GLH+P4+2014-15+Ayn+Rand

Historical: Mikaila Bantugan Alissa Rosenbaum, better known as Ayn Rand, was born to a Russian middle-class family in the early 1900’s. At a young age, she realized her goal was to become a writer and she knew that she could not fulfill her dreams in a society in which they are forbidden. As communism continued to grow and strengthen to its peak in the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialists Republics), Rand and her family constantly experienced danger and near starvation. It was then that Rand decided that she must depart from her homeland forever. She came to the United States when she learned of the American history and culture and created a model of what a nation of free men could be. An article states, “Words are mirrors of the self. For Ayn Rand, a woman who left her homeland, learned a new language, and suffered years of privation in order to write her thoughts freely, words were always the primary means of understanding both the world and the self” (Cox 1). Her use of words reflected her life story and influenced many others by it in regards to how life should be lived. One philosopher states, “Accordingly, Rand argues that her ethic of self interest is the basis for personal happiness and free and prosperous societies” (Hicks 1). Her change in name occured to protect herself from backlash which symbolizes the becoming of a new individual. She strongly expressed the idea of objectivism that focuses on the identify of an individual and finding meaning in that rather than the ideas of society, and the ego strives to make a better person. History will be made from the text because of the way that she intrigued the American society and culture to a new philosophical way of thinking and living. Works Cited Cox, Stephen. "Ayn Rand's Anthem: An Appreciation." // Ayn Rand's Anthem //. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. Hari, Johann. "Two Biographies of Ayn Rand." // Slate Magazine //. N.p., 2 Nov. 2009. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. Hicks, Stephen R.C. "Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy." // Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy //. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.

Aim: Elizabeth Ramirez A faithful believer in the objectivist movement, Ayn Rand’s novels were heavily centralized around the concept of living life for individual identity rather than for societal views. In an article that discusses objectivism within Rand’s works, it mentions, “This idealistic message suffuses Rand's novels, which continue to sell by the hundreds of thousands every year to people attracted to their inspirational storylines and distinctive ideas” (Thomas 1). To Rand, objectivism was a lifestyle that could be achieved through seeking happiness for oneself, mostly through the logic of man and nature. Also, by being able to disconnect from society and its values, while still obtaining values on a personal level and respecting others. Rand expressed her views through the characters in her novels, stand-out individuals who went against the norm. They did not hope to live the life that others accepted, and instead, built foundations on their own beliefs and wants from the world. Even when her characters were at risk of punishment or of being in possible danger within the stories, they were reluctant to conform. In the end, in each of her books, Rand represented her objectivist ideals through her characters in which she shaped and created around those exact beliefs. Works Cited Thomas, William R. "What Is Objectivism?" // What Is Objectivism? // //The Atlas Society//, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. "Introduction to Objectivism." // Ayn Rand's Philosophy of Objectivism // //. The Ayn Rand Institute//, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.

Audience: Reed Neuser Ayn Rand’s essence of “Objectivism” is conveyed through her philosophical writings she produced throughout her lifetime. She once stated, “My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute” (“Introduction to Objectivism” 1). Rand’s works emphasized the idea of “reason as the only absolute”, and therefore evoked an Objectivist consciousness in the society of her time. Through her books, Rand illustrated characters that embodied the ideal Objectivist. As one article states, “ The goal of her writing, she said, was not to capture a ‘slice of life,’ but to project her moral vision of man ‘as he might and ought to be’” (“Ayn Rand’s Works” 1). Her projection of the “moral vision of man” shows that her writing was directed to society as a whole. Not only did Rand’s Objectivist view make her audience appear to be fellow Objectivists, but her goal of conveying man as it “ought to be” points towards the conclusion that her books were directed towards the people that did not fit the ideal image, and thus were expected to conform to Objectivist values. The collective presentation of protagonists as the ideal Objectivist shows that Ayn Rand was writing to the general public to convey her view of her societal ideal. Works Cited "Introduction to Objectivism." // Ayn Rand's Philosophy of Objectivism //. Ayn Rand Institute, 2014. Web. 11 Nov. 2014. "Ayn Rand's Works." //The Atlas Society //. N.p., 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.

Cultural: Racquel James Ayn Rand was a powerful influential woman; through her novels and her philosophies, she has affected the world and has left an imprint, even for future generations. Ayn’s website describes the icon as, “Fueled by her vision of man as a heroic being and by the original philosophy behind it, more and more people, from all walks of life, from businessmen to students to professors to athletes to artists, are saying the same thing: ‘Ayn Rand's writings changed my life’”(“Icon” 1). Ayn Rand’s philosophies of life corporated through her writings, have culturally affected not only her time of people, but modern society as well. She has altered mostly every one of her reader’s perception on the concepts of society; everyone else has at least question the concepts that society has placed. A Rand scholar states, “And for those who are enamored of Rand’s philosophy, the cultural apex will be reached when her ideas are so embedded in both academia and in the American psyche that they will have brought about a veritable intellectual revolution”(Sciabarra 1). Expressing her idea of Objectivism and its 5 sub ideas, Ayn has forever opened the door to unlimited and unique creations of thoughts; to unlimited questioning of society and culture. Even 2 decades later, her work still alters the ways of thinking of modern culture. If that does not show the impact Any had on her culture, than what does? Her out of the box philosophical ideas expressed through her writing, will forever keep the future minds of the world questioning the deeper reasons and behaviors of society. Works Cited Sciabarra, Chris Matthew. “The Cultural Ascendancy of Ayn Rand”. //The Atlasphere//. Atlas Web Development. 31 December 2003. Web. 12 November 2014. “About Ayn Rand”. //Biography//. The Ayn Rand Institution. nd. Web. 12 November 2014.