Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged paints a dystopian portrait of America, where the creators—the driving force of progress—are crippled by a society that rewards mediocrity and punishes ambition. Hank Rearden, the steel magnate, embodies this struggle. His internal conflict is a clash between the ingrained values of self-sacrifice and his burgeoning awareness of his own worth as a creator. This conflict reflects the broader tension within American society between the individual pursuit of success and the
The theme of an epic poem or short story is arguably the literary element that has the greatest effect on conflict in a story. Theme is what the characters and the audience are supposed to take away after finishing the story. In Hercules and The Iliad, the overall themes of each story help to almost determine the conflict to come, and how that conflict will help to shape the character. Many consider the main theme of The Iliad to be the very first line in the entire epic poem, in which a muse sings
signify the boundaries, which make Atlas strive for freedom. Winterson’s Weight, is a modern rewrite on an old myth of Atlas and Heracles, and the challenges they endure can be interpreted by individual readers for personal relevancies. Atlas, a father of daughters, is faced with the burden of carrying the world on his shoulders. This can represent a feeling as if one is carrying a world of stress and guilt on one’s shoulders and conscience. Heracles, the
the lose with the war against Zeus, he was punished for the rest of his lifetime. The punishment was rather simple, but cruel in a matter. He was the one who challenged the gods and failed. Atlas was punished for his wrongdoing, he is mentioned in many tales and myths, and he has a well known family. Atlas is a Titan who represents the figure that holds the heavens upon his shoulders. He was the leader of the Titans when they went to war with Zeus, but after they were defeated his fate was to bear
Cliff Davis - Founder of Tampa, FL’s Davis Development A skilled and knowledgeable Tampa, FL-based property developer, Cliff J Davis has completed more than $200 million in successful real estate projects over the course of his 25-year career. He has held official certification as a contractor through the State of Florida since the mid-1990s. Educated as an engineer and a business administrator, Cliff J Davis has demonstrated a proven ability to identify, finance, obtain, entitle, and construct
Nearly every piece of literature has some character who is displeased with how “everybody else” does something, it does not make any difference what the thing is. Following this near necessary pattern, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand have vital characters who act differently than society hopes and expects. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian Gray and Lord Henry Wotton are the main characters who represent the struggle of the individual versus society, each
He leaves immediately, without informing Dominique; he doesn't tell her where he is going or even who, precisely, he is. Understood as a doctrinal statement about the conduct of relationships—advice about what one should do when love conflicts with work—the episode is somewhat over specific, to say the least.... Treated as a symbol, however, Howard's seeming abandonment of Dominique becomes an intensifying summary of Rand's belief in the complete independence and self- responsibility of
by John Knowles, Gene Forrester and his best friend Phineas, or Finny, as Gene likes to call him, live and confront conflict at the all-boys boarding school of Devon during World War II. Gene and Finny possess traits that vary greatly, which cause both conflict and jealousy for both of them. A compare and contrast of Gene and Finny’s perception of self and others and their conflict management behavior reveals Knowles’ theme that jealousy lies at the heart of the creation of internal enemies. Finny
for. Paradoxically, the other characters of Atlas Shrugged would be hard-pressed to come to a consensus on who he is. Galt’s existence means very different things to the general public, to the men of the mind, to Dagny Taggart, to Jim Taggart, and to Dr. Robert Stadler in the novel. Their numerous and sometimes conflicting definitions taken together serve to paint a comprehensive picture of the man that John Galt really is. From the very first page of Atlas Shrugged, Galt’s identity is shrouded in mystery;
The main conflict within this novel is the conflict of ideals between the heroes and villains of Atlas Shrugged surrounding their motivation to do business. The heroes seek profit and personal success from advancing in the business world, while the villains wish to work to improve the public good. The heroes resisted the villains’ attempts to push their thinking on them and their responses can be summarized in Hank Rearden’s quote, “The public good be damned, I will have no part in it!” The quote