The novel Atlas
Shrugged has provided an incident that I am not able to relate to between
chapter four and seven. This is the relationship between Dagny and James
Taggart. The brother and sister do not get along at all, and in fact, James
Taggart even despises Dagny at times. On page 77 an emotional set of actions
occurs when James is telling Dagny that the Anti-dog-eat-dog rule passed. Dagny
becomes extremely upset to the point where she calls her brother a bastard. To
this response, James smiles, almost happy that he has finally gone against his
sister. I do not understand how there could be so much hatred between a family,
even if dislike is present it is almost as if there is an unspoken rule that a
person cannot hate any member of their family to an unforgiving point.
Also,
James reprimands Dagny for going against his back and taking to much authority
on the San Sebastian Line when she decreases the schedule and uses the worst of
materials to make the train. However, when James Taggart is presented with a
problem about how they were running the train too much in Mexico, he takes
credit for what his sister did and seems a hero to the company. It is obvious
why Dagny will never be able to run the company, because she keeps getting
blamed for all the bad that is happening. Not once has her brother been able to
support her and stick up for her so that her work is recognized as being
detrimental to the Taggart Transcontinental Company. James and Dagny Taggart
have a struggling relationship which seems to negatively affect their moods and
actions in a way that I do not seem to understand.
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