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Summary Of Anthem, By Ayn Rand

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Well-known American author Ayn Rand in her short novel, Anthem, describes a post-apocalyptic world where individualism has vanished. Rand’s purpose is to inspire non-conformity and boldness while educating her readers about the dangers and horrific effects of communism. Rand describes the people she considers ideal in this society and those who are considered anything but idolized. Rand’s tone towards the people who do not fit the mold described is that she feels pity for most of them, but has the utmost respect towards the two main characters, Equality-7521 (Prometheus) and The Golden One (Gaea), the two that have the courage to think differently. Rand wrote this novel in English to emphasize to her probably American audience the reality of communism and why it causes more harm than it could ever help. Rand opens the …show more content…

At the beginning of the novel, Rand delves into what is considered sinful, which is what would appear to be common things in our society. This post-apocalyptic New York City banished writing, being alone, as well as having a preference or a favorite. Individualism is crushed and following teachings mindlessly is demanded. It is emphasized that there is no individual and the word “I” is an evil and disgusting word to use. One must think the same thoughts of the group, believe the same things as the group, and must be the same as the group, otherwise, they are selfish and sinful. The Council of Vocations decides where everyone will work and their ultimate fate for the rest of their life. In this society, everyone is equally miserable. No one is better than anyone else. An “average” cannot exist because that means someone will have to be lower than someone else. Describing these aspects of this society is Rand’s unique take on subtly describing a communist society. Throughout the course of the story, Rand emphasizes how

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The word contentious means tending to argue or strife; quarrelsome. This connects to what the chapter is portrayed in many ways. In this chapter, Equality 7-2521/ Prometheus go to the council to discuss the light box and all of their discretions. I think that this chapter title is exactly what is going on in this chapter because they spend most of the chapter arguing with Equality. On the second page, Equality tells the council that they are street sweepers.

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The novel focuses on a dystopian society with no sense of individualism, but one man rebels against society. The novel doesn’t focus on promoting egotistical values, but rather to show the weaknesses of a society without individual distinction. Rand effectively uses irony to express this theme. One piece of irony is the lack of technological advances in this society. Many citizens praise the “Candle” (68) as the single most important invention.

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How Does One Lead a Rational Life in the Great Rebirth Ayn Rand is an illustrious writer, known for many of her works including the short novella Anthem and her short essay How Does One Lead a Rational Life in an Irrational Society. In Anthem, she speaks of a dystopian world set in the future with primitive technology. The Council expects everybody to look, act, and generally be the same as one another; however, Equality, the main character of Anthem, does not conform to the social norm. He rebels from the cookie-cutter system and learns to see the deep err in the way of the Council and finally realises the effects that the abusive treatment of the citizens creates.

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799 Words | 4 Pages

Ayn Rand’s Anthem starts by Equality 7-2521 saying “It is a sin to write this.” Throughout the story, Equality’s views and mindset changes, he realizes that he is different from his brothers and its ok to be different. He discovers that if something is legal it is not certainly right. His eager for knowledge taught him the word “I” abandoning the word “We”.

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1128 Words | 5 Pages

In Ayn Rand’s novella, Anthem, mankind is a philanthropic machine. The brotherhood nobly works together to achieve a common goal. In doing so, each man is asked to disregard his own personal means and goals. For every decision must be a collective thought and every advancement, a joint action. However, one man in this machine malfunctions.

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The author represents a possible future of life filled with individuality

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The book takes place during a future date that is unspecified and has entered a dark age. Advancements in technology has been planned out carefully and individuality is completely eliminated. Themes that occur in the novel are individuality, martyrdom value, collective impotence, and component of identity of the original creation. Freedom is for everyone. In the Declaration of Independence everyone is given equal rights and this is showed in the novel because everyone does not have more or less.

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In 1937, The Author Ayn Rand wrote the novel Anthem to illustrate how different the world would be without individualism. In Anthem, there is no such thing as I but only we, except when Equality 7-2521 rediscovers the forbidden that is when everything is jeopardized. In Anthem the city has numerous rules and controls to keep its citizens in order or in line. Ayn Rand’s Anthem is the story of a man’s personal growth and quest for freedom from the rules and regulations in the society, which he lived. As the novel’s main character, Equality struggles to find meaning in his life and to understand his own unique nature.

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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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1067 Words | 5 Pages

"We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever’”(Rand 19). In Ayn Rand’s dystopian novel, Anthem, the citizens are trained from birth to think only in the plural, to the point where they cannot even conceive of individuals, but only see each other as part of the whole group. Rand’s protagonist, Equality 72521, begins the novel as a street-sweeper who is devoted to the group, but begins to move towards individuality as he progresses towards pure selfishness, as Rand believes we all should. Rand uses the words “we” and “I” to represent Equality’s journey from being dependent on the group, to being utterly independent of everyone.

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Lois Lowry, the author of the speculative fiction The Giver, warns us of the dangers of taking away personal freedom by controlling everything, even the weather and environment, in this dystopian and somewhat utopic world that this novel is set in shows us how important emotions and free choice are. Using jargon, visual imagery and figurative language in The Giver Lowry to name a few tricks to show and tell us about dystopias and utopian elements in speculative fiction The Giver. One of the many dystopian elements is the fact that they don’t seek diversity, this is vital to people's differences (that is accepted) and helps us to belong and form relationships, in The Giver everyone gets the same thing for their birthday, they wear the same

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816 Words | 4 Pages

Her intentions behind this book were to she people all the wrongs thing that we're going on in their times. One of the biggest themes of this book is life under communism. Rand thinks that American are to self opposed to even see the problem that are happening overseas. In Russia at the time people

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Atlas Shrugged is a 1957 novel by Ayn Rand, who considered it to be her magnum opus (Dutton, 704). The novel uses elements of mystery, science fiction, and romance to create a dystopian version of the United States, which is used as a vehicle to portray Rand’s philosophical system of Objectivism. The significance of setting is distinguished in terms of geographical and time period. There are a few main locations, each embodying certain sets of ideas and values.

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List of Broad Themes: Life’s ability to destroy man and his values, such as the destruction of Ira and Murray’s lives when Eve creates the book I Married A Communist and its subsequent repercussions. The pervasive effect of censorship which has the ability to strip a man of all identity, especially American identity. The only real difference between the lower class and upper is that the lower class has a developed view of life, which actually serves to be an impediment.

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The society in this book is basically the epitome of a dystopia. It has a totalitarian government and everything about the world the people live in is a frightening nightmare. The government has completely dehumanized the way people live their lives. People in this dystopia aren’t even actually human any more. They aren’t even born the natural way through reproduction, they are created.

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