Objectivism and the Self, the Philosophy of Ayn Rand's Literature

What the students will learn in this class on Objectivism is: reading, writing, communication, and critical thinking skills. The subject matter will cover two of Ayn Rand's more famous works: The Fountainhead, and Anthem. Class will consist of a mix of discussion, group work, and individual work. Reading will take place outside of class, so the student will have to be prepared for class time by doing this on their own. Classes will contain a multitude of resources, including an archived interview with the author, audio introduction to the novel, and links for an audio book. Students will also need a copy of the books for reading and annotations. 

Week 1: A background of Ayn Rand and her philosophy of objectivism and primer discussions on important themes from The Fountainhead. Students will see an interview with the author, and hear her introduction from the novel.
   -- Begin reading part 1.

Week 2: Students will begin profile charts for major characters in the story. Also, topics of discussion will include up to half way through the first part of the novel.
   -- Finish reading part 1.

Week 3: By this point, the students should have finished part 1 of The Fountainhead. We will branch out and examine other characters to whom they can relate from other literary works.
   -- Begin reading part 2.

Week 4: Examine the character of Dominique Francon. Why is she so conflicted? What is her attraction and resistance to Roark about?
   -- Finish reading part 2.

Week 5: Students will compare and contrast selfishness and selflessness. How has the author defined these two terms, and how the major characters fit into this definition. Heroism and tragedy may also be relevant terms to discuss, look to other tragic figures from literature and discuss how they compare.
   -- Read part 3

Week 6: Examine the character of Ellsworth Toohey. What are his motives, and what drives him? A basic understanding of The Communist Manifesto may be needed, but is not necessary. Compare and contrast Toohey to the rest of the major characters.
   -- Begin reading part 4

Week 7: Do you find Roark as inspiring as the young man he meets at Monadnock Valley? Also worth examining is Roark and Wynand's "bromance." Remember: Cameron warned Roark about the likes of Wynand, yet Roark comes to respect Wynand, who has married the woman Roark loves.
   -- Finish reading part 4

Week 8: Correlating reading assignments and wrap up discussion of The Fountainhead. Options include, but are not limited to, Oedipus, Antigone, Hamlet, Othello, Atlas Shrugged, The Communist Manifesto, or The Virtue of Selfishness.

Week 9: Introduce Anthem, terms and themes from the novel, and the concept of a dystopia.
   -- Begin reading Anthem, ending on chapter 6.

Week 10: Discuss the importance of the way the novel is written so far. What do the students notice about it, and why is it odd?
   -- Finish reading Anthem, chapters 7-12

Week 11: Wrap up discussion on the novel. Connect between these two novels and other works the students have looked at. Preparations for effective essay writing. Choosing of topics off which to base an essay, using literary support from the novels we have examined.

Week 12: Peer review workshop for essays, final discussions, Q&A.