The Theme Of Self-Reliance In Anthem By Ayn Rand

Self-reliance. Not very many people have this. Today, our society has grown to become so reliant on one another that people forget how important being independent is in their lives. Ayn Rand shows that this is true through her dystopian novel, Anthem. She does this by developing a protagonist, Equality-72521, who seeks to have the privilege of exploring and taking risks. Equality-72521 lives in a society that shames him for being curious and having an imagination different from the others around him by telling him that he should not be different from others. By placing him into this situation, Rand proves to her readers that the only way to success is through trust in oneself, even through failures and the doubt of others. Rand depicts the theme that self-reliance on one’s own thoughts, actions, and curiosity is the key to success in her novel, Anthem, by showing her readers that taking risks is necessary to learn new things.

Rand shows this theme by writing, “We were born with a curse [that] has always driven us to thoughts which are forbidden [and] given us wishes men may not wish” (#). By trusting himself, Equality-72521 found his inner strengths in being the adventurous person he is. Although he addresses his skill as a curse, he justifies that self-reliance is what makes him unique by saying that it has inspired him to have his own thoughts and wishes that other people do not have. By things independently, people find their own strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities rather than focusing on how they are like others. Equality-72521 lives in an unsupportive society, and he proves that stepping out of his comfort zone is what made shaped him into the person he is today. Through accepting oneself, people can discover more about the person they