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Atlas Shrugged Reading Group

Session Sixteen

These discussion questions and podcast were prepared by Diana Hsieh for ExploreAtlasShrugged.com for people interested in creating their own Atlas Shrugged Reading Groups, as well as for anyone wishing to study the novel in more depth. They may be freely used for the study and discussion of Atlas Shrugged, provided that this paragraph remains intact in any reproduction.

Readings


Atlas Shrugged, Part 3, Chapters 5B-6

  • Part 3, Chapter 5: Their Brothers' Keepers (Sections 3-4)
  • Part 3, Chapter 6: The Concerto of Deliverance

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Discussion Questions


(Note: The listed page numbers are for the larger edition, softcover or hardback.)

Part 3, Chapter 5: Their Brothers' Keepers

Section 3 (936-943)

  • How is the economy disintegrating faster than ever? How do Dagny's concerns differ from those in power? (936-9) 
  • What happens in Minnesota with the harvest? Why does it happen? What will its effects be? (939-43)

Section 4 (943-962)

  • Why does Dagny attend the meeting with the looters? Why does she think she was invited? How was she wrong? What does she learn about their actual goals and methods? (944-8)
  • What is Dagny's response to the breakdown of the signal system in the Taggart Terminal? Why is that important? What is her response to the discovery of John Galt among the workers? (949-955)
  • What is the motive and meaning of John Galt's and Dagny's sexual encounter? What might its consequences be? (955-62)
  • What is Galt's view of Dagny's affair with Hank Rearden? Why does Galt have that view of it? Why did Galt envy Rearden for that brief moment on seeing him, but only just that brief moment? (958-960)
  • Why doesn't Dagny want Galt to repair the signal system in the terminal? Why is she still willing to work for the looters? (961-2)

Whole Chapter

  • What is the significance of the title of this chapter?

Part 3, Chapter 6: The Concerto of Deliverance

Section 1 (963-999)

  • What is Hank Rearden's attitude toward Rearden Steel now? Why is that significant? (962-6)
  • What does Hank Rearden's family say to him during their meeting? What do they want from him? What does he learn from that conversation? (968-76)
  • How and why does Hank Rearden's mother ask him for forgiveness? Why does he refuse? Under what conditions would he have accepted? (970-76)
  • What does Hank Rearden come to understand about his relationship with Lillian, including why she chose him? What does she reveal about her motives and values? Why is Hank indifferent to her? What does that do to her -- and why? (974-6)
  • What is the purpose of the Steel Unification Plan? What are the looters counting on? What does Hank Rearden understand about these kinds of schemes from his meeting with the looters? (980-7)
  • What are the three tumblers that come into place for Rearden during this meeting with the looters? What are the looters counting on? (985-6)
  • How has Rearden's attitude toward his mills changed as he drives back toward them? How will that enable him to go on strike? (988)
  • What has the Wet Nurse has done to save the mills? What is so significant about that -- and about his death? What has he learned from Rearden? Why does Rearden respond as he does -- with tenderness toward the Wet Nurse and anger toward his teachers? (989-95)
  • What has made Hank ready to hear what Francisco had to say, in a way that he wasn't before? What took Hank so long? (998-9)

Whole Chapter

  • What is the significance of the title of this chapter?