As I started reading this book, one thing became clear: Ayn Rand has a very particular philosophy, which she has developed and illustrated through this book. The characters are meant to reflect Rand's own personal values. The confrontation between Miss Dagney and James Taggart clearly demonstrated the economic principles at play in this book: capitalism versus socialism. James Taggart favored maintaining the railroad line that ran throughout Mexico in the name of the public good, though Mexico threatened to nationalize the line. On the other hand, Dagney is only interested in making money. She does not take the poverty of Mexico into consideration and only acts out of selfish interest. In her mind, there is no point in the company maintaining an altruistic image, regardless of the interests of Washington. Personally, I don't agree with Dagney's point of view. She assumes that only reason is necessary in life and casts aside collaboration and generosity. Indeed a company must make money, but it must also act in the interest of its consumers and society as a whole. Clearly, Rand views unselfish goodwill and altruism as unnecessary and foolish. She paints Dagney as virtuous and misunderstood, even though she is also described as cold and uninterested in people.
I was also particularly struck by the metaphor of the oak tree in the beginning of the book. Eddie described the tree as mighty and everlasting, that even a giant couldn't even bring it down. Rand continues to make a sudden statement that the tree has been dead for decades. Much like the empty tree trunk, the world around Eddie is also empty and bleak. Such a stark and somber metaphor could only point to one thing - a tragedy is near.
No comments:
Post a Comment