In “Anthem”, by Ayn Rand, Equality 7-2521 is completely unaware that the Council he trusts is actually plotting against him to maintain control of the society, but comes to realize the truth about his society as he questions its morals and eventually runs away to make his own path. This leads to his ultimate realization that his society is completely and totally evil. He weeps when he discovers the word “I”. He had been searching for a word that could suffice for that meaning, but never found it until he ran away from the society to discovery it. The society in Anthem was morally wrong for a handful of reasons.
First of all, the society was completely reliant on the people as a whole, like any other collectivist group. The problem with this
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They simply said that there is no individual. This was their escape from the moral judgement as to which this was right or wrong, and it allowed them to convince the whole society that there they do not matter individually. That was proven wrong when Equality rediscovered electricity by himself in a dark tunnel. That is why no individual ideas were allowed, because it would have exposed …show more content…
This is what made them fail. Equality was just overly persistent, and they had no means of force to stop him from rebelling since they relied on complete cooperation from the society. Equality believed in his individualism, and rebelled to make his own path. He dared to love his woman of choice and the career that he had a passion for. For these reasons, he was incompatible with the incorrect
In the book Anthem their society is way different from ours. They are not allowed to be individual or say the word “I”. They can’t have names, instead they are in groups and have group names. They all have a part in society like their jobs and things they do. For example the equality group belong to the street sweepers.
“Equality 7-2521 always displayed a keen intellect and pride. Equality 7-2521 has ambitions to join the Council of Scholars. The Scholars, however, fear what Equality 7-2521 is capable of. To break his spirit and discourage his intellect, Equality is relegated to the menial position of street sweeper.” (gradesaver.com).
How can a collectivist society be created when each individual is different? In Anthem, Equality is the protagonist that lives in a collectivist society, in a collectivist society every individual is equal and must think and act collectively. In the novella Anthem by Ayn Rand the process for establishing a collective society requires the removal of love, education, and individualism. In order to remove love and relationships what leads to these relationships must also be taken such as friends and family.
“We were born with a curse. It has always driven us to thoughts which are forbidden. It has always given us wishes which men may not wish. We know that we are evil, but there is no power or will in us to stop it” (18). Equality 7-2521 is born into a society in which individuality is a crime.
In Ayn Rand’s novella, Anthem, mankind is a philanthropic machine. The brotherhood nobly works together to achieve a common goal. In doing so, each man is asked to disregard his own personal means and goals. For every decision must be a collective thought and every advancement, a joint action. However, one man in this machine malfunctions.
Later in the novella, Equality does not care what laws he breaks because he knows that he is different and he is starting to realize that being different is not something to shelter and be ashamed of. “We have stolen candles from the Home of the Street Sweepers, we have stolen flints and knives and paper, and we have brought them to this place” (Rand 35). This shows that for Equality to fulfill his curiosity, he will go against his society and do what he feels is right. “We lunged against the door and it gave way. We stole through the dark passages, and through dark streets, and down our tunnel” (67).
Everyone is born with independence, but imagine a society where this virtue is ceased. In the novel “Anthem” written by Ayn Rand, she describes a society in which everyone is the exact same. Equality 7-2521 and Liberty 5-3000 are two characters that live under a strict and controlling rule, in which they make decisions for you. As they story goes on, the two characters discover love, freedom, liberty, and independence. To Equality, being similar to his brothers was not equal, he believes that the meaning of “I” celebrates joy and peace within a society.
In the novella Anthem by Ayn Rand, there are many quotes that have a very significant meaning in the story, as well as in the real world. Equality lives in a society where everyone does, says, and thinks what they’re told to, having no sense of being their own person. Equality eventually gets tired of all of these rules, spoken and unspoken, and decides to defy his society. Throughout the novel, Equality was able to find who he was and what his purpose was by challenging his society, and it’s rules. One of the first quotes that has a more significant meaning is when Equality says, “
Equality defies the council of scholars and his government by studying and learning about the world. “How dare you think that your mind held greater wisdom than the mind of your brothers” (Rand 71). Equality goes against
In the book Anthem, by Ayn Rand, it tells about a flawless society where everything is gathered and distributed. Eventually the main character escapes the society and lives on his own with everything he can do himself. Ayn Rand went too far when she made the character completely autonomous. Three reasons that support this claim is how they couldn’t make decisions on their own, the way their life was mapped, and how people interact with each other.
We alone. Our hands. Our mind. Ours alone and only ours” (59) In this statement Equality takes all the credit for his new invention and says that the invention was made alone.
How could losing individuality affect a society? The novel Anthem by Ayn Rand is about a guy named Equality 7-2521 who is trying to find himself in a society where everything is controlled and different. Later, he finds himself even though he will have to go through many obstacles to get there. The process behind losing individuality in an Anthem’s society are in forcing strict laws, brain washing of their citizens, and removing of family. The Anthem society in forcing of strict laws made it easy for everyone to lose their individuality.
Collectivism and Selfishness in Anthem Imagine living in a world where everybody's lives are completely mapped out by the government. Where every decision is made without the input of the citizens it affects. In the novella Anthem, Ayn Rand depicts a completely collectivist society, where every idea, action, and invention is purely for the benefit of society as a whole. Everything is done with the entire population in mind, and individuality is extremely frowned upon.
The book Anthem by Ayn Rand is a book with many strict rules and consequences. The City was very particular in how they do things. If you lived there, you never made one decision for yourself. They had a set group to decide your job for you and everything else for your life. You was not allowed to say certain things or even talk the way you want.
Imagine living in a world with you nothing made you unique. In Anthem by Ayn Rand, that is how Equality 7-2521 has lived his life. The society had thought of Equality as an outsider because his physical appearance was different from his brothers. “There is evil in your bones” (18). For his entire life, Equality has been frowned upon his physical and intellectual differences.