▁as ▁" a ▁sense - of - life ▁play ". ▁She ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁its ▁events ▁to ▁be ▁taken ▁literally , ▁but ▁to ▁be ▁understood ▁as ▁a ▁representation ▁of ▁different ▁ways ▁of ▁approaching ▁life . ▁Andre ▁represents ▁an ▁am bit ious , ▁confident , ▁non - con form ist ▁approach ▁to ▁life , ▁while ▁the ▁pro sec ution ▁witness es ▁represent ▁conform ity , ▁env y ▁of ▁success , ▁and ▁the ▁desire ▁for ▁power ▁over ▁others . ▁Rand ▁believed ▁the ▁j ury ' s ▁decision ▁at ▁each ▁performance ▁revealed ▁the ▁attitude ▁of ▁the ▁jur ors ▁towards ▁these ▁two ▁conflic ting ▁sens es ▁of ▁life . ▁Rand ▁supported ▁individual ism ▁and ▁considered ▁Andre ▁" not ▁guilty ". ▁She ▁said ▁she ▁wanted ▁the ▁play ▁to ▁convey ▁the ▁view point : ▁" Your ▁life , ▁your ▁achiev ement , ▁your ▁happiness , ▁ ▁are ▁of ▁param ount ▁importance . ▁Live ▁up ▁to ▁your ▁highest ▁vision ▁of ▁yourself ▁no ▁matter ▁what ▁the ▁circumstances ▁you ▁might ▁encounter . ▁An ▁ex alt ed ▁view ▁of ▁self - este em ▁is ▁man ' s ▁most ▁ad mi rable ▁quality ". ▁She ▁said ▁the ▁play ▁" is ▁not ▁a ▁philosoph ical ▁treat ise ▁on ▁mor ality " ▁and ▁represents ▁this ▁view ▁only ▁in ▁a ▁basic ▁way . ▁Rand ▁would ▁later ▁exp ound ▁an ▁explicit ▁philosophy , ▁which ▁she ▁called ▁" Object iv ism ", ▁particularly ▁in ▁her ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁novel ▁Atlas ▁Sh ru gg ed ▁and ▁in ▁non - f iction ▁ess ays , ▁but ▁Night ▁of ▁January