Who Can Apply: The Ayn Rand Institute’s Fountainhead Essay Contest awards thirteen scholarship prizes each year to winning amateur essayists sharing their thoughts on the philosophy of The Fountainhead. If you preferred Atlas Shrugged, there’s an essay contest for you, too.
Submission: Select one of the following topics:
- Aside from very rare exceptions, there is no opposition to the leaders in this society. Why is this? What ideas must the people in this society have accepted to live a life of obedience, drudgery and fear?
- Prometheus writes: “The secrets of this earth are not for all men to see, but only for those who will seek them.” (Chapter 3) Why does he think that the secrets of this earth are not for all men to see? If he thinks this, why does he decide to show his glass box to the World Council of Scholars? How do these issues relate to the theme of the novel?
- What does Equality’s society regard as sinful or transgressive, and what does it regard as holy or sacred? How does Equality’s view of what is sinful and sacred come to change by the end of the story? How do you think his ultimate view of what is sacred differs from our own society’s view of the sacred?
Amount: Varies
Learn More: https://aynrand.org/students/essay-contests/
