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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Bertram Scudder, editor of "The Future" magazine, characterize Hank Rearden?

2. Why does Phillip want cash instead of a check for Rearden's contribution to Friends of Global Progress?

3. What is Dagny's reply to Cherryl's comment that she is "the woman in the Taggart family"?

4. What is "the chain"?

5. What does Rand mean by the title, "White Blackmail"?

Short Essay Questions

1. Discuss the significance of the turnout of Taggart employees and the armed guards every mile along the initial John Galt Line train.

2. Briefly explain Dr. Stadler's surprise that the motor Dagny found was being developed in a remote automobile factory.

3. Explain the conflict within Francisco when he discovers that Rearden had ordered copper from his mines in Argentina.

4. Why is the idea of "motive" so important in the novel? Explain in detail.

5. Francisco d'Anconia, heir of the d'Anconia Copper Mining empire, has developed a reputation as a playboy and a dilettante. Itemize the events in his early years with Dagny and James Taggart that are contradictory to that image.

6. The "Immovable Movers" in Rand's novel are the industrialists like Dagny and Rearden who produce because it is in their blood to do so. They produce for the joy of accomplishment and thus provide for the society as a whole. Rand compares them to the mythical Greek god Atlas who purportedly holds up the world on his shoulders. Explain her conclusions.

7. At his trial, Hank Rearden refuses to give the government the "sanction of the victim." Explain what he means.

8. Lillian demands the Rearden Metal bracelet back and threatens to tell everyone that Dagny is sleeping with her husband. What is the irony of that situation?

9. Explain how the mystery of Eddie Willers' unnamed friend in the cafeteria and the shadowy man Dagny sees outside her office add to the suspense of the novel.

10. The title of the chapter, "The Exploiters and the Exploited" might suggest that the industrialists like Hank Rearden exploit the public by creating products for their own personal gratification. Rand, however, turns that around to suggest that the socialist government are exploiting the industrialists. Support that idea.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a paper about John Galt's relationship to the other characters.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about Nathaniel Taggart, the founder of the Taggart Transcontinental.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about influence peddling. Refer to Cuffy Meigs sending train cars to Louisiana to pick up worthless soy beans while the grain crops in Minesota rot for lack of trasportation.

Do you think we see some influence peddling in our government today?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,170 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample