Anthem Individuality Essay

Equality contemplates, “I wonder, for it is hard for me to conceive how men who knew the word “I”, could give it up and not know what they lost” (103). This quote narrates the discovery of one of the most essential words used to identify as a single, original person, I. Equality realizes the tragedy of the loss that his previous society created before his lifetime and really ponders why and how this could happen in a very separate world. Equality readies himself to be an individual person as a result of feeling strongly against the beliefs of his previous society. Equality excitedly states, “We made a fire, we cooked the bird, and we ate it, and no meal had ever tasted better to us. And we thought suddenly that there was a great satisfaction to be found in the food which we need and obtain by our own hand” (79). In the past, Equality had never done anything to express his originality because of the law stating otherwise, so when given the opportunity to finally understand his own strengths and weaknesses, he takes it. He disregards the law and excitedly grasps the concept that he isn’t supposed to be a follower like his peers were, he was meant to be a leader. Disagreeing with the law was a main point of Rand’s novella, promoting personal

The outcast archetype that Equality is portrayed with is partially created by their internal conflict throughout the novel. After admitting to their crime of going against conformity and being an individual in thought to the World Council of Scholars, Equality runs away and ends up in the Uncharted Forest, more or less banished from their society. They are looked at with disdain by the scholars for their attempt of individuality in a society surrounded in conformity. Rand writes the following on page 72: “How dare you, gutter cleaner,...to hold yourself as one alone and with the thoughts of the one and not of the many?” (Rand). By sharing the thoughts that they had alone, Equality became an outcast in their community. Even if Equality had chosen conforming over being independent, there still would have been a different form of price paid for their decision. However, if they had decided to submit to their culture’s practice, then they would not have achieved their quest, and the powerful ending of Anthem might not have been as compelling.

Collectivism is a very common theme in Ayn Rand’s writing. From Anthem to The Fountainhead, her opinion is very clear: individualism is the source of freedom and joy, while collectivism is the root of sorrow and slavery. In Anthem, the main character, Equality 7-252, has grown up in a collectivist society that has remained strong for centuries. In that society, no one has had the choice to do what they want to do, love what (or who) they love, and simply be who they are. That society praises the idea that men live only for each other. Living for oneself is evil, a Transgression. The idea of “I”, “Me”, and “Mine” has disappeared, dragging the precious words along with it. Throughout the plot, Equality 7-2521 is seen both unintentionally and intentionally defying his society. At first, he condemns himself, describing his evil acts and mind and labeling his different mindset as a curse. “We were born with a curse. It has always driven us to thoughts which are forbidden.” (Rand 18) He is also condemned by others, for things he cannot control. He is taller than most other people, he has preferences for what he wishes to become, and he has ideas and opinions. Yet when his life assignment is Street Sweeper, he rejoices. He sees that as a way to pay penance for his sins. Later on, however, he embraces his individuality. “I am. I think. I will.” (Rand 94) He is the first to accept the idea of individuality for centuries, and helps others accept it, too.

All his life he had been told that it “is a great sin, to be born with a head which is too quick. It is not good to be different from our brothers, but it is evil to be superior to them” (21). The Teachers made Equality believe that everything he did was wrong, and because they were appointed by the Councils, he believed them to be correct. The appointing of all things by the Councils relates to the Supreme Court. This situation relates to the moral sin in society. Everything is controlled. When Equality turned fifteen, the Council of Vocations appointed him the job of a “Street Sweeper”; it pleased him. This happiness did not last because he was unsatisfied. He always craved more, and one day, a gift was given. Equality 7-2521, with fellow Street Sweeper International 4-8818, uncovered an underground tunnel that was used for subways during the Unmentionable Times, which gave Equality hope. This underground tunnel became everything to Equality because it gave him peace, and it became the one of the many reasons why he was able to break free from being controlled by the leaders of his time of the Great

The quote, “The secrets of the earth are not for all men to see, but for those who will seek them.” means that you cannot see what you do not look for. The secrets of this earth does not come to our hands whenever we want it. We must seek for the secrets of the earth ourselves. Only the people who work to find the secrets will have a chance to acquire it.

     As one reads Ayn Rand’s significant quotes from the story of anthem, there is always a main theme that is trying to escape, just as Prometheus escaped in her story. All three of the listed quotes work as a trio to sing that We; as society, works to defeat individuality. The quotes emphasize that we cannot survive without individualism and being alone brings out our unique personalities. It is true that all the quotes work as one, but at the same time they have their own individualism. Each quote holds a purpose of its own and the author wants to express the quote to each persons understanding.

Equality is a considerably critical man in the story, here are some examples. Equality states “ I owe nothing to my brothers nor do I gather debts from them. I ask none to live for me, nor do I live for any others. I covet no man’s soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet” (Rand 97). Throughout the story Equality sees many problems he faces with much thought, he finds the problem and attempts to make it better. Later in the story Equality runs off to the “Uncharted forest” and has to find ways to survive and says “why the best in me had been my sins and transgressions and why I had never felt any guilt in my sins” (Rand 98). As this quote was one of the first things in the last chapter Equality

He believed in the society until the Council of Scholars rejected his invention of the light bulb. The rejection led him to run away into the Uncharted Forests where he began to build his own view of morality along with the Golden One. As time progressed, Equality began to see how much the collectivist society was wrong about a variety of things. Shortly after Equality runs away he realizes that he did not build the light bulb for his brothers but indeed for himself, which demonstrates his change in belief from the brotherhood to the individual. Through Equality’s discoveries he realizes that his purpose is not to fulfill the accomplishments, needs, and sacrifices of his brothers but to fulfill his own accomplishments, needs, and sacrifices.

He realizes he had everything to fear from the twisted society that he lived in. Equality had trusted himself enough to completely let go of his old society, to leave everything behind and adopt a new culture. He must have trusted himself immensely to have done this. He also realizes humans are much too smart to govern that society and wonders if they were just too afraid to contradict their government or just did not trust themselves to try and overthrow it. Equality realizes he should be confident in himself. He is a very headstrong person and is not persuaded so easily. That is why he had left his society in the first place. Equality would like to live as an individual where he would not work together for the common good, as a group, but where he alone will work as an individual in his new society that he will soon create.

Equality runs away into the Uncharted forest to officially escape. He has been alone for days in the forest. Until one day Liberty 5-3000, a woman whom he met earlier in the book, finds him. They continue their escape and make it to an abandoned house. Equality knew that this home was from the unmentionable times. They go in and start exploring and Equality finds a bunch of books that contains words he has never heard of before. This is when he discovers the word “I” he learns that the world he had grown up in had shielded him from this word of individuality. He then decides that he is going to free the people from the restraints of their society. He says “ I shall rebuild the achievements of the past, and open the way to carry them further, the achievements which are open to me, but closed forever to my brothers, for their minds are shackled to the weakest and dullest ones among them.” (99,100)“I shall steal one day, for the last time, into the cursed City of my birth. I shall call to me my friend who has no name save International 4-8818, and all those like him”. (100, 101) He wants to rid of the rules and controls put over his society and free his brothers. He wants to create a great society for all people to enjoy and be individuals and

He cared about all of the rules and the Council. But now while he’s out of the City with Liberty. Equality is different and he’s not following the rules that were set. He’s free from it all. He has his freedom. Equality now knows what individuality is. And he has his individualness. Equality thought that everything in his life was right but he learns what it is to be an individual and to be free from the rules of the Council. Equality first thought what he was doing is a sin but he changes, and realizes what he is doing is right and not a sin. Equality finds his freedom. Equality finds his

Equality’s mental escape is highlighted through his heightened knowledge. Equality’s gained knowledge gave him the power to escape his society. Once he escaped, Equality declared, “I shall learn… they have nothing to fight me with…” (Rand 41). “They” being the members of his oppressive society, Equality now realizes that no one can defeat him as long as he has knowledge on his side.

Don't smile! Don't grow taller than your brothers! Don't look at the female gender! All of these rules were forced upon Equality 7-2521. This society that Ayn Rand created in the book “Anthem”, focuses on equality for everyone. The society goes to extreme measures to obtain and equal society. In the book Equality, the main character, was born with a curse of being different than his brothers, he was fascinated with knowledge, and enjoyed to discover new elements and inventions. All of these things are unacceptable in his society. Throughout, the book equality learns what individuality means, with the discovery of the word I. With this knowledge he destroys the word we, this allows him to become free from his old society. Therefore, because of Equality's new belief of individuality he will create his own society that will revolve around the idea of everyone being individual.

Individualism and collectivism are two core themes that are present in the novel. It’s as if these two themes work against each other, in order to obtain individuality, you must get rid of collectivism, and vice versa. As Equality lives through his days, he discovers his unspoken lover, “the Golden One”, and begins to explore egotistical thoughts, where his curiosity grew even greater. In chapter nine, Equality began finally discovering individuality, where he was torn on finding the certain word that society had hidden. “And we felt torn, torn for some word we could not find.” (Rand 112) In the beginning of chapter eleven, after finding a home from the unmentionable times, he had discovered individuality within the form of “I”, and his mind opened up to the many great things of this world. Equality discovering individuality

The novel Anthem by Ayn Rand is set in a totalitarian, collectivist society in which individuality, as well as many other things, is viewed as a crime. Throughout the story, Equality 7-2521’s views on these laws change. He begins with the feeling of guilt for going against the leaders, but by the end of the story, Equality feels no regret or shame for his transgressions. The shift in Equality’s appraisal of his actions is equitable because the leaders of the society deliberately took away his individuality and withheld significant informations from him.