Eddie Willers

          The first character we are introduced to in the book Atlas Shrugged is Eddie Willers. Even though he is not considered one of the executives at Taggart Transcontinental, I think that Eddie will soon prove to the company as well as Daggny that he is capable of handling more responsibilities in the business.  Eddie has been friends with Daggy and Jim Taggart since they were little kids, and just like Daggny, he truly cares about Taggart Transcontinental and its success.
         In order to make the John Galt Line, Daggny knows that she must step out of her place in the family company and leave someone else in her place for a period of time. Of all people capable of taking on the job, she chooses Eddie and believes that he will be the perfect fit. Her brother Jim is astounded when he hears the replacement she has chosen, but Daggny shows that she trusts Eddie and knows that he can handle the job.
         While Eddie is working in the position of Vice President of Operations, he does not know if he should feel proud of himself, or if he is just simply being used as a puppet for the Taggarts. Through out the whole time that he is on the job, he never truly feels any responsibility, or any real feeling that he has earned the position since he is only temporarily taking Daggnys place. When Eddie along with Jim, Rearden, and Daggny show up to the press conference, Eddie describes for the first time a sense of accomplishment that he feels, as if for the first time he truly feels that he is the real Vice Preseident of Operations at Taggart Transcontinental.
        Daggny notices how well he plays the part, and it really makes me wonder if later on in the book, if Eddie will ever be raised up to a higher figure of authority. Daggny knows that Eddie truly cares about the company, and that he has more potential in the business than Jim does. I am really looking forward to reading more about Eddie since he is a character that sort of just comes in and out at random times. I strongly believe that he will end up having a lot more of presence as the novel progresses.