Excerpted From
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/252423/atlas_shrugged_a_closer_look_into_the.html
Atlas Shrugged: A Closer Look into the Second Most Influential Book of the Twentieth Century
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, can be looked at from several different perspectives. A fantastic work of pure fiction. An implementation of personal philosophies. A tale of socioeconomic struggles and a failing capitalistic society. However you look at it, it’s impossible to deny the impact it’s had in modern history and every day life.
Atlas Shrugged is Ayn Rand’s way of demonstrating how her personal philosophy can be applied to everyday life. She calls the philosophy “objectivism” and describes it as “a philosophy for living on earth”. She does a great job of illustrating her philosophy throughout the book, ensuring that anyone who reads the story will have a strong understanding of what she is trying to teach.
Philosophy aside, the book is a great read. Originally published in 1957 and full of illustrative examples and stunning plot points. It takes place at an unknown time in the not too distant future. The whole book takes place in a fictitious United States. The book focuses heavily on the weakness of evil, corporate greed, dealing with “moochers” or those that try to parasite off of society instead of making their own way, and many other very interesting plot points, metaphors, and ideas.
The main story revolves around fictitious corporations. The capitalist economy in the United States is failing. Most of the rest of the world has turned to socialism and isolates themselves from the United States. Colorado, due to the big oil companies, is the last great industrial center in the world. The train tracks, essential to Colorado’s economy, are in desperate need of repair, and the book begins with several corporations competing for the job. Talented and well respected people within the United States are mysteriously retiring and vanishing from their jobs. The world is losing it’s greatest minds, and this is only the beginning.
Nearly every single character, corporation, or material in the book is a metaphor in support of Rand’s philosophy. Humans can either be good or evil. Weak or strong. Just like the corporations, the different types of steel, and the many other very insightful metaphors carefully implemented throughout the book.
Because of it’s deep philosophical impact on society, Atlas Shrugged remains as influential and popular today as ever before. The book still mirrors our everyday lives. The world has always had greed, weakness, evil, good, and many other factors working against each other within, and Atlas Shrugged provides the philosophical groundwork for people to cope with these problems for themselves.
Voted as being the “second most influential book of the twentieth century” in a poll conducted through a joint effort between the Library of Congress and The Book Of The Month Club, Atlas Shrugged is one of those rare books that truly stands the test of time. Perhaps Howard Dickman of Reader’s Digest said it best when he wrote that the novel had “turned millions of readers on to the ideas of liberty” and helped people to understand that they have the “profound right to be happy.”
But here's the key that it's not a masterpiece, but a set-piece:
Nearly every single character, corporation, or material in the book is a metaphor in support of Rand’s philosophy.
Like I said, it's something along the lines of Pilgrim's Progress . . . but without Bunyan's vivid characterizations and white-hot dialogue. Bunyan's work caught the imagination at a time when his beliefs and thinking were central to the issues on the table in 17th century England, just as Rand's thinking is very topical right now.
I doubt Rand's work will survive over 300 years, and we won't be around to see it. But if Obama is successful in overthrowing the American government and Rand's work doesn't get burned by the Gauleiters, it may well.