The Unknown

No one seems to know the exact answer to “Who is John Galt?” There are various stories told that are somehow linked together: John Galt’s search for the unknown. In the story, the response to a question that cannot be answered in always “Who is John Galt?”

            The question is portrayed in a negative light in the same way the unknown is portrayed as something bad. The fear of the unknown is a common topic throughout Atlas Shrugged. According to Dagny, the question, “Who is John Galt?”, is used in fear. The big and small businesses within the story seem to disregard Rearden Metal because they believe it will not work, but in reality, their fear of its chemical composition and its possible hazards is what keeps Rearden Metal from becoming successful.  The fear of Rearden Metal enhances the fear of the Rio Norte Line.  People tend to support projects they know will succeed because they do not want to take a risk. Taking a risk and trusting the unknown can possibly put their company in danger.  When someone takes a risk and expresses a new idea or discovery, it is constantly put down in fear of what could go wrong.

            Dagny and Rearden embrace the unknown  which in the eyes of an outsider makes them different and not trustworthy. To trust the unknown is rare. The stories of John Galt seem to connect him to Dagny and Rearden due to his bravery and lack of fear. The question “Who is John Galt?” is simply the reaction of fear of what the answer is.