Ain't No Plucky Pharmacist's Daughter: Ayn Rand's Life and Influence
Soviet Individualist: Ayn Rand's Crusade Against Communism and Literary Successes
1917, Petrograd. Twelve-year-old Alice Rosenbaum witnesses an event that would leave a lasting impression - the nationalization of her father's pharmacy by Red Army soldiers. Confused and annoyed, Alice couldn't comprehend why her father's hard work should be shared with the collective. This moment sparked a lifelong conviction in Alice, who'd later become known as Ayn Rand, that no collective interest had the right to infringe upon an individual's personal life and ambitions.
The Rosenbaums fled to Crimea the following year, but their stay was short-lived. When the Bolsheviks took control of the peninsula, they returned to Petrograd. In 1921, higher education for women was increasingly accessible, and Alice, having excelled at the Yevpatoria Women's Gymnasium before their move, enrolled at Petrograd University.
Their lives were far from glamorous. They struggled with a leaky ceiling, simple meals, and a lack of running water. Their financial security relied exclusively on Alice's mother, who taught foreign languages to make ends meet. Yet, in the face of adversity, her father, Zinovy, refused to work for the Bolsheviks, leading to more hardships.
In 1924, Alice graduated with a degree in Social Pedagogy. Her fascination with cinema grew so strong that she decided to become a screenwriter and enrolled at the State Institute of Cinematography. As she watched numerous foreign films, Alice contrasted the differences in life between the US and USSR, which fueled her desire to move to America. In 1926, she convinced her parents and embarked on a journey to Chicago and later Hollywood, with 17 completed screenplays in tow.
Switching Gears: From Screenplays to Novels
Rand's rise to fame was not immediate. Her screenplays faced obstacles due to her limited English proficiency, but she grabbed the attention of film director and producer Cecil B. DeMille. Through his assistance, Rand became an extra and later a junior screenwriter. Additionally, DeMille invited her to observe the filming of "King of Kings," where she met actor Frank O'Connor. Rand married him in 1929 and became an American citizen shortly after.
After her marriage, she took on the role of chief costume designer at RKO Pictures and worked on the screenplay "Red Pawn" in her spare time. The story of an American woman who falls in love with a prison warden while trying to free her husband from a Soviet prison piqued the interest of Universal Studios, who bought it for $1500 in 1932. Although "Red Pawn" was never released, the money allowed Rand to quit her job and focus on her creative pursuits. The screenplay received positive reviews from critics, opening doors to new connections in the film industry.
Rand's next significant work was the play "Night of January 16th." The interactive element, where audience members served as jurors in a murder case, was well-received, but her primary goal was to convey her ideas to the audience.
A Tale of Communism
In the 1930s, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the "New Deal" program to combat the Great Depression. Rand, a strong critic of government intervention in the economy, had a heated disagreement with its implementation.
In 1936, she penned her first novel, "We the Living," inspired by her own experiences in Soviet Russia. Set in post-revolutionary Russia, the novel vividly portrays the destructive impact of collectivism on the individual and freedom. Initially titled "Stolen Air: A Novel of Red Russia," Rand later changed it to emphasize her opposition to the forced conformity of the state and her belief that the book transcends its geographical setting.
The novel received mixed reviews in the US, with critics finding its portrayal of Soviet Russia unbelievable. Despite the initial setback, Rand's next novel, "The Fountainhead," marked her breakthrough.
Putting the Capital in Capitalism: The Fountainhead
Rand's masterpiece, "The Fountainhead" (1943), tells the story of Howard Roark, a talented architect who champions individualism and creative freedom. In his defiance of societal expectations and government control, Roark faces numerous obstacles, including expulsion from college, job losses, and persecution. In one remarkable twist, he accepts a government commission under a specific condition - the building is to be constructed exactly according to his designs. When he discovers alterations have been made, Roark blows up the building, standing trial for his actions and ultimately championing individualism as a moral duty.
"The Fountainhead" was a commercial success, catapulting Rand to fame and glory, and establishing her philosophy of Objectivism. Her fame drew a circle of like-minded individuals who shared her vision of a free society, minimal government intervention, and open market competition. Among her followers was Alan Greenspan, who would later serve as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve System.
Rand's novels, especially "Atlas Shrugged" (1957), continue to evoke strong emotions today. Critics have called it immoral, atheistic, and a justification for greed, while others consider it a powerful defense of individualism and the pursuit of happiness. Regardless of opinion, the novel remains a bestseller and a significant work in the realm of philosophy and literature. The influence of Rand's ideas can still be felt, making her a lively and relevant figure in today's political and social discourse.
- Alice Rosenbaum's belief in the sanctity of personal life and ambitions, sparked by the Bolsheviks' nationalization of her family's pharmacy in 1917, became the cornerstone of Ayn Rand's philosophy.
- In the face of economic hardship and political instability, Alice Rosenbaum's father, Zinovy, showed hypocrisy by refusing to work for the Bolsheviks, which further deepened Alice's convictions about individualism.
- Upon moving to America, Alice Rosenbaum, later known as Ayn Rand, faced initial challenges with her English proficiency in the politics of the general-news industry, but this did not deter her from achieving her ambitions.
- As a strong critic of government intervention, Ayn Rand's novels, including "We the Living" and "The Fountainhead," deal with themes of collectivism and individualism, which have generated debate and controversy for decades, especially in the realm of 21st-century politics.
