The Road To Individualism In Anthem, By Ayn Rand

In Ayn Rand’s novella, Anthem, mankind is a philanthropic machine. To achieve a common goal, the brotherhood disregards personal ambitions and nobly collaborates. Each decision of the mechanized society is compelled by spurious collective thought, and their so called advancements, by joint action. However, one man in this machine malfunctions: Equality-72521. With an inquisitive nature, an innovative mind, and latent desire, Equality possesses the traits of a visionary. Every step Equality takes, is one away from the public-spirited system; another towards personal identity. Each step is an internal struggle, due to the computerized brainwash and eloquent reprogram of Equality’s instinctive mind. But nature tells Equality that his DNA

Ayn Rand’s Anthem starts by Equality 7-2521 saying “It is a sin to write this.”

Tohniiya Yazzie per 1 Be unique in your own way, do not let other people tell you what to do. Anthem is a dystopian society. No one thinks for themselves, and there is no individuality, everyone has to think like a group. The leaders are called Council of Scholars and they tell everyone in the society what to think and do. No one is allowed to be different, and everyone is supposed to be the same, which is expected to make the society equal. Despite government regulations, Equality’s individuality and intelligent characteristics combined lead him to rediscover the lightbulb.

In response to the choice of Street Sweeper, Equality thinks, “We knew we had been guilty, but now we had a way to atone for it” (26). With his intelligence and curiosity, Equality would do much better as a Scholar. The government punishes him for being different, and as a result, they can’t see him become advantageous. They are blinded by their beliefs on

Robert Frost once said, “If society fits you comfortably enough, you can call it freedom”. Most people can relate to this quote, but what if an individual does not agree or feel comfortable in his or her social system? In the novella Anthem, Ayn Rand shows her willingness to leave an unjust society through Equality leaving his community, purposefully breaking laws, and pursuing his discoveries.

With all of his experience that nobody has known in at least a century he is extremely capable of deciding whether of his choices are right. His personality keeps him from giving up hope and giving up on his society and his companion but keeps him curious enough to keep searching for something better in life. Equality has aged to the point where he thinks he needs to change the world and will try to do so. Most would believe that Equality’s actions were righteous and could not contemplate that his actions were

(21) As Equality ages his superior knowledge is frowned on. He fight his so called curse and pretend to not understand what the teacher are teaching him. Equality is told to listen to the Council of Vocation and respect their decisions even though they are not fair. As to be predicted, Equality wishes to be apart of the Council of Scholars. It would be expected with Equality’s experior knowledge, that he would be place with the Scholars, but that is not what happened.

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.

However, Equality’s main motivation is personal achievement. He does this for him and him alone, although he knows his creation has the potential to be something

"We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever’”(Rand 19). In Ayn Rand’s dystopian novel, Anthem, the citizens are trained from birth to think only in the plural, to the point where they cannot even conceive of individuals, but only see each other as part of the whole group. Rand’s protagonist, Equality 72521, begins the novel as a street-sweeper who is devoted to the group, but begins to move towards individuality as he progresses towards pure selfishness, as Rand believes we all should. Rand uses the words “we” and “I” to represent Equality’s journey from being dependent on the group, to being utterly independent of everyone.

The Word ‘We’ is as lime poured over men, which sets and hardens stone, and crushes all beneath it, and that which is white and that which is black are lost equally in the grey of it” (Rand, 1946, p. 97). Equality 7-2521 words generate the notion that a collective society destroys humankind 's potential, while avoiding others gifted personalities. Equality is a 21 year old who defies societal norms and grabs tightly on to his curse of individualism, while living in a collectivist society that demands obedience from the group. Throughout the story, Equality progresses, as he reaches for his independence and rebel against the dictatorship of the government. As a result, Equality is faced with conflicts, internally and externally.

Equality has always stood out because of how smart and different he was. He was always interested in learning science and the pursuit of knowledge Equality’s primary motivation is to self achieve and find the true meaning of “I”. He wants

Equality is right to be motivated by curiosity. Yearning for the answers to his constant questions are what motivates his creativity and discovery. The constant curiosity is what leads him to dissect animals, melt metals, mix acids, and rediscover electricity. His individuality motivates him to do what he wants even though it is not allowed by society. He knows that he is quicker minded than the rest of his brothers, “It was not that the learning was too hard….

Equality does this by when he first falls in love with Liberty, he is obsessed. However, when his invention is rejected by the council, he starts to realize he doesn’t need to be in a group and in result, starts to love Liberty less. When he understand individuality fully, he becomes very selfish and doesn’t care for Liberty at all and thinks of her as an object. Equality felt he needed to be with a group and with Liberty. Through his journey he discovered that he doesn’t need to be with a group and can be independent.

Equality was also highly intelligent, smarter than his brothers, and he had potential to be an amazing member of the city, but he was never given the chance to be great. He was downgraded and placed as a street sweeper because he preferred to be a Scholar. Equality tried very hard to fit in a be like his brothers. It states, “We looked upon Union 5-3992, who were a pale boy with only half a brain, and we tried to say and do as they did, that we might be like them, like Union 5-3992, but somehow the Teachers knew that we were not.” (Rand 21).