The novel Anthem by Ayn Rand is a great example of dystopian literature. The natural world is banished, independent thought is restricted and citizens live in a dehumanized state showing that Anthem is a true example of dystopia.
The uncharted forest is very mysterious to the citizens of the city and no one ever enters into the forest because there is beasts that will kill them. “The uncharted about which men must not think.” That is how Equality describes the forest before Equality enters it. When Equality is in the forest he knows he is safe from the world council because they would never go in the forest and think he is going to get killed by beasts. At first Equality thinks he is doomed to get killed by beasts as well but slowly
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That line shows how restricted their society is science and technology can never advance because everyone has to understand something if they want to use or make it. Equality's light box works but they say it is not real because not everyone does not understand or agree on it. In addition when someone says the forbidden word they get burned at the stake and everyone has to watch. “ We have seen one of such men burned alive in the square of the city.”(pg49) The forbidden word is forbidden because it is a transgression to think by oneself. Equality is struggling to find the word the whole novel and when he see “I” at the end of the book he breaks down in tears on the floor. He has this reaction because he now has a word to express himself.
Citizens of Equality's society live in a dehumanized state. When children are born they go straight to the house of the infants, they never get to see or meet their parents and the parents never know them. Kids never get the support a family would give you emotionally and physically. Plus parents get matched with random people to have a kid with and Equality describes it as a messy and shameful. Another way they are dehumanized is making them wear the same white robes as everyone else all the time. They can not express any individuality or