Anthem Vs Anthem

Societies differ in many ways. The society of Anthem is collectivism, meaning they work together as one unit and are “owned” by a leader of some sort. Our society supports individualism, meaning individuals make their own choices in life and people live for themselves.

“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. It is the word by which the depraved steal the virtue of the good, by which the weak steal the might of the strong, by which the fools steal the wisdom of the sages” (Rand 66). Anthem is a science fiction book written by Ayn Rand. This book takes place in a futuristic time in which freedom and individual rights have been demolished and substituted by collectivism. Equality 7-2521 has a different perspective on reality than the rest of society and therefore searches to find his way despite many hardships. Within Equality 7-2521’s exploration, he is able to

The situation in Anthem is closely related to how Ayn Rand lived through the early years of the Soviet Union’s rise to power. The people of Russia were expected to everything for the state, and were expected to put their needs and wants on the back burner with no if ands or buts about it, and this is very much what was going on in Anthem.

The internal conflict in Anthem plays a role within the novel by providing the complication that the protagonist, Equality, has to overcome in order to complete their quest. Equality is on a quest for freedom and for knowledge, even though it will separate them from their brothers. From the beginning of the novel until the third chapter, Equality notes how they commit transgressions against their society, such as preference, and how they are different from their brothers, an example being Equality’s height of 6 feet tall. In the third chapter, Equality more or less accepts their fate of being alone, even though the internal conflict still silently lurks in the

In the story Anthem, members of the society are not allowed to do anything for themselves. Everything in their entire live is told to them by a council that has been told to do that by someone else. Nobody has complete control in the world, because everyone's job was told for them to by somebody else. The freedom of speech is blatantly absent from the story and after reading it, one could tell why it is so obvious yet so hard to see at the same time. The story tends to have the mention of the freedom of speech absent. It focuses more on things like, the freedom of preference, or the freedom to write.

He is in a society where his knowledge is stifled and not encouraged to think for himself. Equality expresses, "We strive to be like all our brother men, for all men must be alike”(7).  This had to be implanted into Equality's head by the council  which is why it is natural for individualism to be what he wants most and why he should be able to follow his own ideology. Readers see not only in Anthem but in today's world how people are taught to only think of what they know. Equality wants the council to know of his accomplishments and as a outcome to show all men how it can help improve society. He wants the feeling of accomplishment and knowing that through his accomplishments he has uplifted others within the community.

“Anthem” is about a boy named Equality 7-2521 who is Street Sweeper of the society and was given this job as punishment for having too bright a mind, too curious, and for fighting amongst his brothers. When he was given this job, he thought of it as an atonement to his sins for being these things. While sweeping the streets, he finds a grill buried in the ground, leading to a underground subway and sneaks down there every day to perform experiments to satisfy his curiosity and his willing to learn. Equality then finds a young woman named Liberty 5-3000 and has thoughts that no man or woman can have except at the Time of Mating. After completing many experiments, Equality discovers electricity and uses it to make a light. When he showed it to the Council of Scholars, he was considered an evil wretch, and they also tell him that while he believes he

Individuality is non-existent and is known as one of the most sinful things they want. They aren't allowed to express their thoughts freely. “The laws say that men may not write unless the Council of the Vocations bid them so” (17). “We strive to be like all men, for all men must be alike” (19). “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but the great WE, indivisible and forever” (19). Anthem’s society has none to minimal amounts of technology. “All the great modern inventions come from the Home of the Scholars, such as the newest one, which was found only a hundred years ago, of how to make candles from wax and string; also how to make glass, which is put on windows, to protect us from the rain” (24). “They whisper many strange things, of the towers which rose to the sky in those Unmentionable Times, and the wagon moved without forces, and lights which burned without flame”. “We pulled the heavy curtains from the windows and we saw that not more than twelve men could have lived here” (90). In Anthem’s society, education is not important nor needed for future jobs. “Men must learn until they reach their fifteenth year. Then they go to work” (20). “Dare not to choose in your minds the work you would like to do when you leave” (22). “We asked so many questions that the teachers forbade it” (23). Anthem’s society was created to be in the future which we imagine as a

“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 Equality 7-2521’s life, he was forced to be equal to the people who were around him. He couldn’t be different from society, because it was a sin. Equality was born with a curse which made him different from his brothers. He was cursed with the quick learning ability. He tried to be like other people who were not as smart as him, but somehow his plan never succeeded. Although he tried to forget his lessons, it always came back to his remembrance. Anthem interested me when Equality 7-2521 met Liberty 5-3000, how he discovered electricity, and how he wanted his rights. Society wanted the people including Equality 7-2521 to be equal. Even though Equality 7-2521 went through some hard times, he finally got his rights at the end of the book.

The book Anthem is taking place in a collectivist society. Evidences that proves this existence includes laws within the society, similar clothings, same opportunities, and “group before individual” thinking style. Its people have routine rules depending on their age. There are leaders and then, there are its followers. Its followers are wired to believe that it is a sin to think about yourself before anyone. They are to replace the word “I” to “we”. Their futures are not in their control but the leaders. In a way, it’s the same as being imprisoned in a labyrinth. Equality 7-2521 is the main protagonist and he is 21 years old. He is different from his brothers because he thinks in an individual way. He did not report the secret tunnel he found.

Being that Anthem takes place in a futuristic totalitarian world, its ideals are purely single minded. Usually, totalitarian regimes have a firm grip on every aspect of the lives of the citizens; Anthem’s society is no different. An article from Samizdata explains, “The thing that makes a place totalitarian is not the nastiness of it, or even the repulsiveness

First, Anthem is about equality being different from the rest of his brothers. If he never tried to be different he would still be a slave to the council. If he never tried to go to the tunnel,

Once upon a time, R&B lovers far and wide belted an anthem that spoke to them most:

Rules can exist to keep order but can create collectivism. The rules in the book anthem are extreme and cause people to not be able to be an individual. These rules are what caused Equality to run away. He understood that there was more to life than the rules set before him that were more than extreme. His new society would

In Anthem, their society is a closed boxed that is forced to be single minded, but together as one mind . Anthem’s society is protecting the people by being equal in every way and picking people for certain jobs. Then keeping them as a group and not an individual person helps the council control people into a higher class or lower class group. Equality would not use these rules and controls since he found “I” within himself to have freedom of his own life. Their jobs are controlled by the Government and are separated by different groups of workers and lifestyles. For one person to be outstandingly high or low in the society is foreign to the society. Equality finds the urge of freedom for himself and wants to be independent for his life. Anthem keeps the society limted to what jobs they can have, what social class they are in. I soon to see Equality buying into the ways of their rules just to get