Atlas Shrugged

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1957

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-5

Part 1, Chapters 6-10

Part 2, Chapters 1-5

Part 2, Chapters 6-10

Part 3, Chapters 1-5

Part 3, Chapters 6-10

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Themes

The Objectivist Perception of Morality

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses ableism.

Atlas Shrugged functions as a literary analogy, communicating the moral precepts of objectivism through the characters and the narrative. From an objectivist perspective, the protagonist Dagny Taggart and her allies embody virtue through characteristics such as self-actualization, capitalist productivity, and egotism. The society that they build in Galt’s Gulch and the future they envisage are utopias: ideal worlds where the virtuous are able to live in harmony and fulfillment.

In contrast, the looters and moochers who function as the novel’s antagonists and control society for the duration of the narrative embody the worst sins against the objectivist doctrine: violence, altruism, and a lack of productivity. The Twentieth Century Motor Company is essentially the opposite of Galt’s Gulch as an anti-utopia founded on values antithetical to those of objectivism. Through dialogue and the portrayal of characters and characteristics, Rand clearly communicates her stance in favor of objectivist perceptions of morality throughout the course of the novel.

The objectivist perception of morality and the fundamental principles of the philosophy were implicit in Rand’s earlier fictional works but made explicit in Atlas Shrugged. The most direct way that these beliefs are communicated is through the didactic speeches of Rand’s characters, including Rearden’s speech at his trial, any conversation he has with Francisco, and Galt’s public speech on the radio in Part 3, Chapter 7. The characters who hold objectivist beliefs are described in a wholly positive light that contrasts with the unflattering depictions of dissenters to the philosophy. Rand evokes sympathy for the suffering of the men of Galt’s Gulch and catharsis at their victories. The trajectory of the narrative, culminating in the ultimate, cathartic victory of the virtuous characters and the downfall of the unworthy characters, functions both as a morality tale and as a philosophical argument for the objectivist perception of morality.

Radical Individualism and Idolization of the Lone Genius Archetype

Individualism—the belief in an individual’s moral value above the collective—has been a core American value since the late 18th century. James Bryce stated that “[i]ndividualism, the love of enterprise, and the pride in personal freedom have been deemed by Americans not only their choicest, but [their] peculiar and exclusive possession” (Bryce, James. The American Commonwealth. 1888). Concepts of social Darwinism (i.e., survival of the fittest) were incorporated into individualist philosophy during the 19th century, producing a widespread cultural emphasis on self-worth, egotism, and individual productivity.

During the Cold War period of the mid-20th century, individualism became a symbol of the American mode of thought and way of life precisely because it so starkly contrasted with the socialist and collectivist precepts of communism. It is in this context that the lone genius archetype became idealized as an aspirational figure, and it is this context in which Rand developed her highly individualist objectivist philosophy. The theme of radical individualism and idolization of the lone genius archetype runs omnipresent through Atlas Shrugged.

The lone genius archetype is used as the basis of every one of Atlas Shrugged’s protagonists, deuteragonists, and love interests, as well as all the men of Galt’s Gulch. Each of these characters stands out in their chosen fields and stands apart from the vast majority of the looters’ society because they have chosen to value wealth, capitalist productivity, and egotism over the mainstream philosophies of the day. Through the first two parts of the narrative, Dagny and Rearden find such solace in each other’s company precisely because they have so few peers of comparative ability and virtue.

The characters who ultimately band together to create a community in Galt’s Gulch spent their lives working largely in isolation but nonetheless managing to succeed in tasks that no number of looters could ever reproduce. For example, Galt and his creation of a motor is so innovative that it would change the very parameters of industry, and it proves impossible to rebuild or repair without him. Rearden creates Rearden Metal, Dagny builds the John Galt line despite near insurmountable odds, and all of these achievements are juxtaposed with the helplessness of the looters. Looters such as Ferris deny the existence of genius while systematically exploiting it. Only when those figures of genius accept the tenets of radical individualism are they able to properly enjoy the fruits of their labor.

The Weaponization of Victimhood

Objectivism’s demonization of people that it considers physically and morally weak—those who might easily fit into the category of victim under a laissez-faire capitalist system—converges with eugenicist hostility toward marginalized groups. In Atlas Shrugged, victimhood is presented as a deliberate choice used by the weak to manipulate the powerful. Rearden is the victim of this manipulation at the hands of his own family, and only when he loses his sympathy and pity for those weaker than him can he truly pursue his own happiness. The speeches that he gives on “the sanction of the victim” (2, 4, 461-95), particularly during his trial, provide a comprehensive overview of this objectivist attitude toward victimhood.

The concept of victimhood is key to Rand’s presentation of the contrast between the looters and the men of Galt’s Gulch. All of the looters exhibit weakness at some point or another and revel in occasions when they can paint themselves as victims. According to the novel, this is a consequence of a system that values need over ability, and these characters who consider themselves victims are repeatedly portrayed as morally bankrupt. In contrast, the virtuous characters suffer much more than the looters ever do, but they do not let the suffering deter or define them. Rearden, for instance, suffers psychological and emotional pain through the course of the novel, but it is because he refuses to settle into the position of victim that he manages to triumph. Galt is tortured physically when he is captured by the looters, but despite the pain they inflict, it is the looters—most notably Jim—who are broken by him.

The presentation of victimhood in the novel does not take systemic oppression of marginalized groups into account. The novel presents all forms of weakness as moral failings that can be solved by hard work and the widespread adoption of objectivist values. The novel does not address reasons that someone may not be able to meet the necessary quotas of productivity to thrive (or even survive) in Galt’s objectivist society because of disability, age, or lack of access to resources, for example.