Man's Extraordinary Potential Revealed in Atlas Shrugged Free will is the principle upon which men founded the United States of America, and the glory of "America the Beautiful" comes from the unlocked potential of its people. It is the calloused hands of workers who sip from the cup of American wealth, not the lazy plowman who asks the government for help. The mind of the inventor synthesizes, theorizes and designs the American dream, not the indifferent and insolent mechanic. It is the steely will of the industrialists that pushes the nation to greater heights, not the selfish arrogance of the beggar. The men who carry the weight of the world, Atlas and his protégés, do so because of their incredible strength, not because of weakness, just as Ayn Rand states in her novel, Atlas Shrugged. Filled with heroes and villains, Atlas Shrugged demands a lot from an intelligent reader. As global forces plot to destroy various characters, Rand's continually acidic wit and wry tone set the stage for various battles. One of the novel's central characters, Hank Rearden, a steel magnate and tireless worker, invents a metal alloy that beats all other steel alloys on the market. Calling it Rearden metal, Hank plans to take the market by storm with his life's work and make a lot of money in the process. Dagny Taggart, a woman who shares Rearden's vision of an America run by ingenuity, energy, and hard work, is the vice president in charge of operations for Taggart Transcontinental, a thriving railroad company. The two join forces, hoping to profit from their genius the old-fashioned way, earning their fortune. Unfortunately, America refuses to allow these industrialists to follow their dreams. A creeping disease has infected the spirits of many A...... middle of paper ......l, purely logical absolutes leave no room for the existence of opposites within them, and the distinguishing characteristics of such absolutes they are therefore lost. For example, absolute heat does not tolerate cold, but how can we describe heat without referring to a colder temperature? Providing an example of Rearden's philosophy working well despite the uncertainty of life, Rand addresses every man who has striven for ideals. In reaching humanity through “Atlas Shrugged,” Ayn Rand strengthened her case for the fundamental goodness and extraordinary potential she believed all men could achieve. Because understanding this book requires incredible concentration, understanding is left to individual effort, and Rand's lifelong lesson for humanity is open to all who seek his knowledge. Works Cited: Rand, Ayn. Atlas shrugged. New York: Random House, Inc., 1957.