Philip Kaifer Reaction #7

There is still another third of the book left and Dagny has crashed her plane. I can only assume that she survives and things start to turn around in the third part of the novel. We have now heard about a fourth theory as to the identity of John Galt. Firstly we were told that he had discovered Atlantis, then that he was searching for a fountain of youth at the top of a mountain and had never returned with it because it was impossible, afterwards there was the theory that he was the embodiment of Prometheus and that he had taken back his gifts to mankind. The most recent theory that the tramp told Dagny on the train, that he was a factory worker who stood up against the communist system implemented in the factory, seems to be the least fanciful and even somewhat possible. I still don’t understand how there isn’t any historical information about John Galt. Dagny is so desperate to find John Galt.

I noticed as part two of the novel progressed, the state of the nation kept of becoming more and more decrepit, I didn’t even think it was possible at the beginning of the part. Everything seems to have turned for the worse, culminating in Dagny’s crash. On the other hand, some question have been answered and the plot has developed substantially. With the passing of Directive 10-289, everyone in the nation begins to freak out. People quit their jobs and run away. Nearly all of the good capitalists besides Dagny and Hank have vanished, and the looters are basically in charge.

Rearden only had two weeks to hand over his patent on Rearden metal after the directive is implemented. After he buckled to Dr. Ferris’ demands, I figured that he would be completely destroyed. He gave in to the government in order to protect Dagny’s name and reputation from being tarnished. Dagny also gave in when she returned to Taggart Transcontinetal after the train wreck and basically took over again. They were both working for the looters even though they were trying to fight them. They were stuck in a no win situation. If Dagny is still alive in the third part then I hope she finds John Galt and gets some answers.