Summary Of Anthem By Ayn Rand

In the novel “Anthem”, written by Ayn Rand, everyone lives in a totalitarian world. Everyone is to think of everyone as a whole, never to think of just oneself. You are to love everyone the same; there are no friends, no lovers, not even acquaintances. You are to never think of the faults of others, everyone is the considered the same. Yet by the end of the novel the main character, Equality 7-2521, has discovered that the Council of Vocations is wrong and has broken off from the society. The idea of totalitarianism was discussed in Ayn Rand’s short essay “How Does One Lead a Rational Life in an Irrational Society?”. During the essay, Rand explains how she feels towards this topic. She speaks of how in a world such as Equality’s there is no distinguishing the right from wrong. Rand tells of how nothing can corrupt a culture or a man’s character such as moral agnosticism.

In the totalitarian world of “Anthem” moral agnosticism is required.

He became very critical of them and even took it as far as to denounce them in moral terms. In addition to my earlier statement of Equality 7-2521, he turned his back on the society he was raised in when he discovered that it was wrong. Yet he had not always been this way, even though he has always been different in a society that says you have to be the equal, Equality has always tried to fit in. He had always made sure to be aware of what he was doing so as to not go against the social norm. However by the end of the novel, you see a change in him. He no longer believes that he should have to fit in, he no longer wishes to. Equality believes that the totalitarian world he lives in is erroneous. He believes the leaders are at fault, that men are not equal. He believes that you should be able to love, to have friends, and above all be able to think of