Analysis of the slang reference "Who is John Galt?"

"Who is John Galt?" "Who is John Galt?" A question that seems as if it is irrelevant to the main element of the story because we do not understand its relevance. However, this question is all that the characters seem to be talking about. On p.11, p.20, p.23, and p.32 the reader encounters the question. So, it must be safe to assume that it has to be a central topic to the theme of the novel, but the question that remains: What does it mean?

At the start of the read, we are already introduced to the question by a beggar who asks it to Eddie. Upon hearing the question, Eddie begins to feel a pain within himself from an unknown source. Soon after feeling the pain, Eddie recalls upon his most scarring memory as a child, the demise of the great oak tree and feels frustrated since he does not know why he thinks of this. However, Rand leaves us clues as to what the subconscious mind of Eddie may be thinking about; on p.13, Rand describes the oak tree as Eddie's "symbol of strength" which he use to stare at when he was just a child. This symbol of strength use to provide him with the idea that when we are older we should do what we believe to be right. However, once the tree was split in two, he never wanted to speak of it again, which possibly is Rand's way of telling us that Eddie does not believe in what he use to anymore.So, once he hears the question of "Who is John Galt?" he feels the pain of when he gave up on his strength, or his ideas for the future. This throws a possibility at the reader as to what the slang reference means; it refers to all that is hopeless and unknowable.

The question "Who is John Galt?" is presented by those who have been beaten and worn out by hopelessness. The beggar towards the beginning of the novel is described as any other homeless man: "...wind-browned, cut lines of weariness and cynical resignation...". However, there is a difference: "...the eyes were intelligent...". This addition provides the feeling that this anonymous homeless man was once a somebody, a somebody that cared but, he has suffered some burden or unfortunate consequence and has had his spirit broken to be telling others in the street "Who is John Galt?".