Individuality In Ayn Rand's 'The Anthem'

A noticable interesting topic about the story is the way Liberty acts. It seems Ayn Rand, the author, has something against women even though she is a woman herself. The meaning of this is, the women out there that act like girls and only care about fashion and themselves is what is being spoken of. The literary element that is being focased on deals with this issue. This essay will focas on the story "Anthem" written by Ayn Rand containing the literary element of character.

In Ayn Rand’s book Anthem, The character Equality 7-2521 also known as Prometheus ran into the uncharted forest after being told that his box of light was a sin to create because he now knew more than his brother’s in the uncharted forest he found out that the golden one had followed him. Then the two uncovered homes from the unmentionable times. In the uncharted forest he discovered the unspeakable word “Ego”. Throughout the book he expressed traits of an Egoist. But in the book because prometheus had been in a dystopian society where they had to think of themselves and their brothers as a whole they were not allowed to think of themselves. So was Prometheus really a egoist? Or was it just his little bit of selfish coming out after not ever being allowed to think about himself?

The story’s settings of the novel, Anthem, greatly influences the plot. The novel’s setting takes in a Dark Age where there is no creativity, technology, progress, or optimism. The “society” is completely controlled and manipulated by a central group of leaders. The story primarily centers around a young man named Equality 7-2521 who is a street sweeper. This occupation does not offer him opportunities to expand beyond his small controlled world. Equality 7-2521 take his readers on an adventurous life journey as written in his own journal. Readers feel his oppression and personal desperation as they travel through the dark tunnel and live each day in the shoes of Equality.

The Book “Anthem” written Ayn Rand is the tale of a man with many names “Equality-7 2521” to “The Unconquered” to “Prometheus”. He is living in a dystopian world where individualism has been eradicated. Due to the dark times technological advancement and individualism brought, in what seems to be life after an apocalypse they have been limited those to a bare minimum. It took 50 years for the candle to be approved and the word “I” has been banned and punishable by death. In a society where they try to suppress the aware and the main protagonist being exceptionally smart which generates conflict. The book “Anthem” is based off of communism in Russia where people are prison for the very simple things. No one ever tries to escape the corrective faculty because of 3 reason the prisoner never purposely betrayed the council so why would they start now. and wait to receive punishment, they are scared and the society is brainwashed into not even learning escape or other things that could define the council.

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.

How would you want to live in a Society? In Anthem by Ayn Rand Equality- 7-2521 struggled to learn about individuality in the strict society he lived in. Equality would let his society be free and let the people in it make their own decisions. He believes that everyone should take pride in the word I. Equality would not make his society like “The City of the Damned.”

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

Would you like it if the government had complete control of you? For example, the government might tell you who you aloud to interact with, or they could tell you what job that you have to go to every single day, and where you are allowed to live. The government should not have the right to control an individual because a person knows what's best for them, such as who they from relationships with, what they do for a living and what their lifestyle looks like.

“My happiness is not the means to any end. It is the end. It is its own goal. It is its own purpose” (Rand, 95). Anthem is written by American author Ayn Rand about Equality 7-2521 on his quest for happiness. The novel is set in an unspecified time and place in the future. Years after human civilization has gone through a deconstruction in which all knowledge was lost and a new society established with no concept of the individual. “The novel describes the efforts of the main character, Equality 7-2521, to reestablish a sense of personal identity and restore the knowledge of the past by objective scientific inquiry. In doing so, he must face many dangers and privations” (Anthem). Anthem is a dairy of the Equality

You are your own human being. But in Anthem by Ayn Rand, you have no individuality. In the nightmarish society Equality 7-2521 is born into, individuality is a crime. “We were born with a curse. It has always driven us to thoughts which are forbidden. It has always given us wishes which men may not wish. We know that we are evil, but there is no power or will in us to stop it” (Rand-18). Equality 7-2521 refers to himself using the first person plural "we" and not the first person singular "I." The use of language like this was often confusing to me, but must be understood if the book's meaning is to be clear. The use of the plural rather than the singular self-reference, goes to the heart of the book's meaning.

Anthem could be placed into many different categories such as characterization, tone, and theme. Characterization would be when he was being rebellious and outgoing. The tone of this book is bitter and out of the sorts because at first he was following the rules then he got lashed and then he escaped and got to be free. The last category would be theme and this is Equality actually being an individual and understanding himself for the first time in his life. Rand understood the means of collectivism and how much Equality will change throughout the book.

Ayn Rand's Anthem shows us her view of our world united under what seems to be communist rule. For example their view of right and wrong; which Anthem portrays is a system of very strict rules which mainly make sure that everyone is involved in a collective role within the society in this system no one is considered an individual or that they can even think as an individual.

Vision a lifestyle where one perceives it as a sin to comprehend data more efficiently than of one’s peers; a felony to long for things that others do not wish upon. Where floods of white tunics and austere minds obliterate the Earth. A colony built upon leaders who asphyxiate anyone from infatuation of any object or significant being; moreover, a world suffocating in collectivism. Through exasperated transcription, Anthem brings about such a community; nevertheless, a world of black and white. Ayn Rand does not overemphasize the effects of totalitarianism, but amplifies it so that it is more effortless for one to enlighten he or she’s notion on the particular proposal. First, by analyzation of “Equality 7-2521”, and

To begin, Equality 7-2521’s actions develop the theme that individualism is not a sin. He does this in multiple ways. However, most of the characters in Anthem believe that individualism is a sin. That is why Equality 7-2521’s actions are significant to the development of the theme. In the beginning

An individualist is self-reliant and independent, this is just the way he is. In this speech, it tells of how Prometheus, and others like him, stood alone against others during their times. New thoughts were frowned upon and turned down, but were eventually used in later life. They were all egoists, wanting to make themselves happy by inventing and creating new inventions the world had not seen before. Not being a self-absorbed individual was a delightful thing, but they were all met with hatred. They were regarded as foolish for taking the first step. The step down a new road of inventions and technologies that no one knew would occur because of their “sinful” and “useless” creations. In all, being an egoist is not at all a bad thing, unless you take it to the extreme. Egoists like Prometheus in Anthem have been the ones to take the first steps into new discoveries and challenges. These have helped guide the world to make the developments we are making