Example Of Individualism In Anthem

“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.

As Abraham Lincoln once said, " Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves." The people who do not allow others to have their rights, do not deserve the rights they are withholding. This applies during the American Renaissance. This time period was filled with women's rights speakers, black's rights speakers, and authors who right on the topic of society's responsibility for the homeless and poor. Frederick Douglass argues for black's rights, Herman Melville discusses how the homeless are treated in society, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton fights for the equality of men and women. The author and speakers all focus on the issue of moral struggle and social justice and fight for what they believe is right.

Anthem, by Ayn Rand, is a very unique novel. It encircles individualism and makes the reader think of how people can conform to society and do as they are told without knowing the consequences and results of their decisions. Also, it teaches the importance of self expression and the freedom that comes along with being your own person and having the power to choose what path to take in life. Figurative language is used often in this book and in a variety of quotes that have great importance to the theme, plot, and conflict of the novel.

The poem “Invictus” by William E. Henley, and the novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, both have common themes that discuss the importance of individuality. Each of the themes that these works have to offer will be discussed throughout the paragraphs of this essay.

The descriptions and labels applied to Liberty are Rand’s way of demonstrating man’s dominance over women. A person’s name is their identity. When someone

But I still wonder how it was possible, in those graceless years of transition, long ago, that men did not see whither they were going, and went on, in blindness and cowardice, to their fate.” Dystopian societies often deal with the lack of importance of Free Will/ Individuality. Individuality is an important concept which was ignored completely in Anthem. Anthem was a novel wrote by Ayn Rand in 1937 to elaborate on the time period which she grew up in. Dystopia is a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease and overcrowding. Dystopian novels usually start out with a perfect society or utopia. However, as the novel progresses, the reader and characters realize that this perfect society is the total opposite. Dystopian

Have you ever thought of living in a place where everyone is the same and no one is different? Boring, right. In the book Anthem, Ayn Rand fully expresses her thoughts about the role of individualism and society. Anthem is a dystopian novella, written in 1937 and published in England in 1938. The book is about a society, in which there is no “I” and only “we” is allowed. The dictatorship of Anthem tries to keep the members of society brainwashed by focusing on the importance of obedience and equality which justifies restricting people from pursuing individual freedom and limiting their knowledge and vocabulary. Anthem is a critique of the political movements of Fascism and Communism in Europe during the 1930’s

Set in a dystopian society in the future, the novella Anthem written by Ayn Rand is all about being a collective society which doesn’t believe in individualism. Ayn Rand constructs a society in which individualism is a transgression. The government enforces the idea of collectivism to the society. They believe that in the human race each person is not single. The protagonist, Equality 7-2521 wants to be an independent person. He wants to be free. As stated in the novel, “To be free, a man must be free of his brothers.” This statement means that in order to be successful, he has to be his own person. As the novel goes on Equality 7-2521 learns to be an independent man and frees himself from the society which forces collectivism.

The fiction novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, begins as equality takes a journey to individualism. He begins by writing how wrong he is to be writing what he is, how much of a sin it is. To be thinking as his own, and as an “I”. Ayn Rand is from Russia, which is a communist society. As Rand was growing up in this time frame, she had made the time to give herself an education which was frowned upon as she was a woman. She was not given a sense of “I” it was the normal thing for women to stand back and watch. To continue deeper into the book, Equality's eventual assessment of his writing on his own, changed from being a sin to being and individual activity, from the beginning to the end of the book.

Anthem by Ayn Rand is a dystopian novel written in the 1930’s. The novel displays a society that confines the human mind and body. The rights humans are restricted to what the government believes is fit. The characters are ruled by collectivism and communist. Communism is the belief that the government should own everything. Collectivism is the belief of a superior group that controls society. Rand reveals the nature of the main character’s society and the values of the main character, Equality 7-2521 by writing this excerpt of the novel in the character’s perspective in an assertive tone and beginning with the rights and wrongs of their society.

Ayn Rand’s ideology centralizes on the idea that total human individuality is absolute and is obtained only by means of reason, self-esteem, and total worship of virtues. Atlas Shrugged ideal hero, John Galt, is the major example of objectivism and its complex layers. He is the symbol of no guilt, no fear, no submission, and no doubt in the value of the mind. Henceforth, John Galt is the reality that lies behind any human; the use of reason and self-interest as the motor for the improvement of the world; and, in consequence, the natural right to live by the power of thinking.

On the other hand Anthem and “Harrison Bergeron” are similar because both of these stories use equality as a way to manipulate and control their people. In Ayn Rand’s

There is a line of thinking out there that would lead a person to believe that everything is always as it appears – everything is on a nice straight plane. Look at the surface of the ocean, and all that needs to be seen is seen. This admittedly shallow line of thinking can lead to multitudes of problems, especially in the case of this class when looking at something like literature. That especially rings true when observing a novel like Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Parton, where a deeper meaning seethes out of every word in what originally looks to be a straightforward tale. This is particularly true in the all-important intercalary chapters of the book, as they provide a break from the main plot and an aside into something different

Equality 7-2521, the courageous narrator of Anthem, lives in a very inhumane totalitarian society. The dictator determines every persons occupation, thoughts, living arrangements, and even their ego. This environment of people are brainwashed to believe that every human is equal. They are prohibited to refer to themselves as "I" or "me." Instead, they refer themselves as "we," because individuality is completely nonexistent. The reader perceives that there is logical reasoning behind the way the dictatorial leaders conduct this societies cruel living arrangements.