Bullying And Violence Revealed In Anthem, By Ayn Rand

Throughout the story, Equality’s views and mindset changes, he realizes that he is different from his brothers and its ok to be different. He discovers that if something is legal it is not certainly right. His eager for knowledge taught him the word “I” abandoning the word “We”. This made Equality find out who he is and gave him the chance to be an individual.

Throughout Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem, character developments play a crucial role in establishing the overall concepts present in the novella. One of the most significant developments present takes part in the life of Liberty 5-3000, the Golden One, or Gaea, depending on what stage of life is presented. The development of this character contributes to the idea of individualism, which establishes a base for the most copious theme destruction of a collective society.

Ayn Rand’s philosophy of human nature is perfectly exhibited in her outstanding novella ‘Anthem’. The central theme of the story, the individual versus the collective, is almost transpires in all her novels but Rand initiates the theme from this novella. This theme becomes an important element of her moral and political philosophy. The story takes place in a communist society that is unnamed where an individual has no rights of his own, and he has to live solely for the society and to serve it. The hero, Equality 7-2521 is a creative and innovative young man who longs to be a scientist but is condemned by the society and works as a street sweeper. In fact the government fears his independence of mind and restricts his development.

The passage, Anthem, is a science fiction novel written by Ayn Rand. It is mainly about the protagonist, Equality 7-2521's, futuristic journey on rediscovering various aspects of human’s nature. Concepts such as individualism and freedom have been lost due to the oppressive rule of the government, serving as the main antagonist of the novel. Throughout the passage, Anthem, the author uses the literary element of theme. The theme is the main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work. The author uses a theme to convey the central idea of the importance and effects of a person’s individuality on both their freedom and euphoria.

When Equality saw his reflection in the river he said this, “And we thought that we could trust this being who looked upon us from the stream, and that we had nothing to fear with this being.” (Rand 80). This statement signifies that the was different from everyone else in his city. He looked different than the people who had tried to kill him for discovering something magnificent. He felt no shame in how he looked because he was not like the people that believed that his individuality was a terrible crime. His entire life people had looked at him and scorned him because he was different then his brothers, and he finally understood why. Equality was a man with a different appearance than his brothers, and he was looked down on for it. Equality was a man with a greater intelligence than his brothers, but he was nearly killed for it. Equality was a man that was different from his brothers in almost every way, and it lead to the discovery of something great. The ability for a man to be individual and to be able to think, speak, and act for themselves and be different is what was and always will be the greater good for all of

While working for the Home of the Street Sweepers, Equality stumbles upon an underground tunnel. While in the tunnel, he makes many “new” discoveries, and builds his light. Equality’s discovery in the tunnel demonstrates his individuality, and his ability to break free from the societal norm in order to thrive in his individualistic society. When he begins his adventure to find his own individuality in the tunnel Equality explains that, “We have learned things which are not in the scripts” (Anthem 36). Thus showing that he has broken away from society, and is surpassing the others in the communal society by “learn[ing] things which are not in the scripts,” which were written by others in the communal society. Without his own individuality, Equality probably wouldn’t have had the courage to go into the tunnel in the first place, he wouldn’t have created his light, and the rest of the story would be irrelevant. If he hadn’t truly taken his self-pride and individuality to the next level, he would have been a lousy

Imagine a world, a society, where personal beliefs and interests mean nothing. A society where the self is worth nothing, but “we,” the people, means all. That world is Anthem, by Ayn Rand. In that world of Anthem is Equality, a young man who eventually breaks the bonds placed on him of collectivism. Anthem is defined as a dystopian work of literature seeing as the conflicts Rand uses such as man vs. society, man vs. technology and man vs. self.

The society’s institutions, practices, and officials reveal these differences. Equality, the gifted, brilliant-minded protagonist of the story, struggles to live in his society because of the contrasting views on morality he has compared to his society. Even his society realizes something unique about him, and are afraid of him. The Council assigns him the job of Street Sweeper, even though Equality longed to be a scientist and a Scholar. Equality finally gets to escape his miserable society and all the institutions, practices, and officials that are a part of it. He comes to the realization that there is more to life than serving other people, and that he owes nothing to his brothers or his society. Equality, after struggling and fighting for his freedom, finally knows why he lives and what has been missing in his life. “The moral purpose of a man’s life is the achievement of his own happiness.” (The Ethics of

“My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.” — Ayn Rand. In the book Anthem by Ayn Rand, it is questioned whether she went too far with collectivism and individualism, some may say that she didn't go enough. Others say she went as far as she needed to. She went as far as she needed to, the right amount. She gave a sense or reality, sometimes things are taken advantage of, and what being stripped away from your own thoughts do to you. In her book The Anthem, she helps bring these thoughts to life. With a society that is not allowed to be themselves. They do

In school, most of the boys in the classrooms aren't as intelligent as Equality and his teachers recognized this. In this community it is a major sin for one the be smarter than his brothers, or different in anyway. "It was not that the learning 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 than our brothers, but evil is superior to them." (Rand 21) This Quote is showing that For being so much smarter than his other brothers, Equality is found as a sin and when the council hears about this they immediately try to give him a job to where he can try to revolt against the council. Everything that the council does to try to prevent Equality from doing anything bad to them in the end makes him want to find out more about what they are doing and why they are doing this to everyone in the

Such thoughts are only expanded upon with the creation of electricity when Equality truly begins to doubt the Council stating “But we think that he Council of Scholars is blind” (52). This becomes the turning point for Equality as he continues resisting the beliefs of the Council. Soon his disbelief begins to change Equality creating a pride that becomes the driving force for his decisions. When Equality discovers electricity, he takes credit for the discovery proclaiming, “We, Equality 7-2521, have discovered a new power of nature. And we have discovered it alone, and we are alone to know it.” (52). This statement about discovering it alone shows that Equality’s pride may prevent him from reasoning with people who think otherwise. This pride comes face to face with this issue when the council argues, “What is not thought by all men cannot be true,” and that “the thing must be destroyed” (73-74). As Equality develops unbreakable pride, he soon believes that what he is doing is right and should not be stopped. Later stating, “Now let us be lashed for it, if we must” (52). This

Teachers and authority figures continuously yelled and reprimanded Equality 7-2521 for fighting with others. Growing up he was always looked down upon as many saw him as a great evil because of his differences (Rand 18). Being a very curious youth, he began to ask many questions and think a lot. Knowing it was wrong to have a preference over something or someone else, he wanted more than anything to be assigned the job of a scholar. When the day came for the Council of Vocations to decide everyone's job, Equality 7-2521 was assigned to the Home of Street Sweepers. He was still glad because it meant working this job would help him make up for the sins he committed (Rand 26). During his years as a street sweepers, he became good friends with International 4-8818 and falls in love with Liberty 5-3000, or as he renamed her, The Golden One. One day while sweeping the streets he and International 4-8818 discover a tunnel and they keep it a secret. Time goes by and Equality 7-2521 keeps writing in his journal while he's in the tunnel and soon invents the lightbulb after discovering electricity (Rand 59). Coming home late to the Home of Street Sweepers the

Controversial material in Anthem, by Ayn Rand, includes brief use of profanity, issues of morality, and exploitation of women. Also, controversy surrounding Ayn Rand’s work is the over-emphasizing of individualistic ideas she displays, as well as the adoration of egotism.

Ayn Rand, in her book, Anthem, chose to argue the most intense version of collectivism against the most extreme form of individualism. While her actions seem bold, her writing style fits this story very well. The setup of her novel was difficult to understand, however it portrayed the main character’s feelings and actions well. It helped the reader understand the main character’s frustration with collectivism. It

Anthem by Ayn Rand tells a tale of a young man, who finds himself in a collectivist society, where the individual is effaced, and replaced with the facade of a perfect whole. Rulers of these oppressive and marxist states unravel the entire concept of “ego” through guilt and the institution of false gratitude, and this method of control remains relevant today through similar societies as seen in Anthem. Ayn Rand has taken my perception of these ideals and societies and has entirely stretched it to the far side of the spectrum of political identities in order to expose me to a often overlooked reality a reality of control and positively interpreted ignorance. Ayn Rand’s depiction of a restrictive collectivist society