Love is a theme that is not commonly omitted from a classic piece of literature. Not exclusively the conventional definition of love, as between a person and their significant other, but less obvious types. In Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, love is a distinct and overt theme. However, it varies between different types: conventional love, brotherly love, fatherly love, and love for one’s work. Rand very effectively uses love between man and woman to express her philosophy in this book. Her idea of love and sex is very different than the commonly accepted concept about relationships now. The Ayn Rand Lexicon states, “Romantic love, in the full sense of the term, is an emotion possible only to the man (or woman) of unbreached self-esteem: it is his response to his own highest values in the person of another—an integrated response of mind and body, of …show more content…
As Catherine Gallagher writes, regarding Hank and Dagny, “They are both driven by their love of work and production, and forced to live among the looters” (Gallagher, “Capitalism”). Dagny is so committed to her work that even after the country’s economy is in decline, she still stays behind to repair Taggart Transcontinental. At the same time, Hank loves his company to the point that he also stays behind for a while before giving up his living in order to maintain its respect and dignity. Love for one’s work also coincides with love for oneself; this is obviously a recurring theme in Rand’s writing. Robert Tracinski writes about the loving relationships in Atlas Shrugged, saying, “They are not based merely on the possession of dollars, no matter how they’re gained, but on a kinship of values among productive people” (Tracinski, “All”). Each hero in Rand’s novel loves their values so strongly that those values are what power their love for other people, as well. This appears to be a common concept with the loving relationships in the
In Anthem by Ayn Rand International 4-8818 agrees to keep Equality 7-2521’s secret of the tunnel under the ground because much like Equality 7-2521, International 4-8818 is different than the rest of the people in the place they live in. This is because while Equality 7-2521 explains how he found the hole that led to the tunnel he talks about International 4-8818 and explains that, “they are a tall, strong youth and their eyes are like fireflies, for there is laughter in their eyes. We cannot look upon International 4-8818 and not smile in answer. For this they were not liked in the Home of the Students, as it is not proper to smile without reason. And also they were not liked because they took pieces of coal and they drew pictures upon the
Unlike during the Unmentionable Times, when men created “towers [that] rose to the sky,” it is an affliction to be born with powerful intellectual capacity and ambition in Ayn Rand’s apocalyptic, nameless society in Anthem. Collectivism is ostensibly the moral guidepost for humanity, and any perceived threat to the inflexible, authoritarian regime is met with severe punishment. The attack on mankind’s free will and reason is most evident in the cold marble engraving in the Palace of the World Council: “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever” (6). Societal norms force homogeneity and sacrifice among all people.
Then they glanced at us over their shoulder, and we felt as if a hand had touched our body, slipping softly from our lips to our feet” (Rand 40). Everybody in the society shouldn’t be judged on who they fall in love with, also they shouldn’t not be able to love somebody because how they are. On the other hand, the society in “Harrison Bergeron” acts a little different towards the love side. The story discusses, “I don't care if you’re not equal to me for a while” (Vonnegut 2). Here he is trying to explain that he loves her even though they are different than each other, also that he doesn’t care that they aren’t the exact same.
In Ayn Rand’s novella, Anthem, mankind is a philanthropic machine. The brotherhood nobly works together to achieve a common goal. In doing so, each man is asked to disregard his own personal means and goals. For every decision must be a collective thought and every advancement, a joint action. However, one man in this machine malfunctions.
The society regulates names, work, and even friendships. Here, originality is brought to shame, as no one can be better than the other. At first, Equality is seen writing, which is against the rules, and yet, he does not feel guilty. Rand highlights humanity’s innate propensity to rebel and to fall into their own desire. The society that Rand has created in Anthem is a clear reflection of what she thinks is a destruction to humanity.
Ayn Rand is a talented author whose use of literary elements makes her novels all the more interesting. A significant example of this is when Rand articulates the use of the story Adam and Eve throughout the chapter by conveying explicit meanings and making connections to help the reader better understand the situation that the characters are facing as they enter into a new phase of their lives with more knowledge than they had before. Adam and Eve is a tale from the bible depicting the events that occurred the first time humans were created and the first time they sinned. The story begins when the protagonists, Adam and Eve, make a mistake by taking a bite of the apple they were told not to as it would give them “the knowledge of good and evil,” (Fairchild).
Atlas Shrugged describes in length various philosophical attitudes of humanity. Attitudes such as: what defines an ideal man? What is the moral code that defines a man’s existence? The character, Hank Rearden at his trial and in the events of the story, fights the moral codes: “Nothing is absolute” (265), "Reality is only an illusion” (498) proposed by the great intellect, Dr. Simon Pritchett. “Nothing exists but contradictions" (341) the affirmative stance of a scientist, Dr. Robert Stadler.
Lay Me” “[Nick] tried never to think about it” (CSS 276). If he could not preoccupy his mind another way, Nick listened to the silk worms eating. ” Nick, “[does] not remember a night on which you could not hear things” (CSS 279). Nick has adapted, by the time of “Big Two-Hearted River” He no longer needs to listen to the silk worms eating to stay awake.
Love tends to effect each character’s action differently. For example, love is what motivated the plot of the story “The Valley of Girls” by Kelly Link. For instance, the Olds observed society and performed actions to make sure their children are aligned with success. Love and social status is what makes these people relate, or correlate with each other; it reminds me of a government politically develop by love and society. In “The Valley of Girls” by Kelly Link, from Teenagers and Old are motivated by two specific motives, which are love and social status.
When one is confined to society and held captive against their ego, it is imperative that they learn to eulogize their own individuality, and learn to improve themselves. In Ayn Rand’s novella, Anthem, Rand uses Equality 7-2521 to communicate the importance of the individual. Equality has always had his own sense of individuality that causes him to stand out and defy the social norms. His individuality allows him to persevere and diverge from collectivist society.
A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove The novel ‘A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove’ by the author, James Maloney, is a story about the protagonist named Carl Matt, who faces many issues and tribulations as a teenager. The protagonist is left with the responsibility of his younger brother, while also managing insecurities of his own, regarding body image, love, and neglect. Maloney demonstrates the following themes, by using his protagonist as the victim of some of the modern issues facing today’s society. Throughout the novel, Maloney explores the ongoing issue of body image.
The passage, Anthem, is a science fiction novel written by Ayn Rand. It is mainly about the protagonist, Equality 7-2521's, futuristic journey on rediscovering various aspects of human’s nature. Concepts such as individualism and freedom have been lost due to the oppressive rule of the government, serving as the main antagonist of the novel. Throughout the passage, Anthem, the author uses the literary element of theme. The theme is the main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work.
As it is very clear that wealth cannot buy love from that significant other, and no one in this book was every truly in love with each other. We are then left with the combining of social statuses, and a deep obsession of the past as well as a dream
Romance comes in all different forms and sizes, and Calbert understands that along with these she apprends why people fall in and out of love. Falling in love has a sense of vulnerability that requires taking risks that people are “willing to fail, / why we will still let ourselves fall in love,” in order to sustain real love. Calbert ends her poem with listing the romances with her husband and vows, “knowing nothing other than [their] love” because that is all that matters to her
¨We do not wonder at this new sin of ours. It is our second transgression of Preference, for we do not think of all our brothers, as we must, but only of one, and their name is Liberty 5-300. We do not know why we think of them” (Rand 41). In Ayn Randś dystopian novel, Anthem, the citizens are forced to think that they cannot have any preference, this includes liking someone more than others. Randś protagonist, Equality 7-2521, started the book falling in love with the Golden One, but as he moves toward individuality he begins to be in “love” less as he realizes there’s more than just being in a group.