and Rand’s America is clearly depicted as both America and Atlantis serve as places where individual thought and endless opportunities without government interference are found (Badertscher