Perishable Traits Of Individualism . Many Great Authors

In addition, Equality continues to make his individualism known by preferring a woman, Liberty 3-5000, above all. While sweeping the streets, Equality takes notice of a woman working in the fields. He is instantly intrigued by her and thinks of her over all others. Equality’s attitude is significantly changed by his interactions with Liberty. “We do not know why we think of them. We do not know why, when we think of them, we feel of a sudden that earth is good and that it is not a burden to live” (Rand 41). Individualism is shown when Equality chooses to favor Liberty. Equality looked at her, even though there were other women in the field that day. He chooses Liberty above all the woman. Equallity shows a preference in only her, which shows individuality. To add, Equality is becoming more unruly and disobiedient by continuing to break rules. The crimes he comits involve talking to woman of other Trades, looking upon woman, and the Transgression of Preference, which is to prefer someone or something above others. Equality’s love for Liberty continues to isolate and detach him from his brothers. His love for Liberty motivates him to banish himself from his society and cut off all his ties to it.

“I understood the blessed thing which I had called my curse. I understood why the best in me had been my sins and transgressions; and why I had never felt guilt in my sins” (98). This quote is about Equality’s epiphany about his curiosity he had had his entire life, proof of the twisted logic the collectivist society used on civilians to make them identical. Since Equality was feeling the best he had ever felt once being free from the collectivist reigns, he was bewildered with the reality of being ‘shunned’ or as his civilization would call him, ‘damned’. Equality laughs, “For the first time this day, we remembered that we are the Damned. [...] We are writing this on the paper we had hidden in our tunic together with the written pages we had brought for the World Council of Scholars, but never given to them” (80). Equality assesses that running away from the law didn’t come with any consequences that he isn’t willing to live with. He was no longer scared to be judged on his thoughts or creations. He comes to the conclusion that nothing is worth giving up

“It is a sin to write this. 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” (17). Equality 7-2521 was born into a society that portrays a totalitarian rule. The people living in the controlled environment have been taught and brainwashed to know only one thing: the priority of the group over the individual person. Equality 7-2521 is one of the few people raised in the world of collectivism that is born different – filled with curiosity, gifted with intelligence; the difference leads him to believe he is cursed and evil. He was ashamed of his unique qualities and believed that he was a flaw. It is this divergence that makes him believe there is an initial

There is a power to individual thinking that forges new pathways that were not there before. Equality’s individual motivations lead him continuously in new paths and allowed him, to discover things that were about himself and in the

At first he writes only in a tunnel, that he has stumbled into by mistake while working as a Street Sweeper, hidden from everyone. “Each night, for three hours, we are under the earth, alone” (35). He is then caught, he arrives at the Home of the Street Sweeper late one night and the Council of the Home asks him “Where have you been?” (63). But Equality refuses to tell them. He is then punished, lashed by two Judges in hopes to procure and answer from him, to no avail. Equality eventually escapes into the Uncharted Forest, a most forbidden place. “We were in the Uncharted Forest. We had not thought of coming here, but our legs had carried our wisdom, and our legs had brought us to the Uncharted Forest against our will” (75). He continues to write in secret here, under the trees, hollow openings in the roots, and eventually in an old house from the Unmentionable Times, “We are sitting at a table and we are writing this upon paper made thousands of years ago” (88). Equality 7-2521 had to travel as far as the Uncharted Forests, which no soul has searched in centuries, in order to feel safe writing once again.

Equality is motivated by himself. He wants to invent things. He’s not doing it for fame or to try to impress the council, but for himself. He’s eager to discover and he’s curious about things and how they work. He is very passionate about his experiments and puts a lot of pride and work into them. Equality is much smarter than the rest of his society as it states “It was that the learning was too easy”(21). He dreamed of being a scholar where he can put his talents to a good use;

At the end of the story, Equality 7-2521 wants to live in a world without the rules and controls the council has set forth. Equality 7-2521 re-invents electricity, surpassing the best Scholars in his society. As well, Equality 7-2521's brilliance continues, as shown as at the end of the novel, when he’s writing philosophies on the meaning of life. The story proves that even though society is equal, human creativity creates a more diverse way of life.

After that first step is taken, people will begin to realize the merits of their situations and therefore, begin to fight as well. This theme is evident throughout the book as the motif of individuality is so prevalent but it only really becomes clear once the main character begins to act on his beliefs. Character development also takes many large strides in this section. Equality’s actions during his meeting with the Council of Scholars were rash and perhaps even radical. Now however, we begin to see his logic in his actions. This all shows the fact that he is beginning to think for himself more than ever and is therefore becoming an individual rather than a monotonous member of the collective. This all comes back to the major conflict of the book: Equalities search for a life in which he can exhibit nonconformity and live in any way he chooses. The conflict is fully resolved after Equality and Liberty find a small house hidden from the rest of society which is from the “Unmentionable times”, a time period similar to our own which the World Council attempts to hide as best they can because it can be implied that they fear to lose power over this society. In the final few chapters of the book, Equality learns, through reading classical texts of the word ‘I’. Thus, his journey for individualism and nonconformity is completed and his conflict is resolved. Rand writes:

Anthem starts the book by stating that Equality has done a sin. The complete novel is based on this first line, because it shows Equality’s character and his rebellious actions. Throughout the book, Equality bases his actions off of the sin and develops a new character for himself. The sin not only describes Equality throughout the book, but also at the climax of the book and at the ending. The sin’s significance in the beginning of the book helps portray Equality's character and actions and the events of the book, but also Equality’s knowledge of his sins never prevents him from sinning.

Equality discovers electricity which fascinates him he starts to think and comes to a conclusion; “Our discovery is too great for us to waste our time in sweeping the streets. We must not keep our secret to ourselves, not buried under the ground. We must bring it into the sight of men.” (60) This is still a part of his negative assessment since Equality is still trying to be a part of the “great WE” yet in committing a crime being different then all others. Equality broke the law by using his intelligence to try to better his society but later found it out as not a smart thing to bring it too World Council of Scholars. The scholars are shocked and terrified over this invention that Equality has presented to them. Collective 0-0009 was mad at the fact of Equality breaking laws so said this on page 71; “we have much to say to a wretch who have broken all the laws and who boast of their infamy! How dared you think that your mind held greater wisdom than the mind of your brothers? And if the Councils had decreed that you should be a Street Sweeper, how dared you think that you could be of greater use to men than in sweeping the streets?” Equality hears this and flees back to his tunnel think badly of the scholars and knowing his invention can be of greater use to people of the

Equality initially had a superior intellect,preferred lessons over work, and was curious about the Unmentionable Times.He wished to learn, and he asked too many questions.With his discovery of the tunnel ,he broke many rules,and regulations just to satisfy his inquiry. With the hope of finding his purpose in life ,his moral compass began to change its direction completely . He began to feel less guilty for pursuing new things,things such as the tunnel,speaking to a female, as well as the finding of electricity.Equality no longer had remorse for simply recognizing he was different from everyone else around him.He began discovering himself ,and eventually became comfortable with how he dealt with society’s practices and institutions.In a way he went from one end if the spectrum to the

He (Equality 7-2521) is different from the rest of the people in society. He knows and at first regrets his sins and by the end of the book he has a whole new perspective of what he does. Equality at first was ashamed of being different. Equality feels that because, “We are six feet tall, and this is a burden, for there are not many men who are six feet tall. Ever have the Teachers and the Leaders pointed to us and frowned and said: ‘There is evil in your bones, Equality 7-2521, for your body has grown beyond the bodies of your brothers.’”

After understanding the meaning of “I,” Equality 7-2521 also comprehends that he has the power to perceive the world. While in the forest, he has the power to do as he pleases. When he was in his community, he was confined to the role of a Street Sweeper. Early in the story, when Equality 7-2521 would spend time in his tunnel, he became enamored with the solitude. Since he was young, he knew he had a great curiosity. The significance of individualism is also shown through Equality 7-2521 building the lightbulb with the resources he found. This creation was unique to him; he was able to think of things other than what his society had branded in his brain. The society does not want to progress, due to the fear of improvement.

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.

Many people across the world have their own definition and beliefs of the word individualism. There is nothing selfish to be able to express ones personality and internal emotions. Being an individual alone could value a person’s overall true character. The claim presented would be opposed by many because people like to feel independent and self-reliant. Individualism in today’s society lets people express themselves, and helps create something small into something big. For a long time now individualism has existed since the founding of our country. History was created by those who showed independence and proved that an individual can do it all.