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Ayn Rand - Quiz
Contributed by: Costello
  • 1. When was Ayn Rand born?
A) 1920
B) 1910
C) 1905
D) 1890
  • 2. Which novel by Ayn Rand features the fictional character Howard Roark?
A) We the Living
B) Atlas Shrugged
C) The Fountainhead
D) Anthem
  • 3. In which city did Ayn Rand grow up?
A) Moscow
B) New York City
C) Chicago
D) Saint Petersburg
  • 4. What philosophy did Ayn Rand develop and promote?
A) Utilitarianism
B) Existentialism
C) Objectivism
D) Socialism
  • 5. What is the title of Ayn Rand's first novel?
A) We the Living
B) Anthem
C) Atlas Shrugged
D) The Fountainhead
  • 6. Which term did Ayn Rand use to describe the basic motivating force of human action?
A) Selflessness
B) Altruism
C) Empathy
D) Self-interest
  • 7. In which year did Ayn Rand become a naturalized U.S. citizen?
A) 1931
B) 1963
C) 1945
D) 1957
  • 8. Which Russian-American author is known for promoting individualism and capitalism?
A) Fyodor Dostoevsky
B) Ayn Rand
C) Leo Tolstoy
D) Vladimir Nabokov
  • 9. What was the title of Ayn Rand's last novel published before her death?
A) Atlas Shrugged
B) The Fountainhead
C) Anthem
D) We the Living
  • 10. What was the profession of the main character in Ayn Rand's novel 'The Fountainhead'?
A) Architect
B) Scientist
C) Writer
D) Businessman
  • 11. Where did Ayn Rand die?
A) New York City
B) Chicago
C) Houston
D) Los Angeles
  • 12. Which of the following is a collection of essays by Ayn Rand?
A) We the Living
B) Anthem
C) The Virtue of Selfishness
D) Atlas Shrugged
  • 13. What was Ayn Rand's birth name?
A) Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum
B) Olivia Margaret Brown
C) Anna Maria Jones
D) Sophia Elizabeth Smith
  • 14. In what year was 'Atlas Shrugged' published?
A) 1957
B) 1943
C) 1964
D) 1971
  • 15. What did Ayn Rand advocate for in politics?
A) Socialism
B) Anarchism
C) Communism
D) Laissez-faire capitalism
  • 16. Which philosophical tradition did Ayn Rand sharply criticize?
A) Existentialism only
B) Utilitarianism only
C) Nihilism only
D) Most philosophers and philosophical traditions
  • 17. How many copies of Rand's books have been sold?
A) Under 10 million copies
B) Over 50 million copies
C) Over 37 million copies
D) Exactly 25 million copies
  • 18. What was Ayn Rand's first published work about?
A) An article on American politics
B) A play for Broadway
C) An essay about Polish actress Pola Negri
D) A novel set in Russia
  • 19. Who did Ayn Rand marry in 1929?
A) Cecil B. DeMille
B) Frank O'Connor
C) An aspiring screenwriter
D) A fellow student
  • 20. What was Ayn Rand's stance on religion?
A) She was indifferent to religion.
B) She supported religious faith.
C) She rejected faith and religion.
D) She promoted atheism.
  • 21. Which movement is often associated with Ayn Rand despite her opposition?
A) The anarchist movement
B) The modern libertarian movement
C) The socialist movement
D) The communist movement
  • 22. What did Ayn Rand support in ethics?
A) Utilitarianism
B) Hedonism
C) Rational and ethical egoism
D) Altruism
  • 23. Where did Ayn Rand move to after graduating from Leningrad State University?
A) New York City
B) Moscow State University
C) Petrograd State University
D) The State Technicum for Screen Arts in Leningrad
  • 24. What was Ayn Rand's stance on the initiation of force?
A) She supported it under certain conditions.
B) She was indifferent to its use.
C) She condemned it as immoral.
D) She promoted it in politics.
  • 25. What type of art did Ayn Rand promote?
A) Impressionism
B) Surrealism
C) Romantic realism
D) Abstract expressionism
  • 26. In what year was Ayn Rand's screenplay 'Red Pawn' sold to Universal Studios?
A) 1936
B) 1938
C) 1934
D) 1932
  • 27. What is the setting of Ayn Rand's novel 'We the Living'?
A) Soviet Russia
B) A dystopian future world
C) Nazi Germany
D) The United States during the Great Depression
  • 28. When did Ayn Rand publish a revised version of 'We the Living'?
A) 1959
B) 1965
C) 1946
D) 1938
  • 29. What is the main theme presented in Ayn Rand's novella 'Anthem'?
A) The struggle against totalitarian collectivism.
B) The exploration of space travel.
C) The adventures of a detective solving crimes.
D) A romantic love story set in a futuristic world.
  • 30. In 'Anthem', what do the protagonists rediscover?
A) A hidden treasure
B) Their true identities
C) The concept of democracy
D) The word I
  • 31. When was 'Anthem' first published in England?
A) 1965
B) 1959
C) 1938
D) 1946
  • 32. Who did Ayn Rand volunteer for in the 1940 presidential campaign?
A) Independent Strom Thurmond
B) Libertarian Vermin Supreme
C) Democratic Franklin D. Roosevelt
D) Republican Wendell Willkie
  • 33. Which economist did Henry Hazlitt introduce Ayn Rand to?
A) John Maynard Keynes
B) Ludwig von Mises
C) Milton Friedman
D) Adam Smith
  • 34. What is the name of the architect protagonist in The Fountainhead?
A) John Galt
B) Francisco D'Anconia
C) Peter Keating
D) Howard Roark
  • 35. How many publishers rejected The Fountainhead before it was accepted?
A) Twelve
B) Ten
C) Five
D) Eight
  • 36. Who did Ayn Rand endorse for president in 1964?
A) Lyndon B. Johnson
B) Barry Goldwater
C) Hubert Humphrey
D) Richard Nixon
  • 37. Who described Ayn Rand as 'the most influential libertarian of the twentieth century to the public at large'?
A) David Nolan
B) Andrew Koppelman
C) Jennifer Burns
D) Journalist Brian Doherty
  • 38. Who was among the group that met with Ayn Rand to discuss philosophy in New York City?
A) F. Scott Fitzgerald
B) John Galt
C) Alan Greenspan
D) William Faulkner
  • 39. What perspective often characterizes Rand's descriptions of female characters?
A) Female empowerment
B) Childlike wonder
C) Third-person omniscient
D) Male gaze
  • 40. In which country was Ayn Rand added to the required reading list for the A Level Politics exam in 2017?
A) United States
B) United Kingdom
C) Australia
D) Canada
  • 41. What did Ayn Rand work with conservatives on, despite disagreements?
A) Political projects
B) Communist movements
C) Religious initiatives
D) Socialist reforms
  • 42. Which forum did Ayn Rand use to promote her Objectivist philosophy through annual lectures?
A) Radio City Music Hall
B) Ford Hall Forum
C) Lincoln Center
D) Carnegie Hall
  • 43. What did Huemer argue about the persuasiveness of Rand's ideas in his 2010 essay for the Cato Institute?
A) Her philosophy is universally admired
B) Her economics are widely accepted
C) Very few people find them convincing, especially her ethics
D) Most people find them highly persuasive
  • 44. What was Ayn Rand's approach to ideas she disagreed with?
A) Analytical and respectful
B) Polemical without in-depth analysis
C) Supportive and constructive
D) Academic and detailed
  • 45. Which newsletter did Peter Schwartz start that was endorsed by Ayn Rand?
A) The Intellectual Activist
B) The Objectivist Forum
C) Ayn Rand Institute
D) Anthem Foundation for Objectivist Scholarship
  • 46. Which novel's introduction did Ayn Rand write for an English-language edition?
A) Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
B) Ninety-Three by Victor Hugo
C) War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
D) The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
  • 47. Which Russian novel influenced Ayn Rand's depiction of her heroes?
A) Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
B) Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
C) The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
D) What Is to Be Done? by Nikolay Chernyshevsky
  • 48. Which fellow novelist was a contemporary admirer of Ayn Rand?
A) Ernest Hemingway
B) William Faulkner
C) F. Scott Fitzgerald
D) Ira Levin
  • 49. Who called Ayn Rand 'the ultimate gateway drug to life on the right'?
A) Journalist Brian Doherty
B) Political scientist Andrew Koppelman
C) David Nolan
D) Historian Jennifer Burns
  • 50. What was the name of Nathaniel Branden's wife?
A) Susan
B) Emily
C) Barbara
D) Karen
  • 51. What book did Ayn Rand refer to as her 'Bible'?
A) 'Thus Spake Zarathustra'
B) 'Nicomachean Ethics'
C) 'Critique of Pure Reason'
D) 'The Republic'
  • 52. Which political party founder credited Ayn Rand with the existence of the libertarian movement?
A) Ron Paul
B) Lew Rockwell
C) Murray Rothbard
D) David Nolan
  • 53. Who wrote that despite Rand's bombast, her ethics are a significant achievement?
A) Robert Nozick
B) Douglas Den Uyl
C) Jack Wheeler
D) Chandran Kukathas
  • 54. Which philosopher did Ayn Rand cite as her favorite in an undated questionnaire response?
A) John Locke
B) Friedrich Nietzsche
C) Thomas Aquinas
D) Aristotle
  • 55. How many different reviews were published for We the Living?
A) 50
B) Over 200
C) Approximately 125
D) Less than 100
  • 56. In what year was The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies established?
A) 1999
B) 2005
C) 1984
D) 1978
  • 57. Which drug was prescribed to Ayn Rand to help her complete The Fountainhead?
A) Benzedrine
B) Ibuprofen
C) Penicillin
D) Aspirin
  • 58. In which year did John Hospers discuss Ayn Rand's ethical ideas in his textbook?
A) 1982
B) 1967
C) 1971
D) 1995
  • 59. How did reviewers generally respond to Atlas Shrugged?
A) Most reviews were positive
B) It received little attention
C) Many reviews were strongly negative
D) Reviews were mixed but leaned towards positive
  • 60. Which philosopher did Ayn Rand consider her philosophical opposite and 'the most evil man in mankind's history'?
A) Immanuel Kant
B) Thomas Aquinas
C) Friedrich Nietzsche
D) John Locke
  • 61. Who founded the Institute for Objectivist Studies in 1990?
A) David Kelley
B) Harry Binswanger
C) Peter Schwartz
D) Ed Snider
  • 62. Who described a divergence in how different academic specialties viewed Rand?
A) Douglas Den Uyl
B) Jenny A. Heyl
C) Jack Wheeler
D) Chandran Kukathas
  • 63. What award did the 1999 television adaptation 'The Passion of Ayn Rand' win?
A) No awards
B) A Golden Globe
C) Several awards
D) An Academy Award for Best Picture
  • 64. In what year was the Ayn Rand Society founded?
A) 1987
B) 1978
C) 2000
D) 1995
  • 65. Which libertarian philosopher criticized Rand's meta-ethical arguments in 'The Personalist'?
A) Robert Nozick
B) Douglas Den Uyl
C) Jack Wheeler
D) Chandran Kukathas
  • 66. Who insisted on publishing The Fountainhead at Bobbs-Merrill Company?
A) Editor Archibald Ogden
B) Publisher Robert Ballou
C) Ludwig von Mises
D) Author Ayn Rand
  • 67. Who included a chapter critiquing Objectivism in their book 'An Existentialist Ethics'?
A) Hazel Barnes
B) Douglas Den Uyl
C) Robert Nozick
D) Chandran Kukathas
  • 68. Which philosopher did Ayn Rand acknowledge as having the greatest influence on her?
A) Friedrich Nietzsche
B) Aristotle
C) John Locke
D) Immanuel Kant
  • 69. How does Rand's descriptive style in her novels resemble early Hollywood movie scenarios?
A) They use stream of consciousness
B) They are written in verse form
C) They include musical notations
D) They follow common film editing conventions
  • 70. Which magazine published numerous criticisms of Ayn Rand's writings?
A) The Atlantic
B) The New York Times
C) Time Magazine
D) National Review
  • 71. Which of the following authors was NOT a favorite of Ayn Rand during her school years?
A) Friedrich Schiller
B) Edmond Rostand
C) Fyodor Dostoevsky
D) Victor Hugo
  • 72. Which of Rand's works received little review attention upon its first publication in England?
A) Anthem
B) Atlas Shrugged
C) The Fountainhead
D) We the Living
  • 73. Which art form did Rand focus on most closely?
A) Painting
B) Sculpture
C) Literature
D) Music
  • 74. Which company bought the film rights to The Fountainhead?
A) Paramount Pictures
B) Universal Studios
C) Columbia Pictures
D) Warner Bros.
  • 75. Which philosopher did Ayn Rand view as having the primary conflict with Aristotle in the history of philosophy?
A) Nietzsche
B) Kant
C) Plato
D) Locke
  • 76. Which conservative figure opposed Ayn Rand's writings?
A) William F. Buckley Jr.
B) George W. Bush
C) Barack Obama
D) Ronald Reagan
  • 77. Which aspect of human activity did Rand consider noblest?
A) Spiritual devotion
B) Artistic expression
C) Productive achievement
D) Intellectual contemplation
  • 78. What approach to literature did Rand describe as reflecting human free will?
A) Modernism
B) Naturalism
C) Realism
D) Romanticism
  • 79. Which of Ayn Rand's works marked the end of her career as a novelist?
A) 'Anthem'
B) 'The Fountainhead'
C) 'Atlas Shrugged'
D) 'We the Living'
  • 80. What was the shape of the floral arrangement at Ayn Rand's funeral?
A) A 6-foot dollar sign
B) An American flag
C) A book
D) A heart
  • 81. Who criticized Ayn Rand's claim that her only philosophical debt was to Aristotle?
A) Charles Murray
B) Mike Wallace
C) George Walsh
D) Fred Seddon
  • 82. Which philosopher argued that Ayn Rand's support for egoism and individual rights are inconsistent?
A) Roy Childs
B) Michael Huemer
C) Robert Nozick
D) William F. O'Neill
  • 83. In what year did Ayn Rand testify before the United States House Committee on Un-American Activities?
A) 1949
B) 1950
C) 1945
D) 1947
  • 84. Who is the hero and leader of the strike in 'Atlas Shrugged'?
A) John Galt
B) Francisco d'Anconia
C) Howard Roark
D) Dagny Taggart
  • 85. Which publication's reviewer called Rand's viewpoint 'nearly perfect in its immorality'?
A) Whittaker Chambers
B) Gore Vidal
C) Sidney Hook
D) Lorine Pruette
  • 86. In what year did Ayn Rand publicly disagree with Nietzsche's ideas on the radio?
A) 1959
B) 1964
C) 1975
D) 1943
  • 87. Who said that Rand had effectively chucked a ticking time bomb into the US economy through Greenspan?
A) Adam Weiner
B) Cass Sunstein
C) John P. McCaskey
D) Lisa Duggan
  • 88. How did Ayn Rand view her relationship with contemporary philosophers?
A) Collaborative
B) Supportive
C) Indifferent
D) Mostly antagonistic
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