ipl-logo

Theme Of Equality In Ayn Rand's Anthem

526 Words3 Pages

Edison invented the lightbulb in 1879, and today it powers more than 20 million appliances(LED). In Ayn Rand’s Anthem, the government enforces “fairness” forbidding any distinct skills keeping their citizens dull. Equality 7-2521 the main protagonist, wants to escape from this norm even if the government forbids it; leading to the discovery of remnants from the unmentionable times, and then fully betraying the government as a whole. Equality throughout the book starts to slowly develop an understand about individuality, during his work with the box, representing Rand's beliefs of individuality being ultimate power when compared to a group. Equality thinks the unmentionable times would help prove himself worthy even if it defies the great truth. “...we confess it here: we were guilty of the great transgression of preference”(Rand 22). Equality never understood why he is guilty but he …show more content…

“We seized our box,we shoved them aside, and we ran to the window.”(Rand 74). Due to the shock of his idea "having many problems” according to the government equality tries to run from the truth. “Many words have been granted me, and some are wise some are false, but only three are holy I will it.”(Rand 94-95). Equality thinks these words are important because there commonly seen as signs of independence. The final moments in the book show equality being selfish towards others. Using Anthem, Rand shows her beliefs about the group vs the individuals in the group. She provides us a reason to believe her claims through Equality managing to symbolize her points as the light bulb. Using his transition from being brainwashed by the government to becoming a full individual, after he runs away with his light, adds more of an impact to her beliefs towards selfishness. Anyone who reads a book by Rand should end up understanding the importance of the word

Show More
Related

Analysis Of Anthem By Ayn Rand Equality

394 Words | 2 Pages

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.

Read More

Equality And Ambition In Ayn Rand's Anthem

1196 Words | 5 Pages

Unlike during the Unmentionable Times, when men created “towers [that] rose to the sky,” it is an affliction to be born with powerful intellectual capacity and ambition in Ayn Rand’s apocalyptic, nameless society in Anthem. Collectivism is ostensibly the moral guidepost for humanity, and any perceived threat to the inflexible, authoritarian regime is met with severe punishment. The attack on mankind’s free will and reason is most evident in the cold marble engraving in the Palace of the World Council: “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible and forever” (6). Societal norms force homogeneity and sacrifice among all people.

Read More

The Symbolism Of Light In Ayn Rand's Anthem

351 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem, numerous objects and occurrences symbolize much more than what they are presented as. Of the more obvious symbols, light has the largest impact on the course of the story. The most important instance of light centers around Equality 7-2521’s re-invention of the light bulb. Rand uses light to provide a religious, mythic feeling to the acts of Equality 7-2521 and how he symbolizes light himself. In a society where all men and women are one equal and single minded being; Equality 7-2521 becomes the lone source of individuality and a beacon of light to the people of this oppressed civilization.

Read More

Equality 7-2521 Quotes

493 Words | 2 Pages

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).

Read More

Dictatorship In Anthem, By Ayn Rand

1193 Words | 5 Pages

Equality is willing to oppose his leaders to enunciate everything that he believes in; being oneself and staying true to all one’s rights and morals. He is unequivocally denouncing his leaders by going against everything that his society believes in, like creating inventions as a whole and not by oneself. Rand’s statement, “But in no case and in no situation may one permit one’s own values to be attacked or denounced, and keep silent,” substantiates Equality’s actions in trying to defend all of his rights (Rand, “How” 84). Both Rand and Equality are elucidating that people have to fortify everything that they believe in or it can all be appropriated. Equality and Ayn adage that if people don’t protect their rights then someone will come along that will confiscate people of all virtues and standards.

Read More

Similarities Between The Truman Show And The Allegory Of The Cave

1112 Words | 5 Pages

In Rand’s Anthem, the main character, Equality has a different idea of what is needed for the society while everyone else disagrees. This means that Equality see a different version of the truth of what people need than the rest of his society, “Let us throw away our candles and our torches. Let us flood our cities with light. Let us bring a new light to men!” (Rand 19) Equality, the main character brings to the council of his society something he believe will help everyone.

Read More

Equality 7-2521 Character Analysis

957 Words | 4 Pages

Equality’s greatest strengths and personal qualities were intended to be restricted and abhorred. Indeed, Equality and his gifts were abhorred, but he found a way to circumvent each restriction, consciously or not. And, though he maintained use of his strengths and kept a strong spirit, Equality was never able to permanently influence the society because, as a Street Sweeper, he was no longer part of the great WE. The Council of Vocations mandated Equality to life as a Street Sweeper in order to limit his intellectual opportunities.

Read More

Symbols In Ayn Rand's Anthem

669 Words | 3 Pages

It is base and evil. It is as if we were speaking alone to no ears but our own. And we know well that there is no transgression blacker than to do or think alone.” (Rand 1.1) So ends the end of this essay, Equality’s moral assessment in his life was worth the risk he took to be independent. His name is Prometheus, and his girlfriend’s name is Gaiea.

Read More

The Role Of Ego In Ayn Rand's Anthem

1013 Words | 5 Pages

Equality wants to create a power within other people, within people like him. He creates an idea after he had escaped to go back, to go back and bring the people which know they have a power within themselves, with him, “ I shall call to me all the men and the women whose spirit has not been killed within them” (101) If everyone like him were to go with him, voluntarily, what kind of world would that lead to.? This newly founded type of world that Equality, amongst others, would share would be egotistical and “it will become the heart of the earth, lost & hidden at first but beating, beating louder each day” (104) Ayn Rand believes “a man’s ego is the fountainhead of human progress” this shows that she wants there to be a world full of ego - worry about yourself then others. This to me means take care of yourself first, then care for

Read More

Influence Of Equality On The Path Of Freedom In Anthem By Ayn Rand

940 Words | 4 Pages

Equality 7-2521 can free himself from collectivism because he was independent. In the novel Anthem Ayn Rand makes us comprehend that Equality had and inner struggle and

Read More

Collectivism And Selfishness In Ayn Rand's Anthem

594 Words | 3 Pages

There's so much emphasis on putting others before oneself that people often forget to look out for their own needs, as shown in this book. Ayn Rand successfully captures the negatives of an overrated ideology and presents an unorthodox perspective on the matter. In conclusion, Equality's true motives behind his work are much more selfish than they first appear to be. Equality strives to fulfil his own personal desire rather than contribute everything to society, and this isn't necessarily a negative thing.

Read More

Essay On Equality And The Golden One In Ayn Rand's Anthem

948 Words | 4 Pages

Rand uses the the relationship between Equality and the Golden One to represent Equality’s journey from being obsessed with the Golden One when he feels he has to be apart of the group, to being ignorant to the Golden One because he has become utterly independent and selfish. At the beginning of the story when Equality felt he had to belong to a group, he noticed the Golden One and fell in love with her. In Rand’s novel, she states, “They raised their hand to their

Read More

Individual Rights And Freedom In Ayn Rand's Anthem

749 Words | 3 Pages

So long a road lies before us, and what care if we must travel it alone!” (54) In this statement all Equality cares about is his invention and he is still trying to expand his

Read More

Moral Assessment Of Anthem Essay

792 Words | 4 Pages

In response to the choice of Street Sweeper, Equality thinks, “We knew we had been guilty, but now we had a way to atone for it” (26). With his intelligence and curiosity, Equality would do much better as a Scholar. The government punishes him for being different, and as a result, they can’t see him become advantageous. They are blinded by their beliefs on

Read More

Summary Of Anthem By Ayn Rand

1067 Words | 5 Pages

In the final chapters of the book, after Equality and The Golden One have discovered their new house and proposed to build a new life, they read books in its intact library and so discover the forbidden word, “I” (94). This discovery prompts Equality to radically overhaul his entire way of going through life, aligning it to Rand’s Objectivist philosophy. His focus on himself, illustrated through his obsession with the word I is show in the last two chapters of the book, where he latches on to the idea that devoting one’s life to only oneself is the only appropriate way to live life. Rand shows this with statements from Equality such as, “I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them”(96). Equality is proclaiming that his life will be best lived in a purely selfish manner, where he will not take care of anyone else, but will not ask anyone to take care of him either.

Read More

More about Theme Of Equality In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Related Topics

Open Document