The Theme Of Seeking Truth In Anthem By Ayn Rand

Adriana Berry

Mrs. Shelby O’Neal

8 Literature Honors

January 17, 2023

Seeking Truth in Anthem

“There is nothing so powerful as the truth and often nothing so strange (Webster n.d.).” Truth sets people free from equality and gives personality! In Anthem, the society written about does not believe this because they wish to suppress difference. Equality 7-2521 is often curious about hidden truths and is constantly exploring. Equality is always being put up against his society for this reason, yet he does not care. In the novella, Anthem, Ayn Rand highlights the theme of seeking truth through Equality 7-2527’s curiosity, the

Equality wonders what the words forgotten in the Unmentionable Times are that have been forbidden (Rand 49). The curiosity which Equality possesses is forbidden, especially because it is a sin, in his society, to wonder what others do not. There is a power only Equality knows off which goes against every law known to man (Rand 53). This power, electricity, was forgotten and lost through the years, yet Equality continues to wonder, learn, and explore this new found force. As Equality explores hidden truths, he finds the word “I” and once he fully understands it he cries in pity and remorse for the world (Rand 98). At this moment Equality is sad and angry because the word “I” has so much meaning and should not be a secret. It should not be a secret because it gives individuality to a person and equality knows this. The characterization of curiosity is based on Equality who is always finding secrets which reveal the

Equality knows he did something wrong when he favored one person over another (Rand 41). Preference is only a sin because society makes it so. Equality thinking he did something wrong is an example of the society getting in his head. One time, Equality wanted to speak to his lover but could not, for he knew it was forbidden to talk to a person who has a different job (Rand 40). Forbidding people to talk to others that are different in trade is a way for the society to control the people. Equality does not care and eventually runs away with his lover. Before he runs, Equality is sent to the Palace of Corrective Detention, a place of punishment, which does not have guards because no one has ever tried to escape (Rand 66). Everyone has always listened to the rules and stayed where they were told to be, but in the end, Equality will escape because he does not care about the rules of his society. Equality resistes the society’s restraints causing him to slowly seek his own truth, strengthening the theme of seeking