How Does Equality 7-2521 Influence Leaders

Ceaseless collectivism is not something that can be forced upon a community. Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem conveys this through the writings of Equality 7-2125, a man willing to stand up to the collectivism of the society he is confined to. Anthem not only shows how dull and lifeless a society can be with a lack of individuality in its people, but also reveals how one person can significantly impact a community. This novel displays the importance of individualism through Equality’s thoughts and actions. This includes when he reinvents electricity in the tunnel, falls in love with Liberty, and when he completely separates himself from society.

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

In conclusion, in Anthem by Ayn Rand, Equality’s new society will have none of the rules of the old society. The rules were put in place to shun differences and keep everyone equal. Because Equality hated the old society, he encourages differences, and he was an outcast in the old society, he will not allow any of the rules to carry over into his new

Social conformity becomes dangerous in this society that Ayn Rand shows. First this is shown when men and women are forbidden to talk to each other. In the beginning, Equality met Liberty 5-3000, a young woman who works in the fields and lives in the Home of the Peasants. Equality 7-2521 explains, “And each day thereafter we knew the illness of waiting for our hour on the northern road. And there we looked at Liberty 5-3000 each day” (39). This shows that Equality wants to talk to her, but doesn’t want to be caught by fellow brothers. This is important because if he gets caught breaking the rules of the society he lives in, he will be lashed to death. If he wants to see Liberty, he must not talk or notice her or he will be showing preference which is not allowed. Secondly, this is shown when men and women do talk to each other. Now, throughout the story while Equality is going through the tunnel to see Liberty he decides to break the

The classroom was full of children, and they were all the same except for their age and gender. They didn’t have a choice for anything that they did, it was the government that was forcing them to be what they were. They weren’t allowed to know anything more than what they were taught. There was one little girl who was a touch different. She was starting to realize that life could be different than what she had always known. She had decided to make a change for herself and not be the same anymore. Just like this little girl, Equality 7-2521 was longing for a change. He realized that there was another way of living, and that was what he wanted. Equality went about doing everything differently from what he had learned from the beginning. He took a stand and ended up being a different person overall, he wasn’t going to let anyone else control him anymore. The characterization and setting techniques employed in Ayn Rand’s dystopian novel Anthem and Kurt Vonnegut’s short story “Harrison Bergeron” illustrate the theme of how those who are under authority do not change who they are on the inside just because they are controlled, resulting in rebellion and dishonesty toward those who are in charge.

“We have stolen manuscripts. This is a great offense” and uses them for his life in his tunnel (Rand 36). He commits the greatest crime of his society, being alone, by spending several hours everyday in an abandoned sewage pipe and living a second life there, “And in our heart-strange are the ways of evil!-in our heart there is the first peace we have known in twenty years” (Rand 37). By breaking the laws of his city, Equality shows his individuality in his rebellious spirit and begins to show his individualism. Equality 7-2521 discovers electricity and with this discovery, he acknowledges that his individual ideas are different than those of society.

In the book Anthem, by Ayn Rand, Equality 7-2521 has been placed in a collectivist dystopia and escapes from it. The book starts off by Equality 7-2521, mentioning that “It is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words that no others think, and to put them down upon paper no others are to see.”, showing that in his society, doing a task, that we, as people who grew up in a society that encourages such behavior, find to be a normal part of life, whereas in Equality 7-2521’s society would find such actions sinful.

Although Equality 7-2521 has grown up in a society that only believes in collectivist societies, he is constantly feeling a pull towards doing things for himself and not for others. These could include, his reading, writings, and inventions. From the start of the book to the end of Anthem, Equality 7-2521 changes from doing things for everyone to doing things for himself. Rand pictures this when Equality 7-2521 first tries to share his find of electricity with the World Council. However, he then flees from his home so that he can be his true self and experience individuality; he brings his discovery of electricity with him into the Uncharted Forest. This is a representation of him taking ahold of his independence. Rand is trying to say that one can never take away the freedom and uniqueness that each person has. Even if someone attempts to take this away, others will always find their

At the beginning of the book, Equality 7-2521 told the reader “The laws say that men cannot write unless the council of vocations bid to do so.” Rand (pg 17). He was advising that the writing of this book is illegal by the council. When you read this you see that he is breaking a major law and how you can’t write information or express your feelings, but only read things approved by the council. It makes the reader as if they are constrained to reading bias information rather from many other viewpoints. When Equality 7-2521 and The Golden One went to the world council to display his invention of the lightbulb and they ordered him; “It must be destroyed!” Rand (pg 74). The World Council told him that he couldn’t be smarter than his brothers just because he was a street sweeper and that with this invention, it would the candle department. It makes the reader think about why the government would want to shield an innovative invention to the public and not let them choose whether they would want to use candles or lightbulbs. When Equality 7-2521 was 10 years old he witnessed the public execution of the Transgressor of the Unspeakable Word. He figured out about individualism and referring to himself as “I” rather than “We”. He died with no pain because he was happy when because he found out about individualism, something the world

“...we waited for the earth to rise and strike us in the face. But we ran. We knew not where we were going. We knew only that we must run, run to the end of our days.”-Equality 7-2521 in Ayn Rand’s Anthem. Equality 7-2521 was always been different. He wanted to become a scholar but became a street sweeper instead. One day he meets Liberty 5-3000. They fall in love but this against the law. When Equality discovers electricity he show the council of scholars. The council disapproves of his ideas and Equality runs away to the forest. Liberty secretly followed. They find a house in the forest and start a new life together. Doing this Equality 7-2521 shows that he is a complex character with character traits such as determination, curiosity, and

“Only the glass box in our arms is like a living heart that gives us strength. We have lied to ourselves. We have not built this box for the good of our brothers. We built it for its own sake” (Ayn Rand.) After escaping the constricting hold of society, Equality 7-2521 discovers his newfound freedoms. With the accompaniment of Liberty 5-3000, he learns the ways of the world of the past. He is introduced to new words and ideas, and not wanting this way of living to be lost again, Equality 7-2521 begins to envision a new society. This new society will most likely begin as an anarchy, a way for men to not be restricted in any fashion, escaping all limitations of the former society. Man will be free to do as he pleases, where he pleases, and when he pleases, with no other man to decide these things for him. “For the coming of that day shall I fight, I and my sons and my chosen friends. For the freedom of Man. For his rights. For his life. For his honor” (Ayn Rand.) With the development of man’s new autonomy will come the development of emotions. Man will resort to the inevitable world containing greed, and anger, and violence. The society will evolve just as the one before it had, possibly into a democracy or

Ayn Rand’s novel puts Equality in a great position to start his new life with his new family. Ayn Rand’s story gives hope to all who want not to be conquered by their government and to have a say in what they believe in. If your government or society doesn’t like what you have to say, then it shows you can also walk right out the door if you don’t like what is happening. When you become a collectivist, you lose your individuality and almost become a slave and or a robot to the government and society. You lose your creativity and

To begin, Ayn Rand shows the negative side of collectivism with the creation of the main character Equality 7-2521. Rand’s strong beliefs had her create a whole character that is against the large idea of collectivism. In Anthem, it starts off by saying, “It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see. It is base and evil” (Rand 17). Collectivism portrays the idea of being an individual as a sin. Because Rand is being derogatory, she makes collectivism seem wrong. The character is breaking the rules that he grew up learning and being forced to obey. Throughout the book, Equality 7-2521 continues to take his own path and become an individual against collectivism. Rand explains in the story Anthem, “This 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” (Rand 21). The word “evil” is often associated with demons and the devil, so Rand's use of that word sets the tone of negativity. Collectivism makes the people feel guilty for being born with the ability to learn and comprehend schooling at a faster rate than others. This dystopian world is warped; instead of being praised and acknowledged for being advanced, they have to keep it to themselves and pretend to be normal when they aren't.

Equality’s views on morality differ from Equality’s views at the end of the story. In 1938, Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem was published. A novel of which focused on the philosophy that man is a heroic being with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life. In Anthem, we follow the character Equality who starts the story as just another member of the collective who can only think and act for the collective. Equality is stripped of individuality and is assigned his name from birth, represented by an iron band around his wrist. This sets up the conflict Equality has with himself as he becomes more curious with his surroundings eventually finding a hidden hole where he is free to indulge his curiosity by experimenting with tools he is not allowed

Ayn Rand believes in the power and expression of the individual. This novella takes place in a society where the individual is suppressed and forced into collective ideas and groups. The main character, Equality 7-2521’s profession is a street sweeper, which was assigned to him by the Council of Vacations. In this collective society, they have no choice as to who they are, what their job is, or even their name. Due to that simple example, I believe that Rand would agree with most of the constitutional amendments such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and that involuntary servitude shall not be permitted unless it is for the punishment of a crime. A law in which she may not believe in would be registering for the selective service, which was put in place in order for the United States to build up a military in case of war and for the president to be able to draft soldiers. This law states that any male, 18 years of age, must register.