Dagny feels tense—and easy in tension, like the work of Pat Logan. She feels suspended over life as the engine is over the rails.

  Dagny and Rearden in the motor units. Dagny thinks of the intelligence these motors represent—again, the physical as the shape of the spiritual. The feeling of: “Don’t let it go!” She wonders why she feels that this is threatened.

  The flight across the bridge.

  The arrival at Wyatt station.

  1948

  [The following notes were made for the scene in which James Taggart and Cherryl Brooks meet for the first time. The scene immediately follows the success of the John Galt Line, and conveys Taggart’s attitude toward this success.]

  For: James Taggart and Cherryl Brooks

  Show that Taggart’s attitude is a total dead-end, the hatred of that which he himself needs for survival, the hatred of his own gain or advantage—the real paradox. This has to be the advance notice of his final scene, of the full revelation that the parasite functions on the principle of death.

  Cherryl’s attitude in this scene is trust and naive admiration; she feels encouraged, uplifted that a man like Taggart finds her of interest or value; she thinks he sees something good in her. Taggart’s attitude toward her is contempt—contempt for a person so low as to admire him; yet he wants the admiration—and he knows that it can come only from someone who is low; he would fear any better sort of person. That is why he hates Cherryl’s later attempt to rise.

  The paradox is that he wants her admiration to be sincere—that is what attracts him to Cherryl—he would not want the flattery and pretense of a designing gold-digger, and he would recognize that as a lie. He wants the good (sincerity) from and for an evil (from stupidity, for his rottenness)—and there is the “moral blackmail” or exploitation of the good against itself: he wants the advantage of a real virtue (sincerity) for the satisfaction of his rottenness, he wants good in the service of evil, he wants to use and hurt Cherryl by means of nothing but her own virtue, not by means of any of her bad qualities (hurt her—because it is deceit and fraud that he is putting over on her). He wants the satisfaction of a real admiration for virtues which he does not possess—he wants a spiritual reward, unearned—he wants the spiritual, moral “something for nothing”—and the “something” in this case has to be real, while nothing about him is.

  That is why their relationship leads to tragedy. Good cannot come from evil; Cherryl’s [admiration comes] not from stupidity, but from ignorance, so Taggart’s scheme could not work; she had to begin to see the truth. Her horror is the discovery that he has a desire to keep her low, to have her rotten, not to let her improve or rise—that he loved her, not for her value, but for her rottenness, that that is what he saw and sought in her. She sees the horror of “love as an answer to evil,” instead of “love as an answer to value”—which is the whole essence of man’s need of love. In their marriage, what pleased him was her inferiority, which made him superior and magnanimous by comparison. He lost his interest in her when she lost her inferiority. She realizes that he wanted his “love” for her to be alms—he did not want her to deserve it, to earn it. (There’s another perverted “balance” —real “disinterested,” “rewardless” altruism—he wanted something unearned from her, and he wanted her to get something unearned from him. The reality of something earned, of a real virtue or a real value and “spiritual payment or exchange,” was intolerable to him, it smashed his whole fraudulent structure of emotions and relationships. And here is an example of Taggart’s “death principle”—he cannot tolerate any value; but the basis of life is search for and achievement of values.)

  In contrast to the relationship of Dagny and Rearden, James Taggart’s [feeling for] Cherryl is not love as an answer to and reward for value, but the ghastly perversion which is love as alms—love as a “looking down”—love, not for value, but for its absence—the essential pattern of any unearned love, such as “love of humanity,” love as pity, as mercy, as anything but justice. (Love as justice is essentially admiration—and nothing else.)

  In their subsequent meetings, James Taggart takes pleasure in stressing his unhappiness, in whining—because he knows that Cherryl cares and feels concern. She is the first person who has ever really cared about what he feels, who doesn’t want to see him suffer—so he enjoys making her suffer when he whines and complains. His motive here is an ugly, twisted mixture of sadism and, at the same time, appeal for her pity. His own feeling for her is based, in a sense, on pity—since he looks down upon her; yet, at the same time, he wants her to feel pity for him, for his suffering—which means, in effect, to look down upon him.

  July 5, 1948

  Have an example (later) of how Taggart uses his “Washington” power—what it consists of. Some ghastly little bureaucrat has the crucial power to decide some tremendous issue (the power is his accidentally, not intentionally, through the sheer complex stupidity of the laws and the set-up) —and he decides it in Taggart’s favor for some such consideration as a thousand dollars and a dinner at a nightclub with “important people.” The results of his decision involve billions [of dollars] of other people’s wealth, are disastrous to Rearden and to the economy of the whole country. (This may be used with regard to the moratorium on brains.)

  October 18, 1948

  [The following deals with Rearden’s anniversary party.]

  Main Point of Party Scene

  The guilt of the creators is that they don’t claim moral value, moral superiority, and moral sanction.

  One of the causes of it—generosity: the reluctance to rub it in, to remind the weaker ones of their weakness; the belief that the weaker ones know it anyway and are grateful; the benevolence of over-abundance, the pleasure of helping others to enjoy life; the belief that the weaker ones do enjoy life and are on the moral standard of loving life, ability and greatness; the living power of strength, which respects living human beings and leaps in to eliminate suffering anywhere, almost automatically.

  The result—the creators are the ones who suffer, who permit the parasites to become their torturers, who make it possible for the parasites to destroy everything sacred to the creators, to hamper the creators’ work and function, to block the creators’ way, to destroy all the things the creators live for, to spread and commit evil, and finally to destroy the creators themselves. This is the “penalizing of virtue” and the “torture of the best by means of the best within them.” The parasites have no weapon—except the creator’s own moral virtue turned against him. May God damn every man who uses another man’s virtue to his detriment, as a means of harming the victim.

  The proper course—not to support or tolerate any man who is not on the creators’ moral standard. To define that standard and then follow it ruthlessly, with total consistency, in every aspect of one’s life. To make no allowances and permit oneself no pity. To give nothing unearned to anyone, in any form—not physical and most particularly not spiritual. Neither financial alms nor undeserved affection. Self-interest must be present in one’s every action.

  (If Rearden has no selfish interest in Lillian, he must leave her; never mind what she feels or why. If Rearden does not approve of Philip’s way of living, he must not support him. Even if Philip were struggling to work, Rearden must not give him loans or help, unless it is on a real business basis, that is, unless Rearden can actually get a profit from the loan. Then it would help them both. Not otherwise. Not if Rearden does it only for Philip’s sake. This is the crime of selflessness. And here is the outline of the “trader principle.”)

  Since the basis of the creators’ morality is the principle of living, they commit the greatest moral sin possible to them when they become “their own executioners,” i.e., when they furnish the means for their destroyers to destroy them.

  The creators must understand the basic difference between themselves and the parasites: the creators are on the life principle, the parasites are on the principle of death. The creators’ final, overall purpose is the continuation of human life (one’s own, and, as secondary consequence, all human life, since there is no conflict or contradiction here); the parasite’s final, overall purpose is destruction and death (not a “pitiful, inept attempt to live,” which would deserve the stronger man’s help—but actually the intention to destroy oneself and others, to destroy everything that constitutes life, every form of pleasure and happiness first of all, and, as close second, every form of virtue, value, competence, greatness).

  When the bastards preach that “virtue suffers in this world,” they do mean it, though not in the way it sounds. In their world, virtue does suffer and is meant to suffer—the real virtue, the virtue of competence; while their phony altruist virtue, of course, fails and suffers in relation to physical success—and this gives them ground for damning this earth, for considering it evil. So the result is that the truly virtuous, competent man is made to feel guilty, to feel that his success is evil, to suffer spiritually and morally—while the altruist makes a glory of his own failure and appropriates moral satisfaction (which he can’t enjoy, just the same).

  [The following dialogue between a businessman and Francisco was cut from an early draft of the party scene. ]

  “I mean, is it necessary to hurt anybody’s feelings? There’s some truth to whatever it is you said. On the other hand, there’s some truth to what Jim Taggart says. Jim’s got a pretty decent record of public spirit and service. What I say is, do we have to go to extremes?”

  “To extremes of what?”

  “Of anything.”

  “No, we don’t have to. They’ll come to us.”

  “Who?”

  “The extremes.”

  He walked off, leaving the businessman staring after him.

  October 30, 1948

  To think over:

  Ragnar Danneskjöld—doesn’t he impede plot? Is he useless to plot—or can he be integrated better?

  Direct line from beginning to—destruction of Ellis Wyatt—destruction of Ken Danagger—destruction of Rearden.

  Will the “rations on Rearden Metal” and the “Miracle Metal” law clash—as repetitions? [Added later:] No.

  Will the closing of the John Galt Line clash with the closing of the Minnesota Line? [Added later:] No.

  Make economic outline of story line. (Plot key points of destruction—key figures vanishing and the effect it has.)

  Decide on new role for Ragnar Danneskjöld. [Note added the next day:] The Robin Hood who robs the humanitarians and gives to the rich.

  January 11, 1949

  Key Points of Personal Story Part I

  Dagny-Rearden romance. His discovery of the nature of sex, the relation between body and spirit.

  Rearden-Lillian (and Rearden-parasites): his helplessness without a sense of moral sanction, his vulnerability when he accepts any part of the parasites’ code.

  The rise of Wesley Mouch.

  Francisco’s speech on “money is the root of all good.” (Rearden-Francisco)

  The finding of Galt’s engine—Dagny’s quest—Hugh Akston in the diner and the dollar-sign cigarette.

  Dagny sees the flaming oil fields as Wyatt quits.

  Dagny waits in anteroom while “some man” is in Ken Danagger’s office. Danagger quits—his talk about excursion trip around Manhattan Island.

  The actions of Ragnar Danneskjöld.

  Colorado division parasite (later responsible for tunnel catastrophe) getting position as result of minor Taggart-Boyle-Mouch deal-after good superintendent quits.

  Another major loss by d‘Anconia Copper.

  Lillian Rearden learns of Rearden’s infidelity—the subtle torture that follows.

  Francisco learns of Dagny-Rearden romance.

  Dagny quits [because of] “moratorium on brains” and escapes to the country.

  Dr. Stadler and Dr. Floyd Ferris.

  Rearden and “Miracle Metal. ”

  The scene with [Rearden and] Francisco at night—saving the furnace.

  Dan Conway (when Dagny needs him).

  Rearden-Ragnar Danneskjöld.

  Eddie Willers and the worker: Eddie mentions Dagny’s hide-out.

  Dagny-Francisco in the country, news of tunnel catastrophe. (Tie reasons for rush of train to the parasites—their “deals” and their inability to take the initiative on anything, their evasion of responsibility and following of routine.)

  Rearden-Francisco: the slap in the face.

  Dagny’s last attempts to save TT—news of car manufacturer quitting—she has to go after him.

  Rearden-Mrs. Rearden when she discovers his affair with Dagny.

  Dagny packing; Eddie sees Rearden’s dressing-gown.

  Eddie and the worker: Eddie betrays the purpose of Dagny’s trip and her affair with Rearden.

  The “frozen train ride”—Dagny and Owen Kellogg—her flight after car manufacturer—the crash.

  Part II

  The valley. Dagny and Galt. Dagny and Hugh Akston, Richard Halley, Midas Mulligan, the judge, and all the others.

  Dagny’s break with Rearden.

  Dagny’s search for Gait—the empty valley. (?)

  The blackmail of Rearden by the bureaucrats—Dagny discovers it.

  The affair: James Taggart-Lillian Rearden. Cherryl’s suicide.

  Francisco loses the last of the d‘Anconia fortune.

  Rearden-parasites, Rearden-family. He quits.

  Dagny-John Galt in the terminal tunnels.

  The broadcast—Gait’s speech.

  The temptation of Galt: through love—Dagny. She betrays him, his arrest. Further temptations: through pity—(Eddie Willers?); through fear—Dr. Stadler; through “ambition”—Mr. Thompson; through vanity—the banquet.

  Dagny quits—joins Francisco on street comer, then Ragnar

  Danneskjöld; plan to save Galt.

  The torture of Galt. Taggart’s realization.

  The collapse of the Taggart Bridge. (And the death of Dr. Stadler.)

  The rescue of Galt, the flight over New York as the lights go out, the world in ruins.

  Eddie Willers and the last ride of The Comet.

  The valley—the rebirth—“We’re going back.”

  Key Points of Destruction (Economic outline) Part I

  Destruction of Ellis Wyatt. (No transportation. Dagny limited on trains and speed. Rearden limited on production—and ordered to “give a fair share to everybody.” No pipe line for Wyatt—and no other railroad.)

  Destruction of Ken Danagger. (No oil for his power plants. No Rearden Metal girders.)

  Destruction of N.Y. utility man—no coal, oil, or copper wires. Another d‘Anconia disaster.

  Death of Colorado and closing of John Galt Line.

  The moratorium on brains (“Miracle Metal” and Slave Labor law).

  Total controls and enslavement of ability. (Rearden Metal is taken over because “Rearden was not able to supply everybody’s need.”) The tunnel catastrophe.

  Car manufacturer quits.

  (Show, each time before a key figure quits, that the burden of impossible conditions is switched to him.)

  Part II

  Freights cars sent to “soybean project” (Cuffy Meigs and Wesley Mouch). “Transportation pull.”

  [Added later:] Project X.

  Destruction of Minnesota farmers; Rearden’s losses.

  The end of d‘Anconia Copper (indirectly caused by Rearden?).

  Destruction of Rearden. (Rearden is asked to sell steel as cheaply as

  Boyle does—and Boyle has government subsidy. The squeeze—and he quits.)

  (After Rearden quits—“temporary nationalization” of everything, for “emergency.”)

  Decision to close Michigan Line—panic—riots.

  The broadcast—John Galt’s speech. (Here—proof of why “planning” won’t work with “good” men—good men don’t work that way.)

  Galt’s arrest and torture—and liberation.

  The collapse of the Taggart Bridge.

  The end of New York.

  The last ride of The Comet.

  The valley—and the rebirth.

  Additional Notes

  Things to integrate into the main story: The romance and marriage of Taggart and shop girl (later, her suicide).

  The progression of Dr. Stadler toward the destruction of the mind. (And the climax of Dr. Stadler’s course.)

  Ragnar Danneskjöld (“I do not accept your morality, nor loan you parts of mine.”)

  The rise of Wesley Mouch—then of Cuffy Meigs.

  More participation of Francisco d‘Anconia in the events of destruction. The absence of Hugh Akston and its effect on the despair of good men like Eddie Willers—the gray, stagnant, flameless mood of people—the confusion and hopelessness. (Specific illustration.)

  January 13, 1949

  From Chapter XI: Rearden cannot deal successfully with the parasites—he is disarmed by his guilt. He thinks: “They’re evil—but so am I. Who am I to cast the first stone? ... Don’t think of it. Just work. Work harder. Don’t look around you.” (If he were certain of their total, inexcusable evil—and of his own righteousness—he would have smashed them, or died in the attempt; and he would have won.)

  February 21, 1949

  Dagny-Rearden Vacation

  They stop at small hotels or sleep in the woods. They talk little. But they drive in silence and can talk to each other in the middle of a train of thought—“gloating” about the John Galt Line, or plans for the future. They are enjoying, “assimilating” their achievement—and “getting charged” for new journeys (“because joy is one’s fuel”). Rearden’s self-centered enjoyment: the way he carries her across a stream, the way he breaks a branch out of their path, the way he makes a fire. The emphasis is not on the views they see, but on their seeing it. The point is their active estimate of value; if a tourist sees something without a judgment of value and an emotional reaction of his own—what’s the point of gazing at things? People are willing to be mirrors or blotters; but not Rearden—he is a ray of light, bringing things into sight and meaning. His manner of comment is always what can be done—or what one can learn from what has been done—always the active, purposeful reaction.