A Totalitarian World Of The Future

During his childhood, he was blessed with an individual spirit and the intelligence to understand the knowledge of the world. In spite of this, he reckoned his abilities as transgressions. He acknowledged that the way of life was that “Everything which comes from the many is good. Everything which comes from the one is evil” (Rand 85). Equality strives to accept the totalitarian society and consequently, he desperately struggles to disregard his abilities and subdue his desires. The grisly effects of society are portrayed immensely through the profound sense of guilt he suffers while committing the Sin of Preference. He continually recites that, “We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed our lives. We exist through, by, and for our brothers who are the State. Amen” (Rand 21). Gradually, his aspirations contradict with the dogma of society. He discovers that he finds more joy committing the Sin of Preference rather than restraining himself from happiness, which ultimately, allows him to elude his conscious premises. Equality’s belief that “[he] [has] torn [himself] from the truth which is [his] brother men… [he] knows [this], but [he] [does] not care” (Rand 76) marks his complete triumph over collectivism. Prior to his transformation, he belonged to a society in which the Sin of Preference revoked all rights for any desire, which ultimately disallowed citizens to think for freely. If permitted to do so, no

Although Equality and his leaders have developed different experiences and knowledge, he can’t judge his society for having a different perspective than him. Instead he should respect their point of view and move on in life. Even though the Scholars didn’t respect his new discovery of the light bulb, it doesn’t mean that

Anthem by Ayn Rand is a dystopian novel written in the 1930’s. The novel displays a society that confines the human mind and body. The rights humans are restricted to what the government believes is fit. The characters are ruled by collectivism and communist. Communism is the belief that the government should own everything. Collectivism is the belief of a superior group that controls society. Rand reveals the nature of the main character’s society and the values of the main character, Equality 7-2521 by writing this excerpt of the novel in the character’s perspective in an assertive tone and beginning with the rights and wrongs of their society.

He was thought that it was bad to be different but he did not care, he just wanted to show other citizens that there was more than what meets the eyes. Not only is equality an individualized thinker but he is also smart and brave. Equality makes a statement in his society by creating light and sharing the new invention with others. “We MADE IT. WE CREATED IT. We brought it forth from the night of the ages. We alone. Our hands. Our minds. Ours alone and only. We knew not what we are saying. Our head is reeling. We look upon the light which we have made” ( Rand 59). This shows that Equality made a new invention and is eventually going to show it to the council of scholars. This affects society because the council of scholars thinks that Equality is being superior to his brother. “We have much to say to a wretch who have broken all the laws and who boast of their infamy! How dared you think that your mind held greater wisdom than the minds of your brothers? And if the council had decreed that you should be a street sweeper, how dared you think that you could be of greater use to men than in sweeping the streets?” (Rand 71). This proves that no one, besides Equality wants to change society. This ties to the theme by trying to break out of the controlling society and leading into Equality standing up for individualism and for himself. In addition this concludes how the two short stories “Anthem” and “Harrison Bergeron” have different themes.

There is a power to individual thinking that forges new pathways that were not there before. Equality’s individual motivations lead him continuously in new paths and allowed him, to discover things that were about himself and in the

Equality acknowledges that his great re-discovery of electricity will benefit humankind; however, that isn’t his primary motivation for experimenting. In Chapter V, he says, “We can give our brothers a new light, cleaner and brighter, than any they have ever known.” (60). He recognizes that this discovery will completely alter the way his society is set up, presumably for the better. Nevertheless, as he later states in Chapter VII: “We have lied to ourselves. We have not built this box for the good of our brothers. We built it for its own sake.” (76). Thus, Equality’s primary motivation for conducting his

The world had never looked more beautiful than through the eyes of the ignorant, but the ignorant never stay that way. They will always seek to grow, to learn, and this is never more obvious than in Ayn Rand’s Anthem. In her book, ignorance is the defining feature of her futuristic yet primitive society. Until Equality 7-2521 begins exploring his own individuality the society is stagnant and unchanging; doomed to never move beyond candles and broomsticks. The ideas only an individual, like Equality, can produce are necessary for science and technology to progress.

Equality is motivated by himself. He wants to invent things. He’s not doing it for fame or to try to impress the council, but for himself. He’s eager to discover and he’s curious about things and how they work. He is very passionate about his experiments and puts a lot of pride and work into them. Equality is much smarter than the rest of his society as it states “It was that the learning was too easy”(21). He dreamed of being a scholar where he can put his talents to a good use;

At the end of the story, Equality 7-2521 wants to live in a world without the rules and controls the council has set forth. Equality 7-2521 re-invents electricity, surpassing the best Scholars in his society. As well, Equality 7-2521's brilliance continues, as shown as at the end of the novel, when he’s writing philosophies on the meaning of life. The story proves that even though society is equal, human creativity creates a more diverse way of life.

Lionel Messi once said “you have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it. Equality discovered electricity in Ayn Rand’s book “Anthem”,Just like Prometheus, The god who stole fire, sacrificed a lot to show the world there discoveries. They did not fail at what they created and what they did.Although they had different outcomes equality felt a bond with prometheus, Because of how alike they were and how different they were.

In the book Anthem, Equality 7-2521 (Equality) lived in a society where everyone was equal and treated with disrespect. The society had no tolerance for being different and having their own opinion and ideas. People couldn’t even pursue the career they dreamed of having. They were punished for disobeying any of these “rules”. Despite Equality’s strict society, his motivations in conducting his experiments are finding individuality, starting a new revolution, finding freedom, and trying to become a scholar.

In today’s society, we tend to imagine what the future will be like. Our imagination leans towards flying cars and being able to read one’s mind. This is not the case in Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem. In Anthem, the society is deprived of technology and the people are ruled by a totalitarian government that controls everyone. The people of the city are told what and how to learn, how to speak and act, and how to live their lives. Equality 7-2521, the main character of the novella, sits in candlelight and tries to gain insight on new things such as electricity and inventions to make life easier. The lives of the citizens aren’t filled with expensive gadgets and trees that plant themselves; it is filled with darkness and oppression. Just beneath the surface of the city’s oppression is the lack of technology. In Ayn Rand’s Anthem, society doesn’t have the chance to expand its knowledge, embrace new ideas, and

Through his work, he discovers a way to harness electricity and make a primitive light bulb. He knows that this discovery with greatly help mankind because a light bulb is more practical than a candle. This, however is not the reasoning behind Equality’s experimentation. Shown in the quote “We shall put before The Home of Scholars the greatest gift ever offered to men. We shall tell them the truth . . . We shall join our hands to theirs, and we shall work together, with the power of the sky, for the glory of mankind.” (Rand 67). In other words, Equality wishes to bring man a grand discovery of his, a discovery that will make everyone’s lives much easier. If you look closely you will find that Equality is very excited to show his invention, but he shows it so that he is a contributing individual. From this we can see that Equality wants only to be an individual, that is his motivation. Also, shown here “This wire is a part of our body, as a vein torn from us, glowing with our blood. Are we proud of this thread of metal, or of our hands which made it, or is there a line to divide these two?” (Rand 61). Rand expresses that Equality’s light bulb is a part of him, he created it for his brothers, but more importantly, he created it for the sake of his own individuality. To sum this up, Equality finds that his invention will benefit mankind

He brings this invention to the World Council of Scholars. Here, Equality is immediately reprimanded for being a street sweeper. “A Street Sweeper walking in upon the World Council of Scholars! It is not to be believed! It is against all rules as all the laws!” (69). This is seen as an immediate violation of the society’s traditions and laws, arousing worry in the men. Furthermore, Equality proceeds to explain his invention to the council. The men are galvanized back into fear when he touches the wires together and the light bulb glows. This is a force which is unknown to all men, including the council, making it evil. They chastise Equality for his transgressions. “What is not done collectively cannot be good,” (73) says International 1-5537. “This would wreak the plans of the World council,” (74) adds Unanimity 2-9913. The fear which the society has constructed over the men has caused them to be blind to improvement and advancement, they see only destruction in change and the unknown. This view causes the Council to disregard Equality’s

Ayn Rand’s novel puts Equality in a great position to start his new life with his new family. Ayn Rand’s story gives hope to all who want not to be conquered by their government and to have a say in what they believe in. If your government or society doesn’t like what you have to say, then it shows you can also walk right out the door if you don’t like what is happening. When you become a collectivist, you lose your individuality and almost become a slave and or a robot to the government and society. You lose your creativity and