The Leader In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Within the pages of Ayn Rand’s novel, Anthem, a government which resembles a dictatorship is exhibited. Both the leaders and the society itself seek to control mans body and mind as they follow ideals similar to that of a communist party. The leaders and society in Anthem seek to control mans mind using tactics such as collectivism and suppression of the past to accomplish a tyrannical end.

“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… We have broken the laws” (17). Thus begins Anthem by Ayn Rand, a novella about a future collectivist society and a man named Equality 7-2521. Though the story takes place in the future, all technology that came after candles and glass has been taken away. The word “I” has ceased to exist in anyone’s vocabulary. Every person must agree on everything and feel like everyone else. To accomplish ‘cleansing’ the evils of mankind, society lead its people to believe that nothing can be done independently. The story is told through the eyes of Equality as he purposely defies the laws

In Equality’s society of Anthem by Ayn Rand, they have many rules and controls, or regulations. They have the rules in place so everyone is the same. The Council doesn’t want anyone to be different, or to have different thoughts. Equality’s new society may have no rules from the old society because he encourages differences, he hated the old society’s rules, and he knows what it means to be an outcast.

Imagine living in a society where you have no control over your own life. In the book Anthem written by Ayn Rand, the characters are told how to live by the government. They have no control over their life, and they must follow the laws and rules. If any person breaks these laws and rules, they will be punished severely. There are no exceptions, no warnings, one strike and they’re done. In Anthem the government has enforced many rules. A few of the rules may include the “we” law, the “no affection” law and another law is how one must never write or talk about the Unmentionable Times. The government allows no human to live an uncontrolled life and they deserve to live their own lives.

The outcast archetype that Equality is portrayed with is partially created by their internal conflict throughout the novel. After admitting to their crime of going against conformity and being an individual in thought to the World Council of Scholars, Equality runs away and ends up in the Uncharted Forest, more or less banished from their society. They are looked at with disdain by the scholars for their attempt of individuality in a society surrounded in conformity. Rand writes the following on page 72: “How dare you, gutter cleaner,...to hold yourself as one alone and with the thoughts of the one and not of the many?” (Rand). By sharing the thoughts that they had alone, Equality became an outcast in their community. Even if Equality had chosen conforming over being independent, there still would have been a different form of price paid for their decision. However, if they had decided to submit to their culture’s practice, then they would not have achieved their quest, and the powerful ending of Anthem might not have been as compelling.

Liberty, a peasant girl meets Equality and in a sense helps him find himself and correct his morals. His plan is to sneak out during the social interaction time to his secret tunnel underground where he writes after he stops writing in his room. One night he forgets to keep track of his hour glass and continues writing and experimenting with his light box and gets caught. He gets thrown in a cell block until he informs the council of his sins, holding this information, to him, is morally wrong in the eyes of the council. Anthem is a communistic society, so the council controls any and everything occurring within. According to http://www.governmentvs.com/en/totalitarian-countries/model-58-4 Totalitarian nations include, China, North Korea, India, Uzbekistan, Austria, Germany, Belarus, South Africa. Meaning these nations are controlling the states by not letting them take part in certain aspects of their own life, just as in Anthem. By the beginning of the book Equality knows that sinning is morally wrong and he should not take part in it. The council forbids any form of self interest or anything to do with thinking about oneself to prevent individualism, but by the end of the book things turn out differently for the better sake of

Every citizen believes the way they are living is correct and that there is no problem with the society. “This was the only thing which moved, for the lips of the oldest did not move as they said: ‘Street Sweeper’(Anthem)”. Equality 7- 2521 feels differently when he knows that he is extremely smart and is given the job to be a street sweeper. Throughout the story, Equality 7-2521 learns to realize that the society is brain washing every single citizen. “The locks are old on the doors and there are no guards about. There is no reason to have guards, for men have never defied the Councils so far as to escape from whatever place they were ordered to be (Anthem).” Any citizens who were supposed to be locked up would never to attempt to even escape because they knew they would be put to death, however, escaping was easy for Equality

How could Ayn Rand’s Anthem have been altered if Equality and his society had been founded on Christianity? Throughout the story, beliefs and convictions were a significant factor in plot progressions. In addition, different doctrine also provided a huge contribution to character development. However, these various viewpoints established throughout the story, directly contrast with Biblical values. Looking closely at the development of society’s and Equality’s beliefs, a reader can easily distinguish his ideas from Christianity.

In the story Anthem, members of the society are not allowed to do anything for themselves. Everything in their entire live is told to them by a council that has been told to do that by someone else. Nobody has complete control in the world, because everyone's job was told for them to by somebody else. The freedom of speech is blatantly absent from the story and after reading it, one could tell why it is so obvious yet so hard to see at the same time. The story tends to have the mention of the freedom of speech absent. It focuses more on things like, the freedom of preference, or the freedom to write.

“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

All success starts with inner motivation. The most talented people that are living have an inner motivation that started their success story. The book “Anthem,” by Ayn Rand portrays the character  Equality's  main motivation which is individuality. Through his fearless discoveries he finally realizes the truth and that truth will set him free.

Ayn Rand grew up in communist Russia. Her upbringing in the communist society is evident throughout the book which is based on her childhood. One could infer that she is a lot like Equality, we could also deduce that Rand enjoyed a sense of self and took pride in breaking the rules in her society to individualize herself. In Anthem rules exist to make everyone equal, and their purpose is to ensure no one “goes out of the box”, but Equality would not include any of these rules because of his personal beliefs, and his adventures breaking these rules. Guidelines exist to make everyone uniform, and their purpose is to not have any people who break the mold. Although Equality grew up in a extremely strict and dour society, he would not enforce

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.

In today’s society, a lot of people tend to take for granted what they have. Every once and a while, something drastic will ensue them, and that’s when they finally grasp what’s been right in front of them the whole time. In many different societies, for example the societies in The Hunger Games, and Anthem, the individuals that are living there are forced to listen to the ruler, or rulers, do not have an opinion in some of the choices that are made for them, and are also forced to accept the rule of selflessness. Based on the themes of the Power of Knowledge, the Image of Self, and the Consequences of Free Will, the novella, Anthem, and the

In life, you are born into societies where various ideas or things are thought to be normal and the customs are already established. The novel Anthem by Ayn Rand has many themes, but what I believe the theme of the novel is, to think for yourself. To think for yourself means to make your own decisions and opinions, without depending on other people. I also think that if you are going to think for yourself you can’t worry about what other people will think of what you believe in. Whether you believe that you should only have school a few days a week or you believe in a certain god, no person should feel ashamed for what they believe in. In today’s society and in the society of Anthem, people don’t think for themselves and they just follow people blindly. In the media, today we see what celebrities are saying, who they like, who they dislike, what they use, what they endorse, and we follow them because we want to be like them. Sometimes you don’t realize that you’re not thinking for yourself, but not being able to think for yourself can make you miserable and that is what Equality 7-2521 realized in Anthem.