ARI has held worldwide essay contests for students on Ayn Rand's fiction for thirty years. This year we will award over 500 prizes totaling more than $90,000.
Shrugged Essay Contest
The Ayn Rand Shrugged Essay Contest is open to 12 graders, college undergraduates, and graduate students. Students should select one of the following three topics:
- At his trial, Hank Rearden declares: "The public good be damned, I will have no part of it!" What does he mean? How does this issue relate to the novel's theme?
- Who is John Galt?
- What is the meaning of money to Francisco d'Anconia? to James Taggart? How do these characters' views on money relate to the events of the story?
Judging
Essays will be judged on both style and content. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate, and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of Atlas Shrugged.
Requirements
- No application is required. Essays must be written in English only.
- Entrants must be a 12th grader, college undergraduate, or graduate student.
- To avoid disqualification, mailed in essays must include a stapled cover sheet with the following information: 1. your name and address; 2. your email address; 3. your name and address of your school; 4. topic selected (1, 2 or 3); 5. your current grade level; and 6. (optional) the name of the teacher who assigned the essay if you are completing it for classroom credit.
- Essay must be no fewer than 800 and no more than 1600 words in length, double spaced. Spelling errors and/or written corrections (by anyone) found on the essay will count against the final grade and should be omitted before submission.
- One entry per student.
- Essay must be submitted online or postmarked by October 23, 2015, no later than 11:59 PM Pacific.
- All entries become the property of the Ayn Rand Institute and will not be returned.
- Winners, finalists, semifinalist and all other participants will be notified via email and/or by mail by December 23, 2015.
To submit your essay visit Ayn Rand or mail your essay to:
Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest
They Ayn Rand Instutute
PO Box 57044
Irvine, CA 92619-7044
(Referenced from Ayn Rand Institute Essay Contest Web Site.)