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Equality And His One-Man Rebellion In Ayn Rand's Anthem

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The earliest anthem, “God Save the Queen”, was written over two hundred-fifty years ago. For centuries, anthems have served as a backdrop for everything from revolutions to inaugurations. They are the rallying call for a nation, unifying the country under one identity and expressing pride in their people. However, Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem presents a society that has perverted the purpose of an anthem. It is a society that is unified under one identity, the all-encompassing “we”. Yet there is no trace of pride or patriotism, but rather fear and submission. Men live and die for their brothers out of obligation rather than choice. Conversely, the story of Anthem’s hero Equality and his one-man rebellion realizes the true meaning of an anthem. …show more content…

Anthems are used to express pride, allegiance, and belief in a cause or concept. In Anthem, this concept is individual identity. Equality’s refusal to resign himself to monotony or obscurity serves as the catalyst for the entire story. In a world where names are reduced to serial numbers, altruism is expected, and all are masters to all, Equality refuses to become complacent. It is his identity, as a scholar and innovator, that allows him to finally progress beyond the primitive ways of his society. Equality’s refusal to abandon his true identity rewards him, as he states,” I understood the blessed thing which I had called my curse… why the best in me had been… my transgressions; and why I had never felt guilt in my sins” …show more content…

The song was penned during the French Revolution and adopted by revolting common men (La Marseillaise). Much like Equality, they were rebelling against a society that didn’t allow them to enjoy the fruits of their labor and kept them constantly working. Later, the song was prohibited by Napoleon I due to revolutionary connotations, akin to how “I” was labeled Unspeakable after the Great Rebirth. Napoleon I too reformed the structure of his country after the former government fell to revolt, similar to how Equality’s society developed following a great social upheaval (Napoleon Bonaparte). The revolutionary history of “La Marseillaise” as a song for common men rising against their authority provides a complementary parallel for the events of

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Ayn Rand’s Anthem is a creative novel about a society limited by a dictating government that only permits certain thoughts, words, and actions for it’s people. In this society, all of the citizens are given a role from age 15 are are expected to follow that role with passion. However, Equality 7-2521 is a citizen of this totalitarian society who feels he must take action to break free. It is ironic his name is Equality 7-2521, because the society revolves around equality (Jones). The dystopian world Equality 7-2521 lives in causes great conflict (internal and external), which forces him to learn many new things and grow as a person throughout the novella.

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