Throughout Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem, numerous objects and occurrences symbolize much more than what they are presented as. Of the more obvious symbols, light has the largest impact on the course of the story. The most important instance of light centers around Equality 7-2521’s re-invention of the light bulb. Rand uses light to provide a religious, mythic feeling to the acts of Equality 7-2521 and how he symbolizes light himself. In a society where all men and women are one equal and single minded being; Equality 7-2521 becomes the lone source of individuality and a beacon of light to the people of this oppressed civilization. When the Golden One gives Equality 7-2521 the name Prometheus after the Greek deity it symbolizes his heroism and gift
What would our society be like if we had rules that forced everyone to be equal? Ayn Rand illustrates this in Anthem. The society is overrun by rules that control the citizens lives. The rules are supposed to be there to make everyone equal, but in reality they are making everything exponentially unequal. The laws are there to keep the people believing they are equal. But, if they knew what they could have would they decide to stay in the society where they are told what to do their entire lives, or would they go with Prometheus to his new “modern” society. In Prometheus’s society I believe he will have rules that any civilized society needs. Although, he will not have restrictive rules that try to enforce equality.
Individuality allows every person to be themselves and be different from each other. However, In Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem, Rand describes a society where the people were not allowed to openly be themselves, or else they would be punished for being different. The main character, Equality, notices he is different slowly throughout the novella, but kept continuing to be like everyone else for awhile. These rules exist in this society to strip human individuality in order to achieve total equality.
Hesiod’s Theogony was a myth that addressed the connection between human beings to the Gods and the universe. Giving that Hesiod lived during the Iron age ( 750-650 B.C.) alongside Homer, it is not extraordinary that the two shared similar religious views. Keeping that in mind, he was able to offer his interpretation of how the world came into existence in his epic poem the Theogony. While creating Prometheus’ myth, he focused on the ominous interactions between Zeus and Prometheus that lead to abhorrent events such as the creation of Pandora. On the contrary, Aeschylus lived in the sixth Century B.C. amid a time of great stir and movement in matters of religion and speculation. Hesiod’s Theogony was no longer able to satisfy the higher minds among the nation. Thus, inspiring Aeschylus to write tragic poets such as Prometheus’ Bound in order to express his own ideology and pointing the moral of tragedy. It is no surprise that Hesiod viewed Zeus as a glorified olympian hero and Prometheus as a traitor who stole fire and gave it to mankind. Aeschylus’s idea of Prometheus was conflicting to Hesiod, whereby he viewed Prometheus as a god supporting the civilization of mankind. Through thorough analysis of Zeus’ interaction with Prometheus in both Hesiod’s Theogony and Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound, this essay will be able to clarify which one of the authors had the most accurate
In Apology, Socrates faces possible execution as he stands trial in front of his fellow Athenian men. This jury of men must decide whether Socrates has acted impiously against the gods and if he has corrupted the youth of Athens. Socrates claims in his defense that he wants to live a private life, away from public affairs and teachings in Athens. He instead wants to focus on self-examination and learning truths from those in Athens through inquiry. Socrates argues that "a [man] who really fights for justice must lead a private, not a public, life if [he] is to survive for even a short time" (32a). He claims that this is how he has been able to live a long life in Athens and that he never meant any harm to the state. Socrates believes that for
Since the day of the judgment between Athens and Socrates in 399 year B.C. many historians, philosophers, and students wonder to know whether Socrates was Guilty. Philosopher was accused in corrupting the youth, not believing in the recognized gods and introducing new divinities and in the rejection of civic life in democratic society. It is very difficult to answer on this question, may be even impossible.
For thousands of people, what is holy and what is moral comes from religious texts that act as a guide for individuals for how they ought to live their lives. This idea of holiness and morality for many is deeply rooted in the understanding that it originates with God; it is a necessary condition for it to be binding. However, what if what is holy and moral didn’t originate from God’s goodness, rather it comes from other mediums and is itself good thus being approved by God? This idea of existence and thought is a question that can be outlined in Plato’s, The Euthyphro.
Plato’s Apology tells the account of the trial of the philosopher Socrates. It is Plato’s account of what Socrates said against the charges they were being brought to him and his pursuit of his own innocence throughout the trial. The charges that are being brought up against him are that he is damaging the youth by corrupting them, accusation of his belief in the gods and teaching about gods that were not accepted by the State, they believe he is trying to change religion, while also accusing him that he will not prove to the court that he did not perform in these action. From the beginning, he asks not to be interrupted while he speaks and as he speaks his accusers seem to be taken back by his words. At the end Socrates changes in a sense
Prometheus Bound and The Book of Job are two stories that are both similar in many ways, but at the same time very different from one another. Prometheus Bound is a story about a man who kindly assists humans and gives them fire for their own use. However, Zeus does not like the fact that Prometheus helped the humans, or is friends with them, so he decided to punish Prometheus for what he done. Zeus has his his servant Hephaestus chain Prometheus to a rock and leave him there. Prometheus spend days on the rock and talks to the Chorus of Oceanis, lo, and Hermes while he is on the rock and explains to them all why he is chained to the rock. To end the story a thunderstorm rolls in and Prometheus is left chained to the rock. The Book of Job is a story about a man who “feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1, ESV). He was a very wealthy man who had ten children, many livestock, and many servants. Satan speaks to God one day and God gives him permission to test Job’s faith. Satan begins by taking away Job’s children, killing his livestock,
Anthem is writing as a journey of Equality 7-2521, a young man living in the future in which people have lost all knowledge of individualism, for not even knowing the word "I" and can only speak of himself as "We." Everyone lives and work in collective groups and he is assigned to a Street Sweeper of the city by the Council of Vocations. However, Equality 7-2521 try to lead himself to recreate electric light and how it can be harnessed to human benefit. He has been taught that it is a sin to harbor secret ambitions, and so he believes he is guilty.Equality 's struggle to be free and to reach an individual life/ When he presents his discovery to the Council of Scholars, they punish him for daring to act as an individual and threaten to destroy his creation. He went into the Uncharted Forest and he is joined there by his love, a girl called Liberty 5-3000. They rediscover the lost language of itself and use his new knowledge to build a society.
I think. I will.” (page 94) For the first time Equality 72521 is realizing that as a human being, he exists, which means he has the ability to think. With the ability to think for one’s self comes the ability to carry out actions and to do things for one’s self. The quote symbolizes that when applied to life, Equality 72521 has free will a choice in how he lives, his own destiny and the path that he wants to follow. In Anthem, the society is one in which everyone is equal and no one is superior to anyone else. However, society comes with a price as no one is able to think or speak for themselves. When Equality 72521 realizes that he can think and speak for himself in his “new world” then his new reality stems from
Perhaps in the beginning, after the unmentionable times, they truly wanted to help better their society. But the leaders in the society had the wrong idea.Granted Equality, as well as others have proved that being in a society of “WE” deprives you of your true self. By Equality leaving the society he used to call home, he represents a new generation. A society that allows everyone to have a voice and self expression. Starting with Equality’s (Prometheus) son being born into this new “world” of selfness and independence. Creating a generation of “brothers” that work together to help the society function, but not to be known as
Throughout the last five weeks, I have read three of Plato’s dialogues: the cave allegory, Euthyphro, and the Apology. While reading them, I was able to see Plato’s view of a philosophical life. To live philosophically is to question appearances and look at an issue/object from a new perspective. In this essay, I will explain Plato’s cave allegory, Socrates’ discussion with Euthyphro, and the oracle story in the Apology. I will also discuss how they all express Plato’s conception of what is involved in living philosophically, and how they all relate to the cave allegory.
The ring is a symbol with multiple purposes, according to The Book of Symbols the ring also symbolize “bonding, binding, promise, vows, and covenants.” Now the genie is bonded to the ring and ring bearer, Aladdin. Aladdin and the genie are in a covenant of master and servant. The meaning of the ring be a symbol of bonding goes back to the story of Prometheus. In order for Prometheus to be released from the stone he had to wear a ring by the command of zeus “To appease the law, a ring was made out of a link of the chain and a chip of the rock was mounted on the ring, which Prometheus wore forevermore.” (http://www.prometheanspark.org/who-was-prometheus.html). Even though the ring seems to represent enslavement for the genie, it is also a sign
After he escapes, he changes his name to Prometheus. Prometheus is no longer controlled by the house of council, and he can now create new laws and regulations of his own. He will most likely leave out all the laws of his past community because he has suffered through the restrictions, and no individuality allowed from the past government. His laws will allow the people to individually flourish, and allow them to feel important as one and as a