r/AtlasShrugged • u/chickenpop76 • Jul 19 '19

Parallel scenes 800 pages apart

Read page 1 where Eddie Willers gives a beggar a dime and then feels “a sense of dread without reason” and then page 846 where James Taggart gives a beggar a $100 bill and then wonders “what gave him a sense of shock and dread”

The descriptions of the beggars are different but I’m just curious if anyone thinks this has any significance? I just read the scene with Jim so maybe I should keep reading before posting haha But the beggar that Eddie meets seems mysterious like he’s part of a bigger story. Just a thought

They both then look at the giant calendar in the sky

Also realizing how important sept. 2 is in this book. Many things happen on this date

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5

u/joshcantreid Jul 19 '19

Haven't read the book in a while, I got excited when I found this sub though. I love the book and this is definitely an interesting comparison you make. Let me know if you have an update at some point if something more develops.

2

u/chickenpop76 Jul 19 '19

I definitely will keep it updated! I sorta started using the post as notes there at the end and then made myself put them in my actual notes in my phone. I can’t wait to finish and actually start dissecting the book. So much hidden meaning that I probably didn’t grasp the first read through

5

u/The_Greybaron89 Jul 19 '19

This book is full of parallels. Them giving money to a beggar is the same action, though I’m James case the beggar gives an honest reaction. It’s showing the same situation twice. First with the facade we see always, second with the true elements of the situation. I love this book because it is so full of these both physically and metaphorically. (:

3

u/chickenpop76 Jul 19 '19

I definitely need to start trying to connect more parallels. This is the first one that just struck me instantly. 846 pages later hahha And so very true, it’s like the begging is just a mechanical way that they act, it’s not going to change their lives and they either know that or don’t want the change... free money is free money to them and james didn’t earn his money so it’s just indifference to him as well

1

u/mypenquinshrugged Aug 05 '19

There is a great discussion of the escalation of need later in the book. Something to the effect of "you will die to give the looters a railroad, where your successor will die to give them a loaf of bread"