The Role Of Individuality In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Equality stands out from everyone around him, making him an individual. This also makes him the archetype of the loner or outcast. In the beginning of the novel Equality states that, “We were born with a curse. It has always driven us to thoughts which are forbidden.” (page 18.) He also says “We are six feet tall, and this is a burden, for there are not many men who are six feet tall.” (page 18.) These quotes show exactly how Equality is an individual compared to those around him who fit in the idea of collectivism, or sameness.

Living through this society, Equality is quite unfamiliar with the concept of individuality. Initially, Equality lives denying any hint of individuality coming to light just as others in the society do. With that mentality Equality pleads,

The society believes that they are living in a utopian community. Their morals are based on a collectivist mind, in which there should be no one greater than another. In “The Fountainhead”, Howard Roark states, “The great creators—the thinkers, the artists, the scientists, the inventors—stood alone against the men of their time. Every great new thought was opposed. Every great new invention was denounced.” Equality’s society deprives the community from even thinking in that way. The laws and ideas for the society are very straightforward and detailed. Even the language is cut down to eradicate individualism to where the word “I” is forbidden. It is a sin to commit any act that falls under being an individual. It is a sin to think or act for self, instead of his “brothers” or “sisters”. Equality had a gift of

The society of Anthem banned pronouns like I or me. Equality defied this by using these pronouns after he read them in “ancient scripts”. “I stand here on the summit of the mountain. I lift my head and I spread my arms. This, my body and spirit, this is the end of the quest. I am the meaning” (94). Equality said this because the pronouns he used symbolized his escape from his past world. He reached his final goal, and broke free from the regulations of the strict society. Ayn Rand said in her article, “The basic need of the creator is independence. The reasoning mind cannot work under any form of compulsion. It cannot be curbed, sacrificed or subordinated to any consideration whatsoever. It demands total independence in function and in motive. To a creator, all relations with men are secondary.” This means that Equality was freed by his gaining of independence from the past society. Equality does not owe anything to his brothers, and that helped him escape. He even gave names to himself and Liberty. This act is condemned in his original home. By defying the rules and regulations, Equality managed to free himself for good from the society of

Equality is a considerably critical man in the story, here are some examples. Equality states “ I owe nothing to my brothers nor do I gather debts from them. I ask none to live for me, nor do I live for any others. I covet no man’s soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet” (Rand 97). Throughout the story Equality sees many problems he faces with much thought, he finds the problem and attempts to make it better. Later in the story Equality runs off to the “Uncharted forest” and has to find ways to survive and says “why the best in me had been my sins and transgressions and why I had never felt any guilt in my sins” (Rand 98). As this quote was one of the first things in the last chapter Equality

Author Ayn Rand paints the picture of a dystopia, stripped of individuality and independence, in her 1938 novel Anthem. Main character, Equality 7-2521, is one of few to question the ways of his society. He is able to develop strong personal ideas and principles despite the restricting environment he is raised in. Equality 7-2521 takes notice of the confinements of society, opposes these confinements, and envisions a new society for himself and future generations.

​In the society of Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem, it is a crime to show any individuality, and it is a reminder of how some people fear being themselves in today’s society. In the novel Equality 7-2521, the main character, knows that they are different from everyone else they know. However, they are forced to hide it because they know that they will be punished for these thoughts. When Equality 7-2521 has these thoughts, they must say to themselves, “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever” (Rand 19). Equality 7-2521 is forced to be a follower, which I can connect to my own life. Today, it can seem like it is wrong to be a certain way or to have certain interests. Because of this, many

Anthem, written by Ayn Rand, shows us a society where people are forced to be the same and are scared to be different. In Anthem’s society, the citizens are forced into specific lifestyles. Ayn Rand had written Anthem during World War II while some nations were trying to make their citizens the same. While this was going on, Rand decided to write about why individuality is important. In Anthem, Rand uses Equality 7-2521 to represent the individuality of one’s self.

In the novel Anthem by Ayn Rand Equality leaves the harsh society to enter the forbidden forest to leave all the rules that the council had made behind, and he would not make these rules from the society because it would have no purpose of creating a new one. He had left his home to escape all of the harsh rules that were put in place, and also to learn how life used to be and could be in the future of his own society. If Equality was to have this new society he would want his children to use the personal pronouns, and be able to think for themselves and not as a whole.

Equality runs away into the Uncharted forest to officially escape. He has been alone for days in the forest. Until one day Liberty 5-3000, a woman whom he met earlier in the book, finds him. They continue their escape and make it to an abandoned house. Equality knew that this home was from the unmentionable times. They go in and start exploring and Equality finds a bunch of books that contains words he has never heard of before. This is when he discovers the word “I” he learns that the world he had grown up in had shielded him from this word of individuality. He then decides that he is going to free the people from the restraints of their society. He says “ I shall rebuild the achievements of the past, and open the way to carry them further, the achievements which are open to me, but closed forever to my brothers, for their minds are shackled to the weakest and dullest ones among them.” (99,100)“I shall steal one day, for the last time, into the cursed City of my birth. I shall call to me my friend who has no name save International 4-8818, and all those like him”. (100, 101) He wants to rid of the rules and controls put over his society and free his brothers. He wants to create a great society for all people to enjoy and be individuals and

Equality 7-2521 lives in a society with a government much like communism. The government, called the World Council; controls everything and anything. They limit thoughts of every person, everyone must be the same. No man or woman is allowed to think for themselves because there is no such thing as themselves. The word “I” does not exist in their civilization. Everyone is “brothers” and must all think the same. Equality is different though; he thinks as an individual person. In the beginning of the novel Anthem written by Ayn Rand; Equality believes all the laws he’s breaking are terrible sins against the Council and his fellow brothers. Equality’s eventual assessment for his sins are correct. He comes to the conclusion that he is allowed to think for his own and do what he wants in life. Equality is very intelligent; he cares for others, and strives to be a better person.

They find a house from the forbidden times and settled down. Equality 7-2125 envisions a perfect society, his perfect society. A society with the word “I”. Despite being put through torment in a society that praised the word “WE” Equality 7-2125 makes a remarkable statement claiming the worship and praise of one word, the text states, “I shall cut in stone the word which is to be my beacon and my banner. The word which will not die, should we all perish in battle.

What would life be like if there was no fear involved. “Anthem” by Ayn Rand is a book about a dystopian society. Equality is the main character, He is a curious young man who looks to explore peculiar things to the society. Equality begins to learn in a tunnel, he also makes an invention. His invention is shunned so he leaves the society with his girlfriend before they kill him. As soon as he leaves life gets better for him and liberty 5-3000. The important theme that will be addressed is the idea collectivism can be dangerous when equality is lashed for being intelligent, the people in the society are fearful of progress and equality is shunned for his invention.

Point— Individuality is also taken from people by controlling their language. The unspeakable word “I” in all of its forms has been erased of the society’s vocabulary. “I” means individuality and identity, gives you the power that you need. Speaking the word “I” instead of “we” is the only transgression whose punishment is death. In chapter II Equality, 7-2521 witnessed the execution of a man for speaking the unspeakable word. This event proved that Equality, 7-2521 was not the one being “cursed”. Equality is also punished because after he showed his inventions, by going into the tunnel and doing the scholar’s work even though that was not forbidden. But for them it was a sign of rebellion. Equality, 7521 showed

Equality always wanted to know what it was like to be free and to be his own person and to be different from his brothers. Everyone