Rachel Franklin
The question "Who is John Galt", as one reads through the book, plays an integral role in the story as a main theme. The question itself, in relation to the context, is used in conversation when a hopeless question has been asked and there is no answer, or when there is an idea expressed with no visible solution. However, those we see who ask the question are a different matter. They are all highly intelligent people. These people obviously see the world in a different way, much like the people they are talking to when the question is asked, such as Dagny Taggart and Hank Rearden. These two people are all similar in the way that they both are striving for something.
In the case of Dagny Taggart, she is an extremely successful and intelligent woman who knows exactly what she is looking for in life: To run Taggart Transcontinental and become like her ancestor and idol, Nathaniel Taggart. However, other than her favorite composer and the company, she doesn't care about anything else. She is only interested in being successful and making money.
Hank Rearden, creator or Rearden Metal, also has somewhat of a similar mindset in regards to his work. It is the only thing that he is interested in, even with his family's constant questioning and comments of why that is the case. He wants to care more about his family, but can't find it in himself to do so.
These two characters both seem to believe in the idea of individualism, to the point of them being seen as selfish. They are like this because of their extreme devotion to their careers. The two have also noticed the obvious decay in society and want change. That similarity and the fact that both have encountered the famous "Who is John Galt" question leads readers to believe that they will play an important part in fixing the "dying world" Dagny Taggart and Hank Rearden are connected by their individualistic personality, their desire for change, and the haunting question "Who is John Galt?"
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