Individualism is the habit of being independent and self-reliant. In George Orwell’s 1984 and Ayn Rand’s Anthem, people are not allowed to have individualism and privacy due to the government’s control and power. The common theme that is shared by both stories is being part of a society that is more important than being a person. In 1984, Winston Smith, the main character, lives in a dystopian society that is controlled by a figure known as Big Brother. Big Brother watches everyone including Winston through telescreens that are distributed throughout the region. Telescreens defeat the whole purpose of having privacy. Equality 7-2521 is similar to Winston from the novella, Anthem. Equality 7-2521 does not agree with the Council because they …show more content…
For a Utopian society, Big Brother must watch everyone’s actions. In chapter one of book one, “Winston kept his back turned to the telescreen… even a back can be revealing.” This indicates how any behavior that is even small can seem suspicious to the Party. Orwell states in the novel that it is “terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen… In any case, to wear an improper expression on your face… was itself a punishable offense.” Like the telescreens, the slogan of the Party is posted around the region. The slogan is, “WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.” The Party is determined to make the society perfect, so the slogan is posted everywhere as a reminder. Another reminder that is always around is “Big Brother is Watching You.” O’Brien says, “Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing,” and this describes how much power can do to a person. The Party’s goal is to create a Utopian society, which means no one is allowed to be themselves, so people are required to do what the Party believes is right. The Party does not tolerate people who cannot follow their commands, so, “Your name was removed from the registers… You were abolished, annihilated: vaporized was the usual word.” The Party strives for a perfect society in which they believe is being the same as each other. This is accomplished by taking advantage of the power that the Party