Character Development of Eddie Willers and James Taggart

Camille Kelleher

Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged begins with the introduction of developed and uniquely different characters that evolve as Rand illustrates encounters between them; for example Eddie Willers and James Taggart on pages 14-19.

Before Eddie Willers entered James Taggart’s office at Taggart Transcontinental, Rand details a few symbols to develop his character and the surrounding society. His conversation with the bum describes a scene of destruction and hopelessness. The bum, who was once intelligent, lost his independence and decayed into a beggar. He asks, “Who is John Galt?” out of the need to find a hero in the broken society. The flashback of the oak tree parallels the sign of wreckage in the metropolis. The seemingly immortal oak tree provided protection for Willers as a child until it was struck by lightening and broke in half, only to show Willers that it was hollow and lifeless for years. Willers’ life has been plagued by failed anticipation for something more. The large, displayed calendar foils his uneasiness with the uncontrollable progression of time.  His patience of achieving his childhood ambitions, as his minister told him he should always reach for the best within him,  is slowly dwindling.

Rand describes the clash of Willers’ and Taggart’s personalities and perspectives and the influence it has on Willers’ established role.  Taggart’s strict code of loyalty results in a perception that all conflicts are black and white. Willers entered his office assuming that another wreck on the Rio Norte line was a specific issue that could have been easily solved by switching to a different steel or metal source. Their conversation destabilizes as Taggart denounces Willers with sarcasm and ridicule. Willers failed attempt at discussing the future of Taggart Transcontinental is frustratingly concluded when the disillusioned Chief Clerk Pop Harper asks, “Who is John Galt?”