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'''''Atlas Shrugged''''' is a [[novel]] by [[Ayn Rand]], first published in 1957 in the [[United States of America|United States]]. It was partially an allegory to promote the author's philosophy of [[Objectivism]]. The plot concerns the crumbling of the United States economy due to [[collectivism]] and [[altruism]], which Rand considered detrimental to society, and the identity of [[John Galt]], the mysterious protagonist of the story, a man whose name is spoken chiefly in slang.
'''''Atlas Shrugged''''' is a [[novel]] by [[Ayn Rand]], first published in 1957 in the [[United States of America|United States]]. It was partially an allegory to promote the author's philosophy of [[Objectivism]]. The plot concerns the crumbling of the United States economy due to [[collectivism]] and [[altruism]], which Rand considered detrimental to society, and the identity of [[John Galt]], the mysterious protagonist of the story, a man whose name is spoken chiefly in slang.
== History and development ==
Ayn Rand would later say that she had in mind to write a novel on the theme of the tension between the mind and the heart, and the inherent superiority of reason to emotion.<ref name=history>"History of Atlas Shrugged," The Ayn Rand Institute, n.d. Accessed May 5, 2009. <http://atlasshrugged.com/book/history.html></ref> In 1943, while she was considering how she could develop this theme, she had a conversation with her friend Isobel Paterson.<ref name=BBranden>Branden B, ''The Passion of Ayn Rand'', ca. 1985</ref> Paterson suggested that Ayn Rand ought to write a non-fiction expository book on her philosophy, a thing that Rand did not wish to write. Paterson then said that her readers "needed" such a work. Rand became incensed at this mode of expression, and replied:{{cquote|Oh, they do? What if I went on strike? What if all the creative minds of the world went on strike? That would make a good novel.}}
Rand finished her conversation with Paterson. And then her husband, Frank O'Connor, who had been listening to her side of the conversation, said to her, "You know, it ''would'' make a good novel."<ref name=BBranden/>
This was only the beginning, of course, for now Rand turned her full attention to the thing that she would later describe as the novel's primary theme: ''the role of the mind in man's existence.'' She asked herself what would happen to any society if "the creative minds of the world went on [[strike]]," which is to say, withdrew their talents from the world.<ref name=history/> She then asked herself what would ''drive'' them to call such a strike. This process carried through to the development of all the various [[Literary type#Hero|heroes]], [[Literary type#Villain|villains]], and [[Literary type#Anti-villain|anti-villains]] in the story.
The Ayn Rand Institute suggests that the two heroes of the novel were [[Dagny Taggart]] and [[John Galt]].<ref name=history/> This is not actually in accord with literary convention. Dagny Taggart certainly is the novel's heroine, but the other hero is [[Henry Rearden]]. They are heroes precisely because each must make a life-altering re-evaluation and decision in order to serve the causes that motivate them, a thing that John Galt does not do.
John Galt is actually an anti-villain: one who pursues the cause of justice with the same single-mindedness of purpose as a classical villain might pursue his own greed or an insane desire for vengeance. His major decision to call the great strike is a decision he makes ''before'', not during, the time frame of the novel's action.
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==Criticism==
==Criticism==
: ''Main Article: [[Atlas Shrugged (criticism)]]''
: ''Main Article: [[Atlas Shrugged (criticism)]]''
''Atlas Shrugged'' has never been a critical favorite. Indeed, [[Barbara Branden]], as quoted by Harold Leiendecker,<ref name=Leiendecker>Leiendecker H, "Atlas Shrugged," ASPEC Writers' Workshop, n.d. Accessed May 5, 2009. <http://www.eckerd.edu/aspec/writers/atlas_shrugged.htm></ref> summed up the criticism thus::{{cquote|The reviews of ''[[We the Living]]'' had been bad. The reviews of ''[[The Fountainhead]]'' has been worse. The reviews of ''Atlas Shrugged'' were savage.}}
''Atlas Shrugged'' has never been a critical favorite. Indeed, [[Barbara Branden]], as quoted by Harold Leiendecker,<ref name=Leiendecker>Leiendecker H, "Atlas Shrugged," ASPEC Writers' Workshop, n.d. Accessed May 5, 2009. <http://www.eckerd.edu/aspec/writers/atlas_shrugged.htm></ref> summed up the criticism thus:{{cquote|The reviews of ''[[We the Living]]'' had been bad. The reviews of ''[[The Fountainhead]]'' has been worse. The reviews of ''Atlas Shrugged'' were savage.}}
Not all the reviews were savage, but most of them were. Even [[conservative]] reviewers spoke scathingly of it; for example, [[Whittaker Chambers]] said of it that every page screams, "To a gas chamber—go!"<ref name=chambers>Chambers W, "Big Sister Is Watching You," ''National Review'', December 28, 1957. Hosted at National Review Online, published January 5, 2005. Accessed May 1, 2009. <http://www.nationalreview.com/flashback/flashback200501050715.asp></ref> [[Nathaniel Branden]] said of it, among other things, that it taught emotional repression as a virtue.<ref name=branden>Branden N, "The Benefits and Hazards of the Philosophy of Ayn Rand," audio presentation, 1984. Transcript hosted at <http://www.nathanielbranden.com/catalog/articles_essays/benefits_and_hazards.html>.</ref>
Not all the reviews were savage, but most of them were. Even [[conservative]] reviewers spoke scathingly of it; for example, [[Whittaker Chambers]] said of it that every page screams, "To a gas chamber—go!"<ref name=chambers>Chambers W, "Big Sister Is Watching You," ''National Review'', December 28, 1957. Hosted at National Review Online, published January 5, 2005. Accessed May 1, 2009. <http://www.nationalreview.com/flashback/flashback200501050715.asp></ref> [[Nathaniel Branden]] said of it, among other things, that it taught emotional repression as a virtue.<ref name=branden>Branden N, "The Benefits and Hazards of the Philosophy of Ayn Rand," audio presentation, 1984. Transcript hosted at <http://www.nathanielbranden.com/catalog/articles_essays/benefits_and_hazards.html>.</ref>