ipl-logo

Choices And Consequences Of Discovery In Ayn Rand's Anthem

674 Words3 Pages

In the book Anthem by Ayn Rand, Equality lives in a world where individuality is a sin. He finds himself smarter, taller, and stronger than his brothers. As he’s exploring one day, he finds a tunnel where he discovers something new. Deciding whether to show the Scholars his discovery or not is a difficult decision Equality makes in the book. If the Scholars don't approve of his invention, he could be punished for the crime he committed. He believes showing the Scholars this discovery will not only benefit his brothers but also give him a seat with the Scholars.
While Equality is going through the decision making process of whether or not he wants to show the Scholars, he thinks about the choices and consequences that this decision includes. “We can give our brothers a new light, cleaner and brighter than any they have ever known” (Rand 60). Equality writes this quote in his journal to express what he believes his motivation is for showing the Scholars his light box. Although, he also believes that he doesn't owe …show more content…

He writes, “Our discovery is too great for us to waste our time in sweeping the streets” (Rand 60). Equality knows he is worth more than he is perceived. As he writes more he starts to realize his real motivation for telling the Scholars about his discovery: possibly getting himself out of the Home of the Street Sweepers and into the Home of the Scholars. He doesn't confirm it with himself until after he goes through with showing the Scholars and being rejected. “We have not built this box for the good of our brothers. We built it for its own sake” (Rand 76). Selfishness is something Equality experiences for the first time during this time period. Ayn Rand herself says “each individual should live for his own happiness” (Rand). In a society like the one Equality lives in, I think he has every right to be a little

Show More
Related

  • 'The Individual In Ayn Rand's Anthem'

    118 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Ayn Rand 's novelette, "Anthem," in a society that is controlled and everyone is equal, there is a man that is brilliant name Equality 7-2521, he is very different from the other people there, he discovers the power of the sky and is punish but he escapes to the forest to make his own society that is all the people will be unique. Our society is made out of different kind of people,independent thinkers, daring innovators and successful entrepreneurs. They think different and have different perspectives on the world. These independent thinkers,daring innovators and successful entrepreneurs are outstanding but sometimes there accepted or turned down. But without these outstanding people where would the world, the technology that has advance.

    Read More

  • 'Great Joy In Ayn Rand's Anthem'

    395 Words  | 2 Pages

    The essential source of Equality's "great joy" is self-achievement. He is extremely pleased that he has imagined something new that the House of Scholars has never observed. It will profit humankind in two or three

    Read More

  • Theme Of Equality 7-2521 In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    1083 Words  | 5 Pages

    Ayn Rand’s Anthem is a creative novel about a society limited by a dictating government that only permits certain thoughts, words, and actions for it’s people. In this society, all of the citizens are given a role from age 15 are are expected to follow that role with passion. However, Equality 7-2521 is a citizen of this totalitarian society who feels he must take action to break free. It is ironic his name is Equality 7-2521, because the society revolves around equality (Jones). The dystopian world Equality 7-2521 lives in causes great conflict (internal and external), which forces him to learn many new things and grow as a person throughout the novella.

    Read More

  • The Struggle For Freedom In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    879 Words  | 4 Pages

    Equality reluctantly pursues his ego, as he cannot deny his inherent solitary nature. Equality finally tastes his first experience of freedom when he discovers a tunnel hidden underground with a friend. As Ayn Rand describes, “It was old and rusted by many rains. We pulled

    Read More

  • Summary Of Anthem By Ayn Rand

    1560 Words  | 7 Pages

    This violates the principles of Objectivism by mankind being taught to be irrational, although rationality is a natural quality of any human. In addition, “‘... he must work for his rational self-interest, with the acheivement of his own happiness as the highest moral purpose of his life.’ Thus Objectivism rejects any form of altruism- the claim that morality consists in living for others or society” (Rand 261). So, Rand’s opposition to altruism is shown by the beliefs of Equality’s society by them also violating her philosophy.

    Read More

  • Ayn Rand's Anthem: Living Life Through A Mask

    646 Words  | 3 Pages

    At the beginning, he reveals the unique features that make him an outlier in society and how these features and thoughts are not accepted. Equality 7-2521 begins by talking about how in his society, “it is a sin to think words no others think,” in addition to how it is not allowed to “put them down upon a paper no others are to see” (Rand 2). Equality 7-2521 reveals how the society he is living in has no freedom or individualism for people, and they must abide by society’s rules, or otherwise, they are punished. Equality also shows how society believes in conformity rather than individuality, and has taken freedom away from the individuals living in society, brainwashing them into society’s values. Later on, in Anthem, Equality brings a new concept to the World Council of Scholars, which is against the law but uses society’s ideas to brainwash them into listening to him plead for acceptance.

    Read More

  • Individuality In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    802 Words  | 4 Pages

    Once one discovers their uniqueness, one longs to share it with others. This is why once Equality discovers light, he doesn’t want to keep it to himself, he wants to share it with the rest of the world, “We must not keep our secret to ourselves, not buried under the ground. We must bring it to the sight of men” (Rand 60). Though the society in the novel is heavily exaggerated, the idea of breaking through from the public’s expectations still stands in our society today. All in all, Rand shows readers through symbolism, that the first step on the staircase of selfishness is

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Seeking Truth In Anthem By Ayn Rand

    785 Words  | 4 Pages

    Equality is always being put up against his society for this reason, yet he does not care. In the novella, Anthem, Ayn Rand highlights the theme of seeking truth through Equality 7-2527’s curiosity, the

    Read More

  • The Value Of Freedom In Anthem By Ayn Rand

    921 Words  | 4 Pages

    This shows Equality distancing himself from the dystopian society and gaining greater freedom. Equality does this through his constant resistance and rule-breaking tendencies when searching for his own freedom. Freedom is something that both Equality in the Anthem, as well as its author Rand valued, as it is a frequent and recurring theme in the

    Read More

  • Moral Assessment Of Anthem Essay

    792 Words  | 4 Pages

    In response to the choice of Street Sweeper, Equality thinks, “We knew we had been guilty, but now we had a way to atone for it” (26). With his intelligence and curiosity, Equality would do much better as a Scholar. The government punishes him for being different, and as a result, they can’t see him become advantageous. They are blinded by their beliefs on

    Read More

  • Anthem Essay On Equality

    559 Words  | 3 Pages

    With all of his experience that nobody has known in at least a century he is extremely capable of deciding whether of his choices are right. His personality keeps him from giving up hope and giving up on his society and his companion but keeps him curious enough to keep searching for something better in life. Equality has aged to the point where he thinks he needs to change the world and will try to do so. Most would believe that Equality’s actions were righteous and could not contemplate that his actions were

    Read More

  • Summary Of Anthem By Ayn Rand

    1067 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the final chapters of the book, after Equality and The Golden One have discovered their new house and proposed to build a new life, they read books in its intact library and so discover the forbidden word, “I” (94). This discovery prompts Equality to radically overhaul his entire way of going through life, aligning it to Rand’s Objectivist philosophy. His focus on himself, illustrated through his obsession with the word I is show in the last two chapters of the book, where he latches on to the idea that devoting one’s life to only oneself is the only appropriate way to live life. Rand shows this with statements from Equality such as, “I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them”(96). Equality is proclaiming that his life will be best lived in a purely selfish manner, where he will not take care of anyone else, but will not ask anyone to take care of him either.

    Read More

  • Power Of Society In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    849 Words  | 4 Pages

    He hopes that by turning himself into the Council, they will acknowledge his humility and instead of punishment, view his great intelligence. Equality 7-2521 expresses this feeling by saying, “Tomorrow [...] we shall take our box [...] and walk through the streets to the Home of the Scholars. [...] We shall join our hands to theirs, and we shall work together, with the power of the sky, for the glory of mankind” (67). Now may be Equality’s only chance to escape the House of Street Sweepers and get into the Council of Scholars. By finding this tunnel from the “unmentionable times”, Equality 7-2521 has unlocked a side of himself that he never knew existed; a side that viewed society in a different light.

    Read More

  • Individual Rights And Freedom In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    749 Words  | 3 Pages

    So long a road lies before us, and what care if we must travel it alone!” (54) In this statement all Equality cares about is his invention and he is still trying to expand his

    Read More

  • Collectivism And Selfishness In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    594 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about Choices And Consequences Of Discovery In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Open Document