The Picture Of Dorian Gray And Atlas Shrugged By Ayn Rand

It is a very well known trope of literature to pin characters against society or social expectations. Nearly every piece of literature has some character who is displeased with how â€Å"everybody else† does something, it does not make any difference what the thing is. Following this near necessary pattern, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand have vital characters who act differently than society hopes and expects. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian Gray and Lord Henry Wotton are the main characters who represent the struggle of the individual versus society, each in their own way. Lord Henry’s philosophy is very self-centered, with his own pleasures being central to all aspects of his life. This belief system rubs off on Dorian early in the novel and as it progresses, Dorian seems to care less and less about how society perceives him. He hides his true self away from society and throws common practice, even laws, out the window. Dorian becomes a being who lives only to please himself through whatever means. Atlas Shrugged has some self-centered characters of its own, stemming from Ayn Rand’s philosophy of objectivism and her belief that self-preservation and self-interest are the truest goals in life. Dagny Taggart and Hank Rearden represent this belief Rand holds so dear. On the other hand, Jim Taggart is shown as weak and nearly pathetic due to his need to please everyone and fear of blame. He conforms to society so as to avoid conflict