Article Teaching Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged at the Christian University1 Blaine McCormick Baylor University McCormick seeks to help the reader understand “Atlas Shrugged” in a Christian cultural context, contrast the novel’s objectivistic philosophy with that of Christianity, and contrast the business activities seen in the novel with Christian business prescriptions. Abstract novel Atlas Shrugged2 is Ayn Rand is one of the most considered by many to be her successful and influential fiction masterpiece and continues to writers of the 20th century. sell thousands of copies each Her novel Atlas Shrugged is year, more than two decades considered her most important after her death in 1982. Atlas work and is widely read in Shrugged is virtually unique in business circles. This article literature for its positive depiction seeks to help the reader of business leaders and the role of understand Rand’s novel in business in society. Whereas most a Christian cultural context. widely known literary works Rand’s philosophy of objectivism portray business leaders as is contrasted with Christian oppressive, conniving, or hollow teaching, and several business (e.g., John Steinbeck’s The Grapes activities from the novel are of Wrath, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s highlighted and contrasted with The Great Gatsby, or Sinclair traditional Christian business Lewis’ Babbit, respectively), prescriptions. Atlas Shrugged portrays business leaders as heroic beings who are Teaching Atlas Shrugged at the central to the quality of life of Christian University any society. Not surprisingly, Ayn Rand was one of the Rand’s work has been well most influential authors of the received and widely read in 20th century. Her epochal 1957 business circles because of this. 96 The JBIB Fall 2004 In 1991, the Library of American detective novel. Congress conducted a survey When I use the book in class, my of 778 Americans, asking them students often groan at the novel’s to name a book that had made 1,000-plus pages, but the vast a difference in their lives.3 majority of them read it, and The number one book listed some even ask for more. This is was the Bible — not surprising a rare occurrence for 1,000-plus in an historically Judeo-Christian page novels in the modern nation like the United States of university. An additional reason America. The number two book, for her popularity is that Rand however, was Atlas Shrugged. was a competent and intentional Additionally, Atlas Shrugged propagandist. In one of her was also named to the New personal letters, Rand stated York Public Library’s list of with characteristic bravado, 100 “Books of the Century”4 “I’m the chief living writer of and placed first in the Modern propaganda fiction, I think — at Library’s Reader’s Poll of best least I think I’m the only one who novels published in the English knows how to do it properly …”.6 language since 19005 — besting Her propagandist intentions result such critically praised works in a dramatic novel populated as Harper Lee’s To Kill A with larger-than-life caricatures Mockingbird (#4), J.R.R. that the reader will either love or Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings hate. In the end, the novel quickly (#5), and James Joyce’s Ulysses grabs the reader’s interest and (#11). The introduction to the keeps him or her turning the latest printing of the novel claims pages as more and more that everything Rand wrote information is added to an during her lifetime is still in print, ever-developing plot. selling several hundred thousand A final reason that Atlas units per year and upwards of Shrugged has achieved high 20 million in total thus far. levels of popularity is that Rand How did Atlas Shrugged created institutions to perpetuate achieve and maintain such and increase the novel’s influence. widespread popularity? For Rand saw herself as a philosopher, starters, it’s an entertaining and although her popular legacy today interesting read due to Rand’s is that of a novelist. That is, the admiration of the Romantic vast majority of people are literary movement and the introduced to her philosophical Teaching Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged ... 97 ideas by way of her fiction. Rand’s rising legitimacy as a Nevertheless, she clearly outlined source of management thought a school of philosophical thought is worth noting. This rising known as objectivism early in her legitimacy suggests that Rand’s career and embedded it in her novels will continue to sell well, popular writings. Atlas Shrugged her work will continue to be is believed to be the fullest cited, and her influence will artistic expression of her continue to grow within the objectivist ideals. After Rand’s Academy of Management and death in 1982, the Ayn Rand other areas of the business Institute in Santa Monica, academy as well. California, became the primary This article is written to vehicle for spreading her provide professors a framework philosophy with Atlas Shrugged for teaching Atlas Shrugged at as the primary vehicle for Christian universities. Rand’s introducing her philosophy to novels are wonderful texts to use college students and business at faith-informed business schools professionals. Each year, the Ayn due to Rand’s contention that Rand Institute (www.aynrand.org) faith in God has no place conducts a variety of educational whatsoever in the world of seminars, debates, and essay business. In fact, she rather contests for high school and derogatorily labeled any sort of college students. faith-informed thought or activity Recently, objectivism has as “irrationalism” or “mysticism.” begun to make more visible Most certainly, there are other inroads into business schools and management theorists and the Academy of Management. philosophers that are silent or Rand has recently been cited as a antagonistic to the idea of God. credible source of management However, Rand and her followers and organizational thought in have been particularly ardent in several articles in prestigious their attack upon faith-informed management journals and perspectives — as the reader of continues to be promoted within the novel will quickly discover. the Academy of Management by This article is written from a number of scholars.7 Though the perspective of a Christian happening in tandem with a scholar8 and does not attempt a growing interest in spirituality complete critique of Rand’s and religion within the Academy, philosophy of objectivism. 98 The JBIB Fall 2004 Rather, my wish is to accurately tents where evangelists cried in portray Rand’s ideas in her own triumphant gloating that man was words while at the same time unable to cope with nature, that clarifying and expanding the his science was a fraud, that his narrow Christian characterizations mind was a failure, that he was that populate her novel. For the reaping punishment for the sin interested reader, objectivism as of pride, for his confidence in a philosophy has been thoroughly his own intellect — and that critiqued by both explicitly only faith in the power of mystic Christian scholars and otherwise.9 secrets could protect him from This article has three sections. the fissure of a rail or from the First, I wish to help the reader blowout of the last tire on his understand Rand’s novel in a last truck. Love was the key to Christian cultural context. the mystic secrets, they cried, Second, I wish to contrast Rand’s love and selfless sacrifice to the philosophy of objectivism with needs of others (p. 463). some basic Christian teachings. Finally, I wish to highlight At other places in the several managerial activities from novel, her character Francisco the novel and contrast them with d’Anconia argues against the traditional Christian prescriptions. Apostle Paul’s well-known Christian teaching “For the Rand in the Christian Context love of money is the root of Rand’s attacks on religion are all evil” (I Timothy 6:10). inclusive of all faith traditions Still later, her character John and are particularly sharp against Galt goes to great lengths to the Christian tradition in Atlas condemn the Christian doctrine Shrugged. The Christian tradition of original sin. In the final is explicitly called into question sentence of the book, Galt as early as the fourth page of the raises his hand to bless a new book. Later in the novel, during a world with the sign of the dollar time of national crisis, as opposed to the traditional Christianity is portrayed as a Christian sign of the cross. desperate last resort as the In fact, Galt’s parallels to Jesus country hurtles toward oblivion: are so frequent that Rand critic John W. Robbins contends in People with pleading eyes his book Without A Prayer that and desperate faces crowded into Rand deliberately constructed Teaching Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged ... 99 Galt as a messianic figure to both and also attended a year of effectively counter the Christian film school. In 1926, Alissa worldview while at the same time immigrated to the United States exploiting its powerful narrative. under the guise of a visit to Rand is not the first person to relatives in Chicago. She took call Christianity into question, the name Ayn Rand and moved and she certainly will not be the to Hollywood almost immediately last. Christianity has been called to become a scriptwriter and into question by critics wielding begin her literary career. both more coercive power than An awareness of Rand’s Rand (such as the Roman Russian origins is particularly Empire) and by critics with important in understanding her more complete philosophical work and her opposition to alternatives (such as Friedrich Christianity in particular. Having Nietzsche).