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