In 1937, The Author Ayn Rand wrote the novel Anthem to illustrate how different the world would be without individualism. In Anthem, there is no such thing as I but only we, except when Equality 7-2521 rediscovers the forbidden that is when everything is jeopardized. In Anthem the city has numerous rules and controls to keep its citizens in order or in line.
Ayn Rand’s Anthem is the story of a man’s personal growth and quest for freedom from the rules and regulations in the society, which he lived. As the novel’s main character, Equality struggles to find meaning in his life and to understand his own unique nature. 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
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One night he discovers an opening in the ground left from the ancient times of which he is forbidden to speak, “when men knew the secrets we have lost.” Equality begins to sneak away from his daily tasks to sit and think, and it is in this opening that he discovers the great secret of electricity. Equality decides to show the “box of glass” he has created to the World Council of Scholars, but when he presents this new Innovation to the scholars, they scold him, their ignorance and strictness. He flees to the dense woods that surround the city, accompanied by his glass box and by Liberty 5-3000. In the forest, Liberty and Equality come upon a house from the Unspeakable Times? an apartment building. Here, Equality plans to build a “new land and a new fort,” creating a new society that will not follow the rules and restrictions of the
One night he heard someone in the bushes getting closer and closer. He hid until he could see who it was and realized it was Liberty 5-3000, his “Golden One”. They both continued into the Uncharted Forest until they came upon a vacant house. They found strange and unique items inside the house such as books, mirrors and light bulbs. Both Equality and Liberty decided that would be the house they started their new lives in.
One of the biggest rules is you cannot try to learn to anything new or invent something. Equality decides that he wants to learn more and invent new things. In this society the council decides what you will do like a road worker or a teacher. Equality gets assigned to be a street sweeper. He doesn’t like this assignment
Flaws with Collective Governments in Anthem and Catch-22 Without systems of government or leadership, the world would crumble into an anarchic chaos, leading to a dangerous environment for its citizens. However, oftentimes governing bodies lean the other direction, with laws and enforcement so strict their people become oppressed. Ayn Rand and Joseph Heller explore the negative consequences of oppressive dystopias in their novels Anthem and Catch-22, respectively, which describe two men’s struggle against their governments. Ayn Rand, staunchly against collectivism in her own life, wrote the allegory Anthem to reflect her anti-collective sentiment. In Anthem, the central character, Equality 7-2521, describes growing up in a collectivist society
How Does One Lead a Rational Life in the Great Rebirth Ayn Rand is an illustrious writer, known for many of her works including the short novella Anthem and her short essay How Does One Lead a Rational Life in an Irrational Society. In Anthem, she speaks of a dystopian world set in the future with primitive technology. The Council expects everybody to look, act, and generally be the same as one another; however, Equality, the main character of Anthem, does not conform to the social norm. He rebels from the cookie-cutter system and learns to see the deep err in the way of the Council and finally realises the effects that the abusive treatment of the citizens creates.
Anthem Anthem is a fascinating insight on individualism and collectivism. Ayn Rand’s book is a hyperbolic example of today’s society. The novella demonstrates how “we” and “us” are shoved among humanity just as a wild animal is forced into a cage; also known as collectivism. The concept of collectivism is reciprocated into individualism throughout the narrative. Rand made Anthem extraordinary by exaggerating the extremes, writing in Science Fiction format, and gradually familiarizing individualism among the characters as the pages became fewer.
Equality became more independent unknowingly, by being by himself and learning more while he was by himself. The setting very much so impacts the theme, especially in this book. This is because, in this book, the theme is to not let yourself be controlled by others, to be different, independent and outgoing, and, to not be afraid to seek knowledge and or be curious. The setting connects the theme to the character development, because Equality 7-2521 becomes independent, the person that he turns out to be in the end of the book, and faces conflicts throughout the book because of this Cave from the Unmentionable Times. This cave caused conflict with Equality 7-2521 and the Corrective Detention, since he wouldn’t tell the people where he was and what he found, which caused him to be lashed
Someone needs to arouse Equality’s primal instinct that has been buried by his camaraderie, and her name is Liberty. “Their body was straight and thin as a blade of iron. Their eyes were dark and hard and glowing, with no fear in them, no kindness and no guilt. […] They threw seeds from their hand as if they deigned to fling a scornful gift, and the earth was as a beggar under their feet” (49). For the first time Equality feels desire and knows pain.
What makes one person different from another? Is it height, weight, and color of skin, or is it personality, family, and attitude? These differences can define a person and separate them from those around them. These differences make a person an individual; however, in Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem, Equality 7-521 is anything but an individual. He spends his days sweeping the streets and his nights sleeping in a white room with ninety-nine of his brothers.
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.”
A system of monstrous tyranny holds individuality captive making true happiness rare. When one is muted by society’s harsh regulations, they suffer internally and externally. In the novella Anthem, Ayn Rand creates a character named Equality who feels tremendous sorrow for the way his life is, but will eventually locate the power behind his own voice. He will use his experiences to guide his acts of defiance and overcome opposing obstacles. Dispar and the negative attitude of others pushed Equality to become determined to transform his life.
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
Have you ever imagined a world where there was no such thing as the word “I”? In the book “Anthem” written by Ayn Rand, the society is the only thing people know and are familiar with. Equality 7-2521 lives in a world where he does not even know himself. Exploring, learning, and experimenting is beyond forbidden. Throughout the book Equality learns who he is and why he grew up the way he grew up.
Anthem is a book that makes oneself contemplate the future and what evils are bestowed upon it. In this novel, the reader is caught in the life of Equality. Equality’s life is placed in the future, where the feared reality of communism has conquered all but the souls of few weary men. Equality is one of those few men who have a light that is invulnerable to a ravaging wind. Equality’s time captive before his extraordinary escape has taken a toll on his body and mind and now at the end of his journey forces him to question whether the decisions he’s made are full of sin or teeming with righteousness.
Many people wonder why us teens enjoy dystopian movies and literature. Our reasons why we enjoy these kind of films and books are because it interest us, it makes us to think outside the box, it shows us a different lifestyle to live. For examples like the book “Anthem” by Ayn Rand and the movie “The Giver” by Philip Noyce. The movie and film both have a dystopian setting. For their dystopian ideas they both made them having some kind of rebel, who believes in more than just black and white or normal.
However, since the council fails to recognize this idea, Equality has two options: either face imminent execution or flee. By choosing the latter and fleeing into the Uncharted Forest, Equality finally is, in a physical sense, free from the rule of collectivist society. Now he is alone in the forest, alone with his thoughts. He decides where he goes, when he sleeps, what he eats. However, he is still not fully