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Character Vs. Society In Ayn Rand's Anthem

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Anthem is a story written by Ayn Rand as a propaganda piece portraying the evils of communism. The book takes place in the future in a undisclosed city surrounded by forest. In this city a collectivist society dwells. The conflict of Anthem is character vs. society where one man by the name of Equality decides to go against his broken government. Equality took a stand against his broken society, he has defied the council of scholars and his government, had a relation with a women, and escaped the city to The Uncharted Forest. Equality defies the council of scholars and his government by studying and learning about the world. “How dare you think that your mind held greater wisdom than the mind of your brothers” (Rand 71). Equality goes against …show more content…

“We know that men would not follow us for they never enter the Uncharted Forest” (Rand 76). Great mysteries of the “Evil Times” are at slumber in the Uncharted forest. This is what makes it forbidden. Knowing that, Equality goes in anyway. These times are so “evil” because what lies in the forest, the ruins of the old time. Society, specifically the government does not want people finding these ruins and gaining knowledge. Having a relationship with another human is strictly forbidden, but this does not stop Equality from pursuing one. “Today The Golden One stopped suddenly and said ‘we love you’ “ (Rand 86). Love is word we use to express how we feel about someone we care about and cherish deeply. The Golden One says this to her significant other, Equality. Equality and The Golden One have a relationship despite society forbidding it. Knowing fully about this rule does not stop the two's love. This love was strong enough that when Equality ran from the city she followed. This is another felony. Equality has taken stands against his society for his own personal thoughts and agenda. He has committed the greatest crime, Individuality. In Anthem everything is for your brothers, everyone is a whole. Individuality is evil in the collectivist world. It is so evil because when one becomes and individual they they have the power to think for themselves and the power to go against their

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Summary Of Ayn Rand's Anthem

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Equality’s greatest strengths and personal qualities were intended to be restricted and abhorred. Indeed, Equality and his gifts were abhorred, but he found a way to circumvent each restriction, consciously or not. And, though he maintained use of his strengths and kept a strong spirit, Equality was never able to permanently influence the society because, as a Street Sweeper, he was no longer part of the great WE. The Council of Vocations mandated Equality to life as a Street Sweeper in order to limit his intellectual opportunities.

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Someone needs to arouse Equality’s primal instinct that has been buried by his camaraderie, and her name is Liberty. “Their body was straight and thin as a blade of iron. Their eyes were dark and hard and glowing, with no fear in them, no kindness and no guilt. […] They threw seeds from their hand as if they deigned to fling a scornful gift, and the earth was as a beggar under their feet” (49). For the first time Equality feels desire and knows pain.

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It is base and evil. It is as if we were speaking alone to no ears but our own. And we know well that there is no transgression blacker than to do or think alone.” (Rand 1.1) So ends the end of this essay, Equality’s moral assessment in his life was worth the risk he took to be independent. His name is Prometheus, and his girlfriend’s name is Gaiea.

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There's so much emphasis on putting others before oneself that people often forget to look out for their own needs, as shown in this book. Ayn Rand successfully captures the negatives of an overrated ideology and presents an unorthodox perspective on the matter. In conclusion, Equality's true motives behind his work are much more selfish than they first appear to be. Equality strives to fulfil his own personal desire rather than contribute everything to society, and this isn't necessarily a negative thing.

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So long a road lies before us, and what care if we must travel it alone!” (54) In this statement all Equality cares about is his invention and he is still trying to expand his

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Moral Assessment Of Anthem Essay

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In response to the choice of Street Sweeper, Equality thinks, “We knew we had been guilty, but now we had a way to atone for it” (26). With his intelligence and curiosity, Equality would do much better as a Scholar. The government punishes him for being different, and as a result, they can’t see him become advantageous. They are blinded by their beliefs on

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Examples Of Collectivism In Anthem

1219 Words | 5 Pages

Victory Over Collectivism “I”, one of the only one-letter words in the English language. Yet its power and meaning do not match its quantitative value. In the collectivist dictatorship found the in the novel Anthem by Ayn Rand, this word has disappeared and consequently, society has fallen into a dark age, all because of the loss of a single-lettered word. However, the hero of this time, Equality 7-2521, breaks down the barrier of the collectivist society and allows him to make advances that show him the power of the word “I” and the idea of individualism in government and in society. Although the word “I” has vanished from society, Equality is able to free himself from the collectivist government through the use of science and free thought,

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