Dystopian Society Exposed In Ayn Rand's Anthem

"If the egotist is weak, his egotism is worthless. If the egotist is strong, acute, full of distinctive character, his egotism is precious, and remains a possession of the race," Alexander Smith. Anthem is a novella by author Ayn Rand. Rand tells the story of a young twenty-one-year-old man, Equality 7-2521, who lives in a dystopian society in an unspecified future. Individualism is not allowed anymore and the society is ruled by the Council. It is looked at as another Dark Age. Because of this new civilization Equality sees himself creating a new society for himself and his newfound love, he has to overcome the transgressions the City has, to live through with his image of individuality and love. The first sin the City has

In Anthem it is a sin to have individuality, Equality lets us know this by stating, "We are six feet tall, and this is a burden, for there are not many men who are six feet tall. Ever have the Teachers and the Leaders pointed to us and frowned and said: "There is evil in your bones, Equality 7-2521, for your body has grown beyond the bodies of your brothers""(Rand 18). When his teachers say this they are saying you can 't be an individual, you have to be a collective person with your other brothers. The book also states that, "It was not that the learning that was too hard for us. It was that the learning was too easy. This is a great sin, to be born with a head which is too quick. It is not good to be different from our brothers, but it is evil to be superior to them. The Teachers told us so, and they frowned when they looked upon us"(Rand, 21). This transgression exist because if there was superiority in this society the old ways the Councils and the elders strayed away from would try to overpower again. This would mean a possible dictatorship and over arrogance in the society. Equality strived to be different and his own person and with that, I believe he will omit this sin in his