Dagny and Hank

The reading this week has revealed that Dagny and Rearden’s relationship has come full circle. Their relationship started as a purely business related relationship, exchanging ideas and materials. They both respected each other for their minds and work ethic and seemed to understand each other more clearly then most. Secretly they both coveted each other, Rearden craving Dagny for the sole purpose of sex and Dagny craving Rearden for the attention and pleasure his visits gave her. Reardon told Dagny on the first night they were together that he felt no love for her and loathed her for having sex with him because it was the lowest desire one could have. He just wanted the feeling of power, which he got from sleeping with her. His feeling begin to change for her slowly. Hints were dropped during the novel of this significant change. He started to loathe Lillian more than Dagny. On the night of Rearden’s anniversary he defended Lillian but on the night of Jim’s wedding he defended Dagny, indicating he thought more highly of Dagny then his own wife.  He began to buy her nice things and take her out places. He enjoyed looking at her, instead of solely having sex with her. He started to feel less guilt about his love affair and instead felt pride and joy. He claimed that seeing her was the only thing keeping him alive. Slowly admitting to himself that she was his greatest pleasure and this was a virtue not a sin. He started to speak to her more kindly and gentler, saying words like my darling or dearest. Finally, Rearden confesses his true feelings to Dagny by telling her he lied to himself when he told her that night that he had no feeling for her another than distain.