Joynewyeary Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 Introduction to some questions: (Please correct me if I am wrong about anything in the introduction.) Hank Rearden married Lillian and didn't seriously consider divorcing her until after he started a romantic relationship with Dagny Taggart. Francisco d’Anconia's answers to Rearden's questions helped Rearden to understand the mistakes that Rearden had been making. However, Dagny didn't need, in her employment relationship with James Taggart, the kind of answers and explanations that Hank needed regarding romantic relationships. Furthermore, Dagny had no reason to expect James Taggart to change. Questions: 1. Why did Dagny tolerate James Taggart as a boss? 2. For example, why didn't she go work for another railroad? 3. If the other railroads were just as bad, why didn't she seek a similar job in a different industry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMeganSnow Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 What makes you think Jim was Dagny's "boss"? Dagny ran the railroad. Jim just got in the way. Remember that it was absolutely central to Dagny's character that she refused to stop spending herself regardless of the impediments placed in her path. In order to dramatize this point, Ayn Rand had to put absurd numbers of impediments in Dagny's path. Jim was one of them. Ask yourself, if Jim hadn't existed, would the story have had the dramatic impact that it did? Please keep in mind that Atlas Shrugged is a novel, i.e. a dramatization, it's not supposed to be a newspaper story. The reasons why the characters were what they were are not the same reasons that they would be that way in real life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yes Posted January 6, 2006 Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 What makes you think Jim was Dagny's "boss"? ........The reasons why the characters were what they were are not the same reasons that they would be that way in real life. I read Atlas Shrugged and having been profoundly interested in that aspect of the book, I have to disagree with you regarding Rand's characters not relating to real life. Rand was very specific in The Romantic Manifesto when she wrote that her characters wanted to not only be extensions of her literary art but also relate to real life- hence her self-labeling "Romantic Realist." The characters of both James and Dagny Taggart could be found in any particular large corporation. And their corporate relationship to each other is also reality-based. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottkursk Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Questions: 1. Why did Dagny tolerate James Taggart as a boss? This is a very real world situation. Frequently, it's the vice presidents that really run corporations. Just like it's the sergeants that are the real backbones of the military. While their officers may provide orders or "the vision thing", it's the people like the vp's and sergeants that put foot to the ground and get the results to happen.2. For example, why didn't she go work for another railroad?It was Taggart Transcontinental after all and she had a feeling for the railroad like it was a family member. I've worked for some bad bosses but stayed because I really liked the company. It happens. Bad bosses tend to flare out over time. Sometimes the turn supernova and take you or the entire company with them but in large organizations you usually have someone in line to replace them.3. If the other railroads were just as bad, why didn't she seek a similar job in a different industry?She loves working in the railroad industry. Done. If you love something like railroads, you'll want to stay near to them. Working as a high level executive at Starbucks would bore her to tears. Slinging coffee, even if it's by the ton, isn't as "cool" as moving millions of tons of freight, thousands of cars, etc etc for her. Personally, I'd rather work for Starbucks myself but that is personal taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yes Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 .She loves working in the railroad industry. Done. If you love something like railroads..... Besides, she sat on the Board of Directors and was a major shareholder for Taggert. Great aspect of Atlas Shrugged - Rand's keen understanding and insight as to big business coping with the challenges of the mixed system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EC Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 She wasn't part of the Board of Directors, she just attended some of their meetings when asked and her job dictated it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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