Theme Of Collectivism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Commonly mistaken as being an ideal way of life, Anthem, by Ayn Rand, emphasizes the negative impacts collectivism has on society. Collectivism, an oppressive concept of prioritizing a group over each individual in it, is practiced and enforced by the Council of Vocations and few citizens question it. The protagonist, Equality 7-2521, rebels against his collectivist society as he discovers individualism, the belief that “individual’s needs are more crucial than a whole society’s needs” (), and its enlightening effects. He quickly recognizes that he is different from others in terms of intelligence and that he is in fact an individual, not just a fragmented piece of a group like he was led to believe. Ayn Rand’s novella, Anthem, highlights the

Words such as “him,” “her,” and “I” are replaced with “we,” “our,” and “they,” reinforcing collectivistic ideas such as that every citizen is only a fragment of the greater group, with the sole reason of serving one another. Equality 7-2521 expresses his knowledge regarding his standing in society when he says: “We are nothing. Mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed our lives. We exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State. . .”(6). The climax of the novella correlates to this too- it is when Equality 7-2521 finally discovers the word “I” and starts using it when he says, “I am. I think. I will.” (56). Such statements are punishable by law, yet at the same time is a breakthrough moment as oppression brought on by collectivism is diminished and individuality rediscovered by Equality 7-2521. His curiosity pushes him to realize what he has been searching for, the ability to think of himself as one. As people can not refer to themselves as distinct individuals, they can not think of themselves as ones either (Yamagishi), thereby aiding in the Council’s goal of staying in power and why singular pronouns are