Collectivism And Individualism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Naomi In today’s generation, we have learned about collectivism in history classes. In the Holocaust the majority of the people didn’t have a say about anything. In today's generation, we have individualism in our society today. Everyone has the right to make their own choices, such as, if one wants an education or not. Collectivism is when there’s total social and environmental control in a society and no one is allowed chose for them self. Individualism is when one has to chose to do something by him or herself. Throughout the novel Anthem, the allegory of the battle between collectivism and individualism is a huge part of Equality’s life. Collectivism is a part of the novel Anthem based on how humans interact with one another and the

“The Unconquered” (56). Equality, received a new name from Liberty. Equality receives a new name and it shows individualism because his new name has meaning. The Unconquered one is a perfect name for Equality because he walks up straight with confidence and thinks about the best. There is also individualism for Equality when he felt pride and satisfaction. “And we wish to be hungry again and soon that we might know again this strange new pride in eating”(79). Individualism is important because Equality makes a discovery of the word I. “I AM. I THINK. I WILL” (94). I, is individualism because I means by oneself. Equality discovers what individualism is and what it means, but when Equality finds out what it means it changes his view throughout the

“It was not that the learning was too hard for us. It was that the learning was too easy” (21). But throughout the novel Equality realizes he isn’t afraid of life and is glad to be living. Glad to be alive “ But we, Equality 7-2521 are glad to be living” (47). Equality realizes that there is hope, for him to be an individual not just to be a part of a collectivism. Toward the end of the novel Equality figures out that he can have a future as an individual by making his own decisions. He will have a house of his own “I shall live here in my own house” (99). Also in Equality’s future he will have a the choice to learn and accomplish what he wants in order to make him feel proud within himself. “ I shall learn many secrets from my books” (99). “I shall rebuild achievements from the past” (99-100). Equality has changed from a collective to an individual having the knowledge of realizing what he can do to change himself in the environment.

Anthem has shown how the society works. The main character Equality has proven the allegory when he realizes there's more than just a collectivism society. From start of the novel Equality has been able to grow from a part of a collectivism to learning about individualism to becoming an individual. Equality conquers the battle of collectivism and individualism for