He lives independently, outside of societies norms. He lives happily because of who he is and only because of who he is. In Ayn Rands best selling novel The Fountainhead there is a stubborn architect who doesn’t fit in with society. He has brilliant designs for his buildings but his buildings are eccentric. Society rejects these odd new things.
Both messages are similar to those one might find in tales designed to support a moral message. The Overcoat and The Necklace each use opposing ideas to help support the same moral message about the materialistic world. In the story of The Overcoat, we find a man who is content in his life. His contentment is based on not needing anything but the satisfaction of his work. The life we see in Akaky Akakievich does not need the approval of others and does not need the acquisition of things in order to achieve anything more within his self awareness.
The ultimate meanings of our lives are chosen by our experiences. The end of our lives “cannot be foreseen and will not be limited by such things as destiny” ("Steinbeck's Nonteleological Perspective"). These are common philosophies of non-teleological thinkers such as Edward Ricketts and John Steinbeck. Steinbeck, the famous literary author of The Grapes of Wrath, incorporates this way of thinking into his many works though his characters: their surroundings shaping them and giving purpose to their lives. The Grapes of Wrath is an example of his non-teleological beliefs being incorporated into the nature of his characters; their fate not being pre-determined, but rather dependent on life events.
He sticks to his positive views even at the cessation of the novel, when he himself admits that he has reservations in believing some of it. Also, Pangloss philosophy pushes towards an indifferent yet self-righteous attitude toward things that aren’t good in
Kant’s view uses a categorical imperative, in which ethics is based upon an absolute, objective, deontologcial theory, in which intentions are more important than consequences. Kant believed that an ethics should be based around something entirely good. He decided that the only thing entirely good in the whole universe is ‘good will’. Everybody must decide ethical decisions in a way in which they put themselves last, fulfill their duty, and commit only selfless acts. This may be psychologically impossible, as many believe there is always a selfish reason for any good deed, however Kant only proposed a theory, and
McCarthy uses religous rhetoric in Bells descriptions of Chigure. By calling him a ‘prohphet of destruction’ it is Bells way of articulating something that he can not understand. Throughout the novel we come to realise that Bell infact has no religious faith. Therefore Chigurh is not a transendent force of evil, he is human and in control of his own choices. What is really being articulated is that ‘we are living in a time of change’ modern society is a society based on the freedom to choose our actions as they are no longer ordaned by a religon.
Another example of Cameron’s reasoning is that he does not want to get his hopes up about having a new protégé, who is equally talented at the work he does, to employ and mentor. Ayn Rand clearly illustrates through Cameron the hardships that passionate men must go through, and through Roark, she illustrates the fearless determination and persistence of these men. Cameron is a man who gave his life to architecture and ultimately gained
In Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, John Galt believes that selfishness is both moral and practical because having “concern with one's own interests” is concurrent with both the desire to live and the refusal to support “looters”. Galt believes that the survival of man is possible only by the use of the mind, this being demonstrated through his strict moral code. According to Galt, men must live by values and earn their living through production, rather than destruction and must never give or take the undeserved. Expectation for something in return for nothing is considered barbaric, leaving mutual trade as the only civilized method of human interaction. When selfishness is taken out of the equation and economic resources are seized from producers
Sir Gawain is challenged. Gawain’s quest is not a typical challenge of the heroic knight errant; rather it is the inner-wrought moral challenge of Gawain’s soul, and of his own human nature. Gawain’s quest takes him from the shining court of Arthur to the fetid Chapel Green. Along the way Gawain is sorely tested, both in bravery and chivalry. Though Gawain pridefully upholds the highest perfection of moral codes and Christian knighthood, he comes to recognize a painful lesson; that all men are merely human, and thus imperfect as nature created him.
Emerson illustrates that although occupations like philanthropists seems like a beneficial thing, he would still sometimes consider it to be “malice and vanity.” (Page 22) Instead of trying to show off our goodness by helping those far away from us, why don’t we just simply do what’s right in concern of ourselves? Men should use virtue as a “penance,” (Page 23) instead of as a tool to gain social recognition. Kindness is the responsibility of every man. We should do it by natural means in order to respect our creators, not to conform. A man can only truly be a man when he follows his own thoughts and personalities, when he/her breaks free from all restrictions and outside judgments.