Ayn Rand's 'Equality 7-2521'

Throughout the book Anthem, written by Ayn Rand, Equality 7-2521 changes his perspective on how he views the leaders of society. As he starts to realize that there is more meaning to his life than he previously thought, he changes his view which leads him to start thinking of himself as an individual instead of just another member of his society. He no longer accepts the way his government is telling him to live his life as a proper way to live. Equality 7-2521, is correct in denouncing his leaders of their morality as he finally starts to realize that the leaders are hindering him and the rest of the society from expanding their knowledge in development of technology and advancements in the medical field.

To start off, Equality7-2521 is self-centered and is probably the most self-centered character in this book. This trait that he possesses sets him apart from mostly everyone in his society. From a very young age he recognized that he was different and he knew that unlike the others he wanted to learn and wanted his questions to be answered. He broke his very first rule at a young age. This rule was not to wish for a certain career because the council of vocations knows where you are needed amongst your brothers and sisters. (Chapter 1 page 22)

For instance, it is apparent throughout the novel that he is brilliant, inquisitive, and, self-governing. However, just as though he had an ever growing mind, he also was afflicted with a somewhat egocentric, yet lion-hearted attitude. Of course, all characteristics that do not blend well with the glorification of the state over an individual are not at all welcome in Equality 7-2521’s city, and therefore make him a rather formidable threat. Much like the rest of his peers, he is restricted to what the Council of Vocations declares him capable of managing –in this case, a Street Sweeper. As long as he could remember, his desire to be free to study alongside “The Council of Scholars” had kept him up at night, yet his previous vocation prohibited that. The stubborn and passionate boy defied society’s norms and escaped after being discovered of his transgressions. Without any care in the world apart from his love for “The Golden One” and his recently invented lightbulb of sorts, he rushed into the Uncharted Forest with a realization of his

In the novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, the leading character , Equality 7-2521, lives in a collectivist society where the citizens have no control over their thoughts, actions, or lives. They are brainwashed to believe that the outcome of working together is righteousness, and working individually is evil. This is the basic standard in which this society lives in, therefore the citizens replace “I” with “We” in their thoughts, speaking, and writings. At the close of the book, Equality 7-2521 becomes an egoist, his new philosophy is that he needs to work for the good of himself, and based on the society he was raised in, the reader could agree with Equality’s new ideology about living life.

Anthem Project The novel Anthem starts off with the protagonist Equality 7-2521 sweeping the streets with his friend International 4-8818. When they stumble upon an abandoned underground railroad from the unmentionable times. The unmentionable times was the time period in which we are living now. These characters live in the future where society is in charge.

By the end of the story, Equality 7-2521 has changed his mind and become very critical of the leader of his society, denouncing them in moral terms. Do you think he is correct to do so?

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.

During his time in the community, Equality 7-2521 continues to trust the beliefs he has been taught as a child, which shapes most of his character in the beginning of the story. Afterward, when Equality is introduced to the things of the Unmentionable Times, he goes against the rules he’s been taught and sneaks out to study the information from that period. During this time, Equality 7-2521 starts to question the beliefs of the community and strives to learn beyond what he’s been taught. Near the end of the novella, Equality moves to an isolated place away from the society, where he can openly learn without the restriction and false belief he’s been taught from a

As the story goes on, Equality 7-2521 commits another crime by falling in love with a woman. Her name is Liberty 5-3000, who he later nicknames the Golden One, and he met her in a field while on duty sweeping the streets. Love is another forbidden thing in society because they’re not supposed to care for anyone more than another. In this part of the novel the reader also learns about something called the Unspeakable Word. It is a word from before the Great Rebirth and if anyone were to even whisper it, they would be immediately punished by death. The novel keeps progressing and when Equality 7-2521 writes his thoughts again, the reader finds out that he had been experimenting with some items he had found in the tunnel and created a source of light by using wires. He makes up his mind and decides to show the Scholars from his community and from other communities his invention and he hopes that his job will be changed from Street Sweeper to Scholar. However, he loses track of time and when he remembers to check, it’s way past the hours given for free time. He gets out the tunnel and hopes to sneak back into town unseen but unfortunately he is caught. When asked about where he was, he did not give up his location and as punishment he is whipped. When he was asked again, he still refused to tell them where

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

“It is a sin to write this.” – A quote from the book, Anthem. This book takes place in a future version of the world. The people have a Council that decides everything and is very strict. To make things even better they have very little technology.

By the end of the story, Equality 7-2521 has changed his mind and become very critical of the leaders of his society, denouncing them in moral terms. Do you think he is correct to do so? Why or why not? Do you think he would agree with the advice that Rand offers in her short essay “How Does One Lead a Rational Life in an Irrational Society?”? Explain.

After showing the World Scholars his creation of electricity and running away from the society into the Uncharted forest, he realized his differences were not evil or cursed. Also he discovered that the sins he committed were nothing to feel ashamed of, but instead characteristics and moments he has become proud of. “I am done with the monster of “We,” the word of serfdom, of plunder, of misery, falsehood and shame.” (Rand 97). This drastic change in morals made Equality 7-2521 view himself as a key to a new way of life, honoring the sacred word “I”, he believe he is a God of a new

Morality in Anthem Society is lost and no one is individual. Since birth, it is no longer “I” but “we”, this is all Equality 7-2521 has ever known. The novel Anthem by Ayn Rand opens up with an empowering first line, one that strikes the reader immediately and sparks their curiosity to possibly read on. This first line “It is a sin to write this,” (Rand 17) is a unique opening line that sets the plot for this entire story and ends with a full circle once the reader has reached the very last page.

Equality 7-2521, who decides to change his name to Prometheus in the final chapters of the novella, had his own vision of a perfect society. Upon discovering “I” while he is reading in the house, Equality 7-2521 becomes aware that he is the center of his own universe, and nobody has control over his actions now. He says, “I understood that centuries of chains and lashes will not kill the spirit of man nor the sense of truth within him” (Rand 58). It is clear that he would never include any of the rules that were present in his past society in his new and improved one. Equality 7-2521 completely let go of his old life and refused to be held back among the masses. Equality 7-2521’s curse that was always frowned upon finally was looked at in a positive way. He is unafraid and proud, finally discovering himself and becoming his own man.