Ayn Rand's unflinching political refutation of socialism conveyed through her powerful work Atlas Shrugged is a passionate allegorical account of how one should exist only for the benefit of oneself. This idea is expressed through an assortment of Rand's main characters, though none as explicitly as Hank Rearden. “Public good be damned, I will have no part in it!” In Rearden's bold refutation of the “public good” at trial, Rearden is rejecting the core ideology of socialism and declaring himself an existentialist member of society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay At the beginning of the novel, Hank Rearden is a simple man trying to make a name for himself in the metal industry so he can support his family. He lives to please his unappeasable wife Lillian, an antagonist of the story's existentialist themes, and finds no happiness in his interactions with her. We first understand Lillian's major role as an evil wife when Rearden gives her the first piece of his metal made into a bracelet to wear. She rejects his act of love, and this is the first instance in which Rearden is seen as a minor (41). Lillian's main purpose in the novel is to help characterize Rearden's conciliatory personality and demonstrate his initial inability to be selfish. Selfishness, as seen by Rand, is a positive trait that leads to success in business and personal affairs. Rearden finally acts on selfish desires when he falls in love with Dagny Taggart shortly after his wife's dissatisfaction with his metal bracelet. The relationship between Rearden and Dagny is selfish on both sides, but that's why it makes them both so happy." I'm proud that [Hank] chose me to pleasure him and that he was my choice. It wasn't – as it is for most of you – an act of casual indulgence and mutual contempt It was the ultimate form of our mutual admiration, with full awareness of the values ​​on the basis of which we made our choice…” (318) . ) In the quote articulated above by Dagny when referring to her relationships with Hank Rearden, she explains how being together was an individual choice by Rearden to please himself and vice versa there were no external forces pushing them together other than pure admiration mutual that Dagny refers to. Through this, Rand is showing that by ignoring the good of others and focusing on pleasing oneself, great things will emerge. Rearden does not understand this concept before his relationship with Dagny, but he has an epiphany in the end egoistic to the process in which he contests the good of others and suggests that he exists for the good of himself. Hank's statement: "Public good be damned, I will have no part in it!" refers to the two coinciding themes of existentialism and selfishness. The idea of ​​existentialism, existing for oneself rather than for the greater good of others, is conveyed through several outlets in Rand's work. By supporting capitalism and overthrowing communist principles, he expresses the importance of this theme. Public good, as Rand sees it, aims to work for the greater benefit of a community by taking from others, while existentialism strives for the success of oneself. This is key, as looters take from those who are stronger. By boasting these words in such a public setting, the character experiences a shift in which he goes from submission to powerful figures who aim to control his success to the outbreak and declaration of his individualistic existence..