Individualism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Label versus Name In her novel Anthem, Ayn Rand uses the character’s names as a symbol to push the idea that individualism among a collective society becomes absent, causing a self-sufficient, creative, and powerful person within the society to be destructed. In this society, the force in control utilizes the character’s names as a way to illustrate a lack of individuality. In the beginning of the story, the character’s names represent an idea of collectivism. The names of each person in the society are similar, and Equality 7-2521 explains, “Our name is Equality 7-2521, as it is written on the iron bracelet which all men wear on their left wrists with their names upon it” (Rand 18). Equality 7-2521 describes how names in the society function. In this case, the character’s names convey unity and collectivism. All forms of individuality are purposefully erased or forgotten; even the word “I” and the basic concept of oneself have been lost. This illustrates why the narrator refers to himself as “we” and why every character’s name is a symbol or adjective for a social concept, such as Liberty, Unity, International, and Equality. The names reveal the oppressive collectivism in the society of Anthem. Individuals just have stock names which reflect the collectivist social ideals, and then are literally given a number, following their stock name. Nothing in these names are expressive of individuality, which is a personality of a collective society. Furthermore, as the story