Who is John Galt?

John Galt is a fictional character from Ayn Rand's novel . Galt is an inventor who embodies the virtues of an egoist, capitalist and individualist. Galt's character serves as a heroic counterpoint to a socialistic, altruistic economic social structure. The world in Atlas Shrugged is crumbling due to oppressive bureaucratic practices that interfere with the economy and stifle individual liberty and judgment. In this sense, John Galt can be metaphorically compared to Atlas of Greek Mythology who held the world on his shoulders.