Love this book. But what is the meaning of the title? I know it is an answer to a question in the book, but what are some opinions of what it means?
2007-03-21 09:05:22 · 3 answers · asked by biscuitperifrank 5 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Atlas refuses to shoulder the weight of the world any longer. The Objectivist/capitalist business titans in the novel refuse to subsidize the slackers in the world, so they withdraw from society and leave it to break down. They do not see it as their duty to employ slackers, prop up a government, or subsidize a welfare system. They are Atlas holding up the world. They shrug, and the world falls to pieces. Holding up the world is Atlas' situation, but what happens when he refuses? It is supposed to make us the readers all want to carry our own weight, be productive, and not rely on our neighbors, our government, or Bill Gates to bail us out.
2007-03-21 09:17:45 · answer #1 · answered by suzykew70 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Atlas was the man in Greek/Roman mythology who held the earth up on his shoulders. What is implied/meant by the title is that the producers in the book (Galt, etc), are the ones who support the world, and if Atlas shrugs (or the producers stop supporting the dead weight population), it will have repurcussions that will shake & reverberate around the world.
2007-03-21 16:10:08 · answer #2 · answered by jakomo 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in. This is my favorite book and I agree with both of the other two.
I just wanted to also throw out the fact Ayn Rand's working title for this book was "On Strike"
2007-03-21 16:53:11 · answer #3 · answered by Optimistic 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋