Contrast in Dystopian Novels
Why do teens seem so interested in dystopian novels? These two dystopian stories, Anthem by Ayn Rand and The Giver by Lois Lowry are about a futuristic society that has rules which are wrong and only one person can see. Dystopian text is very popular among current teens. In Anthem, the plot line encourages people to be different from one another and that it isn’t good to all be the same, in the novel, The Giver, it gives an example of breaking away from the community and doing what they think is right, both novels together show a futuristic problematic society that doesn’t have much freedom. In Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem, it encourages people to be individuals and do their own things in life. In the novel, the main character Equality is looked down upon because he is smarter than his “brothers” and he is curious
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In Anthem, Equality is explaining that he isn't allowed to write to the readers. “It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see” (Rand 1). In their society they can’t hide things from others or do anything, even think, if not everyone does it. They aren’t allowed to think whatever they want, they don’t own the freedom to their own thoughts. In The Giver, Jonas is explaining how and why the “night crew” didn’t have a spouse or family. “The night crew had not even been given spouses because they lacked, somehow, the essential capacity to connect with others, which was required for the creation of a family unit” (Lowry 8). In the quote they use the phrase “family unit” and the “creation” of it. The quote also talks about how they haven’t been “given a spouse”. This shows less freedom because they are assigned their family and their spouse, they aren’t allowed to choose their own like today's society. Both of these quotes show less freedom in their
In the book, “Anthem” by Ayn Rand she explores many different topics about our daily life as human beings. One of the characters she uses to explore these topics is a young man named Equality 7-2521. Equality 7-2521 is a young man that was raised in a dystopian society on which all men must strive to be equal, but Equality is different from them. He’s got different motivations from the rest of the men that he has grown with. He’s curious about the world around him and wants to know how everything works.
According to the website dictionary.com a Dystopia can be defined as, “a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding” (Random House). Throughout the world there are thousands upon thousands of dystopian novels. People all around the world are attracted to these types of novels, especially modern day teenagers. These teens are attracted to them because they can easily relate to the novel itself and the characters in the novel. Teens can relate to these books easily because they often feel oppressed and overcrowded.
“It is not good to be different from our brothers, but it is evil to be superior to them” (Rand 21). Equality cannot prevent himself from having certain abilities, but he is punished for them, even where these abilities could benefit the collective. Equality does not have the freedom to be his best self.
In Anthem, Ayn Rand makes Equality, or Prometheus, a very dynamic character. Ayn feels strongly about certain topics and often writes on selfishness and morality. Equality’s views of morality change drastically over the course of the book and therefore contrasts to his past society's version of morality. He starts as a nobody, and progresses into a man who defies authority for what he sees as the greater good. He also believed that he was nothing without his brothers.
“It has become appallingly obvious that out technology has exceed out humanity’ - Albert Einstein. These short stories are dystopian novels that each have a social commentary to create a critique within society with “The Veldt” focusing on a post modern day society ans the dangers of technology overuse and “Anthem”critiquing the idea of collectivism. In the short stories “Anthem” by Ayn Rand and “The Veldt” by Ray Bardburry, through the usage of plot, the author conveys the idea that the appearance of technology can lead to artificial and untamed thoughts. In the short story “The Veldt” by Ray Bradburry, the author uses the literary element of plot to develop the theme that the appearance of technology can lead to artificial and untamed thoughts.
As he gains independence and freedom, Equality also discovers the beauty of the power of his mind. By the end of the novel, Equality has become a true man, proud, fearless, cheerful, and independent. He has also learned the wickedness of his society and in addition to rejecting them. In following Equality on his quest to find himself, Anthem illustrates the wrongs of collectivism
A country that is opposite of the society in Anthem is the United States. We live in a democratic society where our rights and freedoms are protected under the Constitution. For the most part, individualism is encouraged and the society has been growing and developing throughout the course of history. Unlike Anthem, children stay with their parents after birth in order to develop their own personalities and thoughts. Although the school system is not perfect and does not mold to each child’s learning, the teachers are working on developing different alternatives for students that learn differently.
Moral Assessment of Anthem In Ayn Rand’s novel, Anthem, Equality lives in a communist society that believes everyone must work for and be exactly like one another. For much of the novel, he believes what the Council of Vocations tells him, despite his intelligence and independence. By the end of the book, he realizes that the idea that everyone is the same and must work for each other is flawed. He deserves to live his own life and enjoy himself.
Throughout Anthem, Equality in the beginning fears of being the different one. In society it was so wrong to be different. To Equality and everyone else it was a curse. It was a curse to 6 feet tall. It was a curse to be smarter than everyone else (Anthem).
Teens nowadays feel many emotions and think many thoughts. Some feel trapped and they like to get out by reading books. Young adults can relate to dystopian books a lot more than many other books because the characters in the novels feel the same way as the readers do. Anthem can especially relate to teens because i is about a man who feels trapped in his world and just wants knowledge and to find his own love. He wants what he wants for him not for the good of the society in the book.
Oppression The society in Anthem, by Ayn Rand has many oppressive rules that control the people living in it. These rules exist to repress people from feeling anything special for someone else, to cover up the past world, and to keep everyone completely equal. These horrible rules would certainly not exist in the world that Equality envisions creating at the end of the story. Clearly the rules put in place by The Council decrease the quality of life for everyone living in that society, and can give someone a new appreciation for the freedoms they have as individuals.
The society in Anthem, a novella by Ayn Rand, depicts an unchanging environment, desolate of abnormalities. The main character in the book, Equality 7-2521, was raised in a totalitarian environment, run by the Council of Vocations. The Council of Vocations is the group in charge of placing people into their specified work fields, one of which is the Home of the Scholars. The Home of the Scholars is the highest ranking group in the society, where the people put in this group are in charge of discovering new inventions. Allowance of creativity and ideas governs invention in life, however the autocratic habitat shown in Anthem demonstrates that the conditions of that environment limited the amount of technological advancements that were available.
Anthem Imagine living in a world where you have no control over who you are, or who you wanna be with. Being an individual is better because you get more control, more relationships with people, and less trouble. Now let 's move on to the reasons why each would be better as an individual. Fist, more control in anthem and real life. As an individual you will be able to have control of who you are and who you friends are, Just like in real life we get to have control over who we are and who we wanna hang out with.
Explain the following quote: “To be free, a man must be free of his brothers.” How does this quote exemplify a theme of anthem? In the novella Anthem by Ayn Rand, Equality is learning that men had freedom and individual names. Equality 7-2521 had his brothers and the council holding him back from his freedom and self-ego, equality 7-2521 is learning the people from the unmentionable times had names and not numbers, in the novella Anthem
There's so much emphasis on putting others before oneself that people often forget to look out for their own needs, as shown in this book. Ayn Rand successfully captures the negatives of an overrated ideology and presents an unorthodox perspective on the matter. In conclusion, Equality's true motives behind his work are much more selfish than they first appear to be. Equality strives to fulfil his own personal desire rather than contribute everything to society, and this isn't necessarily a negative thing.