Summary Of Anthem, By Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand wrote Anthem in 1998 during the Russian Revolution. Anthem takes place in a dystopian society, written to warn readers about a collectivist society and the importance of individuality. Harrison Bergeron, written by Kurt Vonnegut in 1961, is a dystopian science-fiction short story used as a warning against socialism and the harms of conformity. Both Rand and Vonnegyt use conflict, motif, and dystopia to highlight how government control impacts identity in order to warn the reader about them leading to a society full of marionettes. In the novel Anthem, by Ayn Rand, she writes about the collectivist society and how controlling it is of people's identities. Rand uses conflict in the beginning of the novel because when Rand was writing

Equality 7-2521 thinks they are so stunning that he names them The Golden One. For example, the text states, “We call them the Golden One. But it is a sin to give men names that distinguish them from other men. Yet we call them the Golden One, for they are not like the others. The Golden One is not like the others.”(Rand 41). This quote reflects the rebellious mindset of Equality 7-2521, who chooses to name the woman he loves, “the Golden One”, rather than accepting the labels of their collectivist society. Rand uses motifs throughout the novel to emphasize the importance of individual identity, and how government control will impact it. (Text to World Connection) Later on in the novel, Rand uses motif again to deepen how identity is affected by government control. Equality 7-2521 finally escapes their collectivist society and makes it to the uncharted forest. A few days pass by and the Golden One finds him. Rand highlights this when, “He took the light of the gods and he brought it to men, and he taught men to be gods. And he suffered for his deed, as all bearers of light must suffer. His name is Prometheus. Her name is

The government monitors the people that are smarter and better than everyone else. This is displayed when, “All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General.” (Vonnegut 1). In this passage, Vonnegut shows that striving for complete equality has created a society where everyone is intentionally held back to prevent anyone from standing out. The government’s pursuit of uniformity has resulted in a world lacking individuality, creativity, and personal accomplishment. This quote highlights the negative effects of extreme equality, where freedom and uniqueness are sacrificed in favor of oppressive sameness. SImilarly, Vonnegut uses dystopia to evolve the main idea of how the government is very controlling and will become a theft of your identity. The short story takes place in a living room while Hazel and George are watching TV. They see ballerinas on the TV. Hazel and George aren't fazed by the fact that the ballerinas have masks on. This is seen when, “She must have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask she wore was hideous. And it was easy to see that she was the strongest and most graceful of all