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| Ayn Rand Institute: Essay Contest on Ayn Rand's Novel "Atlas Shrugged" |
| Essay |
Choice of three topics on Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged." This contest is for all college students.
FIRST PRIZE: $10,000
3 SECOND PRIZES: $2,000
5 THIRD PRIZES: $1,000
20 FINALISTS: $100
20 SEMIFINALISTS: $50
ATLAS SHRUGGEDTOPICS
Select ONE of the following three topics:
1. Why do Dagny and Rearden oppose the strikers in action?
2. Explain Ragnar Danneskjolds statement that Robin Hood is the one man he is out to destroy. What is the deeper moral meaning of his claim?
3. For each of the following three passages from Atlas Shrugged, explain its meaning and its relation to the story and theme of the novel.
a. "In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit. In that transfusion of blood which drains the good to feed the evil, the compromiser is the transmitting rubber tube.
-Galt Part Three, Chapter VII
b. We never had to take any of it seriously, did we?No, we never had to.
-Dagny (question) and Galt (reply) - Part Three, Chapter I
c. You have a great deal of courage, Dagny. Some day, youll have enough of it.
-Francisco Part One, Chapter V
ATLAS SHRUGGEDJUDGING
Essays will be judged on both style and content. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of Atlas Shrugged.
ATLAS SHRUGGEDRULES
Entrant must be enrolled in a college degree program at the time of entry.
Contest is open to students worldwide.
A stapled cover sheet MUST include: name and address of entrant; entrant's e-mail address (if available); name and address of entrant's university; topic selected (1, 2 or 3 from list above); and your declared major.
Essay must be no fewer than 1,000 and no more than 1,200 words in length, and must be typewritten and double-spaced. One entry per student, please.
Essay must be solely the work of the entrant.
Essay must be postmarked no later than September 17.
Decisions of the judges are final.
Employees of the Ayn Rand Institute, its board of directors and their immediate family members are not eligible for this contest. Past first-place winners are not eligible for this contest.
All entries become the property of the Ayn Rand Institute and will not be returned.
ATLAS SHRUGGEDTO ENTER
» Submit your essay online
Or mail your essay with stapled cover sheet to:
Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest, Dept. W
The Ayn Rand Institute
P.O. Box 57044
Irvine, CA 92619-7044
If you wish to verify our receipt of your essay, please paperclip a stamped, self-addressed postcard to the essay. If you submit your essay online, we will send you an e-mail reply acknowledging receipt of your entry. If you have not received e-mail notification within 24 hours, please e-mail essay@aynrand.org.
Comments or questions about the essay contests are welcome. Please write to essay@aynrand.org.
Atlas Shrugged was Ayn Rand's greatest achievement and last work of fiction. In this novel she dramatizes her unique philosophy of Objectivism in an intellectual mystery story that integrates ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, politics, economics and sex.
Atlas Shrugged is a mystery story, Ayn Rand once commented, "not about the murder of man's body, but about the murderand rebirthof man's spirit." It is the story of a manthe novel's herowho says that he will stop the motor of the world, and does. The deterioration of the U.S. accelerates as the story progresses. Factories, farms, and shops shut down or go bankrupt in ever larger numbers. Riots break out as food supplies become scarce. Is he, then, a destroyer or the greatest of liberators? Why does he have to fight his battle, not against his enemies but against those who need him most, including the woman, Dagny Taggart, a top railroad executive, whom he passionately loves? What is the world's motorand the motive power of every man?
Peopled by larger-than-life heroes and villains, and charged with awesome questions of good and evil, Atlas Shrugged is a novel of tremendous scope. It presents an astounding panorama of human lifefrom the productive genius who becomes a worthless playboy (Francisco d'Anconia)to the great steel industrialist who does not know that he is working for his own destruction (Hank Rearden)to the philosopher who becomes a pirate (Ragnar Danneskjold)to the composer who gives up his career on the night of his triumph (Richard Halley). Dramatizing Ayn Rand's complete philosophy, Atlas Shrugged is an intellectual revolution told in the form of an action thriller of violent eventsand with a ruthlessly brilliant plot and irresistible suspense.
We do not want to spoil the plot by giving away its secret or its deeper meaning, so as a hint only we will quote here one brief exchange from the novel
:
"If you saw Atlas, the giant who holds the world on his shoulders, if you saw that he stood, blood running down his chest, his knees buckling, his arms trembling but still trying to hold the world aloft with the last of his strength, and the greater the effort the heavier the world bore down upon his shoulders--what would you tell him to do?"
"I
don't know. What
could he do? What would you tell him?"
"To shrug." |
| Ayn Rand Institute |
| ARI seeks to promote the principals of reason, rational self-interest, individual rights and free-market capitalism. |
| 2008-09-17 |
| 49 |
| $50 |
| $5000 |
|
| Anywhere in the world |
| 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 |
I'm a home-schooled student, can I still enter the contest?
Yes! Home-schooled students may enter our essay contests. Please enter the contest for your current grade level. Instead of writing your school name and address on your coversheet, just write "Home-schooled." If you're not sure which contest you're eligible for, please write to the Education Department Manager, Marilee Dragsdahl, at marileed@aynrand.org.
I'm a foreign student, can I still enter the contest?
Yes! Foreign students may enter our essay contests. We have no citizenship requirements. Please enter the contest for your current grade level. If you're not sure which contest you're eligible for, please write to the Education Department Manager, Marilee Dragsdahl, at marileed@aynrand.org.
How can I verify that my essay was received?
If you send your essay by mail, you should paperclip a self-addressed, stamped postcard to your essay. When we receive your essay, we will drop your postcard in the mail. Alternatively, you can send your essay to us via registered mail or by using Priority Mail Delivery Confirmation. If you send your essay via e-mail or via our web form, posted here, we will reply to your message and notify you that we received your essay.
How can I submit my essay via e-mail?
If you wish to submit your essay via our Web form, please follow the guidelines posted here.
I included a self-addressed, stamped postcard with my essay, but I haven't received it back in the mail yet. What should I do?
Please note that it could take up to three weeks to receive your postcard from the date you sent your essay. If you are concerned that your essay was lost by the post office, please e-mail the Education Department Manager, Marilee Dragsdahl, at marileed@aynrand.org.
Can I send my essay in before the deadline?
Yes!
Can I send my essay in after the deadline?
We cannot accept essays postmarked after the deadline. If you have a valid reason why your essay could not be postmarked by the appropriate deadline, please write to the Education Department Manager, Marilee Dragsdahl, at marileed@aynrand.org.
I entered one of your contests in a previous year; can I enter again this year?
Yes, as long as you were not previously a first place winner. In fact, some students have won prizes two years in a row!
I am not in the 9th or 10th grade; may I still enter the Anthem contest?
Unfortunately, we cannot accept entries from students who are not in the 9th or 10th grade.
I am not in the 11th or 12th grade; may I still enter the Fountainhead contest?
Unfortunately, we cannot accept entries from students who are not in the 11th or 12th grade.
If I win, do I have to apply the prize money toward college?
No. All awards are cash prizes. We place no restrictions on how the prize money is spent. Prize winners simply receive a check from us in the amount of their award.
Do I need to include a bibliography or do I need to reference page numbers?
You do not need to reference page numbers for quotes from the essay topics. However, if you use any quotes from Anthem or The Fountainhead, you should cite the page numbers and place quotation marks around the quoted material. You do not need to include a bibliography unless you quote from a source besides the novel you are writing on. (Please note that you do not need to reference any additional material other than the assigned novel to write your essay. See the next question.)
Should I cite other sources besides Anthem or The Fountainhead?
You do not need any additional source material other than the novel you are writing on. However, you may quote and reference other sources if you like. If you do, please cite your sources and include a bibliography with your essay.
Can I have a friend/teacher/parent proofread my essay? Is that plagiarism?
Yes, you may have your essay proofread. It is not plagiarism to have someone check your essay for spelling and grammatical or structural errors. However, it is plagiarism to have someone else write your essay for you, or if you use someone else's words as if they were your own (see above regarding citing outside sources).
What exactly is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is using someone else's words as if they were your own. It is not plagiarism as long as you cite your sources.
How do I know if I've won a prize in one of the contests?
We will contact all the high school contest entrants by July 26. We will contact Atlas Shrugged entrants by November 22.
Where can I see who the winners, finalists, and semifinalists are?
To see a list of winners, finalists, and semi-finalists, click here.
Can I write more than one essay for the contest?
No. Only one entry per student, please.
Can I write on more than one topic?
No. The contest guidelines ask that you select ONE of three topics. Please select only one topic.
Can I write on a topic other than the three listed in the contest rules?
No. Essays not written on one of the three topics will be disqualified.
Where can I find Anthem or The Fountainhead?
All of Ayn Rand's novels can be purchased online from the Ayn Rand Bookstore. They should also be available in your local bookstore or library.
Where can I learn more about Ayn Rand's philosophy, Objectivism?
Additional information about Ayn Rand and her philosophy is available on this site. Here you will find biographical information on Ayn Rand and additional information about her philosophy, Objectivism.
Is it necessary for me to know about Objectivism to write my essay?
No. Judges look for essays that show a clear understanding of the novel, so no additional knowledge about Ayn Rand's philosophy is required.
I disagree with Ayn Rand's philosophy; how will this affect my chances of winning?
This will have no effect on your chances of winning. Judges look for writing that demonstrates an understanding of the novel, not whether the student agrees with it.
Are graduate students eligible for the Atlas Shrugged contest?
Yes, graduate students are welcome to participate in the contest.
Are community college students eligible for the Atlas Shrugged contest?
Yes, community college students are welcome to participate in the contest.
Do I have to have a declared major to enter the Atlas Shrugged contest?
No.
Is there an age limit for the Atlas Shrugged contest?
No.
Are trade/certificate schools accepted?
Yes.
Can someone who is in the military, but who is enrolled school, enter the essay contests?
Yes.
I have additional questions not answered in this FAQ; what should I do?
Please send your comments or questions about the essay contests to the Education Department Manager, Marilee Dragsdahl, at marileed@aynrand.org. In most cases, we should be able to respond within two to five business days.
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