Equality In Ayn Rand's Anthem

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

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 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

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

He gives extensive reasoning to why he thinks this by saying things such as, “I am a man. This miracle of me is mine to own and keep, and mine to guard, and mine to use, and mine to kneel before” (Rand 95). Equality is placing value on the individual and what they want rather than having to conform to the group. While some might say that Equality is incorrect, and he should care about the needs of a group if he wants to change the world and make it greater, this is incorrect. To change the world and make it greater you must care for the needs of individuals as well as the group. Morals such as these are what the government of America was built

In the first chapter of the novel, readers see that, at an early age, the citizens of the society are taught to think nothing of themselves and more of the World Council. Equality tells us of his childhood in the Home of the Students where they were required to say the following every day, “We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the

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

Anthem is a book dedicated universal equality in every way possible. So this essay is about that over equality is not the best for everyone. So transgressions, fear, over-equality, and mistakes are why they give Equality a horrible job which is a Street Sweeper.

No “I” and no “you”, just “we.” How could we live in a world like that? Ayn Rand’s book shows a twisted and different form of collectivism. Everyone is told what they have to do for the rest of their future. Children are not even allowed to know who their parents are and are never given the chance to meet them. Although, only one shines in the society that no one else may see until now. Equality finds it difficult to find individualism in his life and in the rules of his society. Equality eventually finds individualism in escaping, to a haven of his own, from his odd society. Equality can then find peace with himself and can live in a more individualistic life in his newfound house with “The Golden One” in the forbidden and

Equality falls in love at first sight with a girl he names The Golden One. He knows that it is a transgression to even speak with someone of another trade, but still when she walks to him he cannot help himself. He tells her “you are beautiful...” (42). He also knows that it is forbidden to ever want to mate with anyone, yet he wants to mate with her. He can tell that The Golden One loves him as well when she says “Your eyes are not like the eyes of any among men.” (44). This secret desire between Equality and The Golden One is a source of great inner conflict for Equality.

Imagine a society where individualism is non existent to the extent that the word “I” is not found in one’s vocabulary. Every person in this dystopian world exists only to serve for the greater collective being of mankind and not for themselves . In the novella Anthem by Ayn Rand this is exactly what happens, although the main character Equality 7-2521 is not interested in these collectivist ways. In this society it is unacceptable and unthought of to be an egoist yet somehow Equality breaks through the collectivist restrictions and discovers the thoughts and feelings of himself and not those of everyone else. Because of this it is impossible to have a completely collectivist society where not one person thinks otherwise.

Intelligence can be uncomfortable, but innovation can be downright frightening. No one likes being forced to see the world in an entirely different way just because of one factor. Though Equality 7-2521’s actions may have seemed harmless, to the government this creation seemed like the catalyst into evil. Often times the proposal of new ideas is met with great opposition and criticism. This is seen in both the world of Ayn Rand’s Anthem with society’s extreme prejudice to new ideas and in the past with fellow scientists to Ignaz Semmelweis’ scientific proposals. Both innovators’ works were negated and they were in turn ostracized for their works. Even though their situations were quite different, both Semmelweis and Equality showed similar

In the novel Anthem, by Ayn Rand, Equality, the main character, lives in a society where everyone’s individuality has been taken from them. No one in their society knows how to love, think of him or herself, or even allowed to talk to each other in lust with one another. Everyone thinks as a whole, never about himself. Equality is tall, smart, and manages to think on his own. Throughout the book Equality goes through stages where he gets urges to find himself and think as an individual. He discovers many things that can change his society, but they shun him for exploring his individuality. It’s important to know who you are and be able to make your own decisions. If one has no knowledge they can’t really live their life to its full potential.

Every single day for more than 2 years equality would escape society for 3 hours a day and he would get to think, study, learn, and write what he has held in for so long. Equality’s brothers didn’t have a strong self-connection. All of Equality’s “brothers” had no energy, happiness, nor creativity (Rand). Unlike Equality they didn’t know who they were as a person, they