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Literary analysis of anthem by ayn rand
Anthem by ayn rand essay analysis outline
Ayn rand anthem conclusion
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At the beginning of Anthem Equality has changed his mind about a lot of things in the beginning of the story. Equality got picked to be a street sweeper by the government, but he really wanted to be a scholar but couldn’t because of the government. Equality had a rough life. Well he was a street sweeper but he was smart enough to be a scholar the government did not think he was. In the book anthem by ayn rand Equality was not good for any body or anything at the beginning he had a rough start to his life.
In Ayn Rand's story Anthem, the protagonist Equality 7-2521 has a power unlike no other within their collectivist society. One day when Equality was working as a street sweeper, he finds an old abandoned underground railroad tunnel from the Unmentionable Times long ago. This is where he conducts his experiments that fill him with pride and joy. Equality dreams how his new invention that he brought into existence can change the world, but helping mankind is not his true motivation behind his passion to create. Throughout the story, Equality's true motivation is him trying to find his inner self and his identity as an individual.
In the book Anthem their society is way different from ours. They are not allowed to be individual or say the word “I”. They can’t have names, instead they are in groups and have group names. They all have a part in society like their jobs and things they do. For example the equality group belong to the street sweepers.
In Ayn Rand's Dystopian/Philosophical novel “Anthem” we are given the chance to witness Equality 7-2521 flourish and bloom as a character in the first chapter alone. Despite living in a society where his rights as a human being are overly oppressed, Equality began to bring forth his uncoerced mind by the end of chapter 1 through his desire to know more about himself and the world around him. At the beginning of the story Ayn Rand portrays Equality 7-2521 as a defiant yet compliant person, Accordingly Equality states that “... there is no transgression blacker than to do or think alone … The laws say that men may not write unless the Council of Vocations bid them so. May we be forgiven!”(Rand 3).
The society portrayed in Anthem is a society revolved around collectivism, which is the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it”(Source 3). The social nature is almost non-existent and becomes less the more you age. Equality states “we fought with our brothers. There are few offenses blacker than to fight with our brothers, at any age and for any cause whatsoever. The Council of the Home told us so, and all of the children of that year, we were locked in the cellar most often.
Oppression The society in Anthem, by Ayn Rand has many oppressive rules that control the people living in it. These rules exist to repress people from feeling anything special for someone else, to cover up the past world, and to keep everyone completely equal. These horrible rules would certainly not exist in the world that Equality envisions creating at the end of the story. Clearly the rules put in place by The Council decrease the quality of life for everyone living in that society, and can give someone a new appreciation for the freedoms they have as individuals.
Equality within the similar actions indicates in the novella Anthem, how his focus being on ways of changing his city and the thought process the council arranges for the city’s structure. Throughout the novella Equality begins putting himself first and letting his ego drive
This made Equality find out who he is and gave him the chance to be an individual. Equality’s views and mindset changes through out the book. He was born in a society where people are named by numbers. A world where people are used as machines. In this world the word “I” is out of existence.
Rules and Subjectivity Society is fundamentally built upon rigid structure and control using rules to attempt to maintain order amongst a society comprised of many individuals. Inherently rules put at expense the freedom of individuals to achieve personal happiness in order to build a society comprised of more equally achieving individuals. Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem builds a society in which rules restrict all individual freedoms and force a more collective ideal. The rules put in place by the society are meant to make everybody collectively more happy and prevent inherent human subjectivity; however, inherent to human nature, rules can be subjectively interpreted. In contrast to the pre-existing society presented by Rand, Equality 7-2521 seeks
In our society, people are motivated in lots of different ways. This can create both positives, such as putting a man on the moon, and negatives, such as war and starving people. Anthem is a story about a man who is going against his collectivist society in his search for individuality. Equality’s main motivation is to discover new things and new ideas in the world around him, as well as to try to figure out who he is as an individual. His motivation is correct because he enables the thought of free will, and the world could become a better place if everyone was motivated like Equality.
Anthem Essay “The secrets of this earth is not for all men to see, but only for those who will seek them,”(52). Equality 7-2521 leaves for his own sake. He was told many things about the unmentionable times, not to go into the uncharted forest, and not to speak the unspeakable word,”I”. He grew up with his brothers as one and referred each other as “we”.
The society in Anthem is based off equality and it is the reason for equal rights. The authors expressed the importance of this by saying “Entire life is based around the existence of their brothers and the council, making not time for themselves. For men may wish nothing for themselves” (24). Everyone needs time for themself in life to find their passion and who they really are. When everyone is blending or focused on fitting in they lose that.
Ayn Rand taught the principle, “One must never fail to pronounce moral judgment.” The grade of morality fluctuates depending on the time, place, and society. While today’s society will compose the portrait that we are continually growing stronger and improving, the politics of men cannot overcome simple flaws such as controlling the people of their society. This is no different in the novella Anthem. The ironic name given to Equality gives the indication that perhaps society is not as equal as they would fancy.
Quotes Explanation Equality is going against the government, first he broke the rule of fighting with his brothers then he did not tell about the tunnel then he fell in love. A science-fiction novel “Anthem” by Ayn Rand. Something about this is interesting, “We raised our head and stepped back. For we did not understand what had made us do this, and we were afraid to understand it”(Rand 57-58). Liberty did not want to go against the government and do a sin but she still fall in love Equality.
Liberty, a worker in the Home of the Peasants, is renamed The Golden One by Equality because of her beautiful “golden” hair. By the end of Anthem, Equality has a different intake of his assessment on his sins. As you can see the many examples that Equality has perpetrated can affect the assessment that Equality has on his sins by taking a stand and standing up to be a true individual that has individuality. Also I would say drawing attention to yourself isn’t really a sin rather than something that someone is very uncomfortable
