Anthem By Ayn Rand : Book Analysis

“Anthem” – one of writing authors Ayn Rand, shows her at her most vicious, hungry, and ambitious reading personality not only as a writer, but as a storyteller as well. The classic hit novel “Anthem” is the predecessor to Ayn Rands later books and storytelling works such as “The Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged”, often tackles controversial themes that are still prevalent within modern America today, such as Family & Love. The grandeur novel “Anthem” is a reflection of such topics, all whilst being told with almost an aura of mystery within the novels plotline / storyline. “Anthem’s” take on things such as individuality and self discovery along with universal, self serving terms such as “I” & the word “We” are the key factors in helping differinciate this author Ayn Rand from other authors that write and compse the same genre of literature as Ayn Rand. Anyways, please allow for me to introduce you to the under the surface, deeper themes expressed in the classic debut novel, Ayn Rands “Anthem”

The novel of Anthem, written by Ayn Rand, contributes to controversial subjects in society that are still relevant today. Some issues addressed by Rand in her novel include: equality, social hierarchy, individuality, and government. Throughout the duration of reading Anthem the issues in which Rand makes relevant are not obvious, but more so discussed through conflicts and situations that the main character, Equality 7-2521, encounters. Although many of the altercations that present social issues are provided by either other characters singlehandedly or by a group of the characters in alliance, some of the main issues that arise in this novel are presented within the main character himself.

In this paper, I will be talking about the book called Anthem by Ayn Rand. I will be talking about characters such as protagonists and antagonists and how some characters impacted the story. I will talk about the setting, conflicts, and the plot of the story. I will also talk about literary devices such as point of view, symbolism, mood, tone, and theme.

There has always been a slight apprehension towards being alone or standing alone. Students rarely want to admit to having an answer different from the rest of their classmates; some people do not want to go somewhere and do something by themselves. Notably, with more shy or anxious people, they will often stick around someone they know, so they will not be alone in the crowd. Although that company might help them make it through those nerve-wracking moments, when is the right time for them to walk alone? Should a person ever walk alone? In Ayn Rand’s Anthem, Equality’s internal conflict of conformity versus individuality plays a role that Equality needs to overcome in order to complete their quest for freedom which helps create their outcast archetype and gives significance to the final word of the novel.

Ayn Rand shows her opinions of religion when she wrote Anthem. She believed that religion is what enslaved the people. It is full of many philosophical questions. The first of which is at the very beginning of the book.The book starts off by saying “ It is a sin to write this.” (page 17) At that point in time, Equality 7-2521 believes that it is a sin; however, by the end he has a different opinion.

In the very first line of the excerpt Rand reveals that Equality 7-2521 is aware of their right restrictions. “It is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see.” “The laws say that men may not write unless the Council of Vocations bid them so.” In the lines above Rand states that it is extremely wrong to think or write outside of what the government wants them to. By these lines Rand easily reveals the nature of Equality 7-2521’s society. It is completely controlled by the Council of Vocations and people are not allowed to think or say words that they do not approve of.

When Equality 7-2521 begins the novel by saying, “It is a sin to write this.” he has a different moral assessment of writing than at the end of the novel. Throughout Anthem, Equality’s actions affect how he views his society and the people around him. By the end of the story, Equality begins to realize that the government and society that he lives in might not be so perfect, and it might not be a sin to write. Equality’s eventual moral assessments of his sins are correct and are supported by; his growth throughout the story, the themes of independence developed in the novel and Ayn Rand’s concepts concerning communism. These are the three ideas that will be developed and explained in this paper.

Anthem is a short dystopian fiction novel written by Ayn Rand. It was published 79 years in 1938 in England. The setting of the novel starts off in a dark tunnel. As we get further in the book we learn that the story takes place in an undetermined point in the future in a City that’s not specified. The main character, Equality 7-2521, narrates his thoughts to the reader throughout the whole book. He feels guilty because he’s breaking the laws by writing down his thoughts but feels it is necessary. It is forbidden for the people to have their own thoughts or do anything by themselves. A long time ago, there was something called the Great Rebirth. After that happened, society started to refer to themselves as “we” and lost the word “I”,

“Anthem” was written by Ayn Rand, and she was born on February 2, 1905 in Russia. Russia at the time was heavily focused on collectivism, which is the idea that people should prioritize the good of society over the welfare of the individual, and was highly influential on Rand’s life. When she was introduced to American history, her ideas of what a free nation should be was America. When she left Russia, she decided to never go back to Russia and 13 years later, wrote Anthem. Anthem is set in the future and is based in a city that has collapsed from modern day society and accepts collectivism. “Anthem” is a novella about a man named Equality 7-2521 and throughout his life, he struggles to find self-identification in a society that has no sense of individualism. Throughout the story of “Anthem” the main themes are the importance of the individual and the value of martyrdom. Ayn Rand wrote “Anthem” as a warning to us westerners about the horrors of collectivism regardless of how it was put in use. She experienced most of the horrors first hand and this was also another reason for writing “Anthem”. Some of the horrors of what she experienced was the Kerensky Revolution and the Bolshevik Revolution which ended in her father’s pharmacy being confiscated and leading to periods of near-starvation. So, based on Rand’s past experiences and her ideas, she wrote “Anthem”.

Equality 7-2521 is unable to express creativity, which minimized the number of freedoms and individuality throughout the society. Rand indicates how the pronoun affects Equality 7-2521’s society. “The word "We" is as lime poured over men, which sets and hardens to 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 97). The pronoun “we,” deteriorates the society from being able to be an individual and from basic freedoms. Equality 7-2521 wasn’t assigned a name, but assigned a label that society forced to abide with. Being assigned a name acts as principal as well as “we.” In addition, individuals have no identity of their own“...we repeat to ourselves whenever we are tempted: “we are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever” (Rand 19). Freedoms such as freedom of speech and the right to equal justice, are nonexistent

Imagine living in a world where being different was a crime, and thinking will send you to jail. This is the society that the book Anthem is written in. Equality 7-2521 the main character and the narrator is faced with this every day. Equality’s negative assessment of himself was what is expected of him, but he should have the right to be unique.

Today in our society having a big ego is looked down upon, and if someone has a large ego they are often seen as selfish and ignorant of everyone around them. But if someone has no ego at all they can start to lose their sense of self, because they are always focused on everyone around them and they never take time for themselves. To both care for yourself without becoming self-centered and care for others and still have a sense of self, you have to have a balance.

Throughout the novel Anthem, Ayn Rand shows how having flaws is not always a disadvantage but an advantage. In this novel it teaches us about rebellion and individual responsibility in various amounts of ways. Starting off with going against the current of what everyone else believes in. The main character in this book does so leading him into a life he has unknowingly wished for. Another way this novel educates us about rebellion and individual responsibility is accepting that not everyone will agree with what he believed in. Lastly , leaving the town to access a better life that fits him ideally.

The society of Anthem banned pronouns like I or me. Equality defied this by using these pronouns after he read them in “ancient scripts”. “I stand here on the summit of the mountain. I lift my head and I spread my arms. This, my body and spirit, this is the end of the quest. I am the meaning” (94). Equality said this because the pronouns he used symbolized his escape from his past world. He reached his final goal, and broke free from the regulations of the strict society. Ayn Rand said in her article, “The basic need of the creator is independence. The reasoning mind cannot work under any form of compulsion. It cannot be curbed, sacrificed or subordinated to any consideration whatsoever. It demands total independence in function and in motive. To a creator, all relations with men are secondary.” This means that Equality was freed by his gaining of independence from the past society. Equality does not owe anything to his brothers, and that helped him escape. He even gave names to himself and Liberty. This act is condemned in his original home. By defying the rules and regulations, Equality managed to free himself for good from the society of

Vision a lifestyle where one perceives it as a sin to comprehend data more efficiently than of one’s peers; a felony to long for things that others do not wish upon. Where floods of white tunics and austere minds obliterate the Earth. A colony built upon leaders who asphyxiate anyone from infatuation of any object or significant being; moreover, a world suffocating in collectivism. Through exasperated transcription, Anthem brings about such a community; nevertheless, a world of black and white. Ayn Rand does not overemphasize the effects of totalitarianism, but amplifies it so that it is more effortless for one to enlighten he or she’s notion on the particular proposal. First, by analyzation of “Equality 7-2521”, and