Ayn Rand
One of the Most Controversial Writers of All Time
Who was Ayn Rand?
Ayn Rand was born on February 2, 1905 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Even as a child, she had extraordinary talents. At age six, she taught herself how to read. At age nine, she decided she wanted to become a fictional writer after reading her favorite romance novel, The Mysterious Valley. Rand's life was dedicated to her passion for writing and thinking differently.
Schooling
Growing up, Rand was an eyewitness to multiple revolutions. She had to change high schools after her family moved to Crimea to get away from the fighting. In school, she learned about America's history and quickly supported the freedom this country had to offer. She graduated from Yevpatoria High School #4 in 1921. In college, she attended the University of Petrograd for philosophy and history. Then, in 1924, she began attending the State Institute for Cinema Arts to study screenwriting.
Rand's Work and Life Events
In 1925, Rand was given a visa to travel to America where she spent six months with her relatives in Chicago. Then, she got her visa extended and went to Los Angeles to become a screenwriter. On Rand's mere second day in California, Cecil B. DeMille saw her standing outside of his studio. He proceeded to take her to the set of his movie and hire her as a script reader. In 1932, she sold her first screenplay, Red Pawn, to Universal Pictures. In 1935, her screenplay was produced on Broadway called Night of January 16th. After many rejections, her first novel, We The Living, was finally published by The Macmillan Company. In 1943, her novel, The Fountainhead, was published and became a best seller, making history. In 1957, Rand published her greatest work, Atlas Shrugged. This was a unique novel filled with interesting elements of philosophy.
Philosophy
While in high school, Ayn Rand said she valued reason above anything else. She believed that every human's purpose in life is to find happiness and fulfill great things. She had strong ethics and morals and believed that a person should have a healthy sense of self confidence. Rand strongly believed in individual rights and freedom. She despised any type of controlling governments like theocracy, dictatorship, communism and such. Rand was greatly influenced by Aristotle, and when it came to philosophy, she recommended the three "A's": Aristotle, Aquinas, and Ayn. Whether people loved or hated it, Rand's philosophy inspired strong feelings from others. Certain people felt inspired to defy convention and go after what they believe in. Others did not support her rational and reason. Personally, I agree with Rand's way of thinking. She wanted people to work, to love selflessly, to pursue their dreams, and to follow reason. I completely support Ayn Rand's philosophy.