The Theme Of Equality 7-2521 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.

Character development is vitally important in Anthem. As we watch Equality 7-2521 change from a state of guilt and unhappiness to a state of pride and self-worthiness, the process creates the bulk of the story elements. One of the most important instances that show how much Equality has changed occurs in Chapter 8. At the end of this chapter, Equality bursts into laughter after thinking about what has happened. Equality laughs when he remembers that he is the damned because he feels liberated, not ruined.

“ … He will be taught reverence for his own spirit.” (Rand 100). Equality felt like he was sinning in his old society, and then the Council gave him a way to pay for it. “We knew we had been guilty, but now we had a way to atone for it.” (Rand 26). Equality wanted those who were suffering in the old society to join him, so they would not feel as he had felt under the oppression of the Council. “I shall call to me all the men and women whose spirit has not been willed within them and who suffer under the yoke of their brothers.” (Rand 101).

For example, Equality exclaimed, “Many words have been granted to me and some are wise, and some are false, but only three are holy: “I will it!”” (Rand 94, 95). Throughout the entire book, religious word choice is used to emphasize the importance of what Equality is saying. Referring to the three words as “holy”, Rand took the phrase “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” which is praised upon by Christians and changed it to “I will it” (Rand 95). This shows the wording being used to augment the phrase and add sacredness to it. The title of the novella is also used to emphasize the Unspeakable Word. Anthem is defined as a song or hymn of praise. Often used with a holy vibe, Rand is using the word ‘anthem’ to put an importance to the sacred word: ego. Without individuality, men were reliant on the word ‘we’. Equality explains, “When men accepted that worship, the structure of centuries collapsed about them” and he continues to refer to men without the word “I” as lost and without

The fiction novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, begins as equality takes a journey to individualism. He begins by writing how wrong he is to be writing what he is, how much of a sin it is. To be thinking as his own, and as an “I”. Ayn Rand is from Russia, which is a communist society. As Rand was growing up in this time frame, she had made the time to give herself an education which was frowned upon as she was a woman. She was not given a sense of “I” it was the normal thing for women to stand back and watch. To continue deeper into the book, Equality's eventual assessment of his writing on his own, changed from being a sin to being and individual activity, from the beginning to the end of the book.

In the book Anthem by Ayn Rand, nature is portrayed as a safe haven, and it is something that Equality can experience without thinking twice. Nature is an escape, a place to be you, a place to be unique. Everything in the society is sheltered and unknown, Equality describes nature in a different way than he described anything else in the book. There is a sense of relief, and it is like Equality lets his guard down and is free to be himself for a short amount of time as he describes nature. Equality describes the sky with great detail. He explains the three different colors of the sky at three different times of the day. “The sky is green and cold in our windows to the east” (Rand 27). He pays great attention to detail and the vivid colors and the way the sky looks at various times. Equality feels a sense of relief throughout the book through nature. Individuality is

The novel "Anthem" by Ayn Rand talks about a man named Equality 7-2521 and his time in the Home of the Street Sweepers and how he has committed many sins including writing in his journal. Equality 7-2521 and International 4-8818 find stairs leading into the darkness and find a tunnel. International 4-8818 wants to report the tunnel to the World of Council, but Equality 7-2521 doesn't let him. Each night, for only three hours, while the Street Sweepers are at the City Theatre, he goes to the tunnel to study. They melt metals, mix acids, and cut open the bodies of dead animals. Equality 7-2521 also stated that the men are not allowed to look at other women other then the only women they are assigned to them and vice versa. He is attracted to a woman, Liberty 5-3000, he thinks of her as the "Golden One."

“Anthem” is an engrossing novel by Ayn Rand focusing on the character Equality 7-2521’s descent into rebellion against the new socialistic government that has taken all previous scientific advancement out of life, only to leave the ideology of collectivism. His quest to discover, learn, and invent is problematic for those that oversee the progress of the civilization, and from roughly around the age of five, he is punished for his nature. Soon enough, the twenty-one year old is on a journey to learn, not only about nature’s mysteries, but also about what sets him apart from his dead-eyed peers. Equality 7-2521 has many distinctive characteristics that others in the restricted city do not, some of which are relatable, and others that are indeed unique.

The story Anthem takes place in the future, however, there is no technology to support that era. This book displays no flying cars, or jet packs that most people today would associate with the future. Instead, society has regressed to a time where not even a light bulb remains. As the story follows Equality 7-2521 through his transition from a simple street sweeper, to a free man with his own family, the oppression and draconian laws of this new society is documented by Equality.

When the men are older than twenty-one and the women are older than eighteen they are paired up with someone to have children. Once these children are born the mothers never get see them, therefore they grow up not knowing who their parents are. The book states Equality has been there more than once,”Twice have we been sent to the Palace of Mating, but it is an ugly and shameful matter, of which we do not like to think.” (pg;13) Some people are just fine with this life, but he is not. If I was in Equality’s shoes I would most likely break all the same laws or as they like to say “sin”. This book shows how good we have it to be able to date who we want and choose who we’d like to have children with.

How would you feel if a council put one in a working system based on who you are and how you

“We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible, and forever” ( Rand. 19). In Equality 7-2521’s life, he was forced to be equal to the people who were around him. He couldn’t be different from society, because it was a sin. Equality was born with a curse which made him different from his brothers. He was cursed with the quick learning ability. He tried to be like other people who were not as smart as him, but somehow his plan never succeeded. Although he tried to forget his lessons, it always came back to his remembrance. Anthem interested me when Equality 7-2521 met Liberty 5-3000, how he discovered electricity, and how he wanted his rights. Society wanted the people including Equality 7-2521 to be equal. Even though Equality 7-2521 went through some hard times, he finally got his rights at the end of the book.

In the book Anthem, there are many sins, as well as transgressions. There is a transgression of preference, of being alone, of thinking alone, of writing, and even of disobedience. In this essay, I will talk about why I feel this society is corrupt as well as how I believe Equality 7-2521 has come to the same conclusion and why he doesn't care about his transgressions. I will also talk about how I think Equality 7-2521 realizes the importance of the written word. And lastly, I will talk about how I feel that Equality 7-2521 has come to his current state of enlightenment. An epiphany, if you will.

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.

The novel Anthem represents a dystopian fiction written in 1937, but officially published in 1938 by a Russian-born American novelist Ayn Rand. Rand’s purpose represents her desire to express individuality. Anthem was based on the future in an unspecified location. Throughout the book the character Equality 7-2521 wanted to become an individual but was not sure how to express himself. Equality expressed himself as “we” but as the novel progressed he began to recognize himself as “I”.