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Each of the characters in Ayn Rand's novels stand more as a symbol of an ideal rather than a fictional person. Philosophically, they represent an idea that they choose to exhibit. However, Ayn Rand gives these characters physical appearances that mirror who they are. The antagonists have uglier, more repulsive looks, and the protagonists are beautiful and attractive. Dagny Taggart and Dominique Francon are obviously the most physically attractive characters Ayn Rand ever created. The President of the United States in Atlas Shrugged, if I remember correctly, was described later on in the book as a socialist with a "forgettable face."

What does this say about real life? Do the physical traits of the characters reflect their philosophy, or is Ayn Rand simply trying to paint the readers an image?

The reason why I ask this is because I am a short, chubby person, and I'm not that strong or athletic, let alone competitive. I'm not fat, but just a little overweight. An entrepreneur, a leader in business, or a pioneer in some private-sector enterprise is always portrayed as a tall, strong, good-looking individual with an articulate, authoritative voice. I have none of those features--I'll even post a video as my next question so you can see and hear me. Just because one looks a certain way shouldn't suggest they're not an Objectivist. That idea sounds a bit like determinism. Whenever someone asks me what my political beliefs are, I try to explain to them what Objectivism is. I love capitalism and individualism, and I would never criticize or hate someone for being good or successful. Another reason I ask this is because the villains in her books pretty much look like the same type of people who are ruining our society today.

UPDATE: I just looked up "Characterization" in the Ayn Rand Lexicon, and it mainly focused on a character's actions and words. It didn't really discuss their physical appearance. However it also said, "Descriptive passages dealing with a character’s appearance, manner, etc. can contribute to a characterization..." Perhaps my question should really be: What kind of words would Ayn Rand use to physically describe a negative, bad, or antagonistic character in her book?

asked Aug 06 '12 at 15:08

Collin1's gravatar image

Collin1
18328

edited Aug 15 '12 at 00:39

There are things that you can't change (heights) and there are things that you can (weight). I think you can see evidences that often (not always) there is a connection between mental health and physical health.

With that said, Ayn Rand's characters are heroes...in spirit as well as in physical.

(Aug 14 '12 at 15:06) Humbug Humbug's gravatar image

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Asked: Aug 06 '12 at 15:08

Seen: 557 times

Last updated: Aug 15 '12 at 00:39