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Theme Of Happiness In Ayn Rand's Anthem

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Happiness is a rite of passage to everyone no matter what cost. It can be extremely difficult to take someone’s happiness away, but it can be done. For example, in the book “Anthem” by Ayn Rand, Prometheus’ happiness is stripped from him in a futuristic society focused around similarity and compliance. Similarly, this unfortunately can happen as we are currently witnessing in Communist countries. Rand describes taking away individuality by forcing everyone to use “we” instead of “I”. However, individuality is the root of happiness. When happiness or individuality is stripped from you, it becomes increasingly difficult to be considered healthy or thriving. When someone finds themselves, they can be truly happy. Although, “Anthem” describes total
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In Anthem by Ayn Rand International 4-8818 agrees to keep Equality 7-2521’s secret of the tunnel under the ground because much like Equality 7-2521, International 4-8818 is different than the rest of the people in the place they live in. This is because while Equality 7-2521 explains how he found the hole that led to the tunnel he talks about International 4-8818 and explains that, “they are a tall, strong youth and their eyes are like fireflies, for there is laughter in their eyes. We cannot look upon International 4-8818 and not smile in answer. For this they were not liked in the Home of the Students, as it is not proper to smile without reason. And also they were not liked because they took pieces of coal and they drew pictures upon the

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204 Words | 1 Pages

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.

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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.

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776 Words | 4 Pages

This is achieved through adding a sense of realism as to how happiness should be experienced. Thus, it provides tangible means for people to grasp an abstract concept such as happiness. As a result, this enables her to persuade readers to take up her advice. For example, she draws links between the need to experience happiness with others through studies and real-life evidence regarding the lack of the time spent with others e.g., only 24 hours a year spent socialising (Whippman, 2017). This shows us the real-life implication of our actions in search of isolated happiness which has caused an unintended outcome on us as we are supposed to share joyous moments together.

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Ayn Rand’s Anthem starts by Equality 7-2521 saying “It is a sin to write this.” Throughout the story, Equality’s views and mindset changes, he realizes that he is different from his brothers and its ok to be different. He discovers that if something is legal it is not certainly right. His eager for knowledge taught him the word “I” abandoning the word “We”.

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526 Words | 3 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.

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1160 Words | 5 Pages

The Impact of Beliefs Contrast Equality’s view of morality at the end of the novel to the morality exemplified by his society’s institutions, practices and officials. In your essay, consider what Ayn Rand has to say in these excerpts (Hyperlink on One Note) from her writings. The collectivist society created in Anthem by Ayn Rand, rules with a strict hand condemning anyone who chooses to speak out against it to harsh punishment, or worse, death. Equality 7-2521 lives his early life without understanding what individuality is and being entirely oblivious to emotions that are meant to be present in each human life.

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538 Words | 3 Pages

Ayn Rand’s Anthem is a unique book. Written in 1937, Anthem is a call to individuality, completely opposed to the collectivist society that was forming in Russia, Rand’s birthplace. The novella expounds upon Rand’s philosophy of egoism, the belief that the self is above everything else. Accordingly, the main theme of her book is “the meaning of man’s ego.” Ego, in the context of her book, is Rand’s revolutionary philosophies of individualism, or egoism.

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855 Words | 4 Pages

Equality is something people want till people actually have it. Equality often limits a person’s abilities and disables to do something for themselves or inspire themselves. Equality's, the main character in the book Anthem, the primary motivation is proving that he is smart enough to become a scholar. Equality has a right to be motivated in this way since he believes that he can help the society so he is giving into the collectivism. I think that if everyone was motivated in this way, there would be a more progressive society where people sought to improve themselves and society at the same time.

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891 Words | 4 Pages

Anthem was written by Ayn Rand and published in 1938. In the beginning of the book I didn’t think much of it. It consisted of a grey city where everyone is equal and works as one, and individualism is nonexistent. This city is controlled by totalitarian leaders. The main character or protagonist, Equality 7-2521 has always been different from the rest, in terms of knowledge, height, and physical strength.

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Experiencing society being completely obliterated and reborn is immensly traumatic, and Russian-born author Ayn Rand experienced this when her world turned upside down at the start of the Bolshevik Revolution. This Civil War killed as many as ten million people and Russia transitioned into a communist country. Her dystopian fiction novella Anthem portrays a future where communism never ceased and mankind was reborn into a collectivist society. The main character, Equality 7-2521, curiously questions his society and its structure and redefines it through invention and exploration. Although seemingly heroic, Equality 7-2521, in actuality, represents many flaws.

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1332 Words | 6 Pages

The Self Defines the True Meaning of Happiness People are more motivated to do things that benefit themselves. Often times, most people are beyond concerned about self-interest rather then helping others. In other words, we focus more on what makes us happy and focus less on other people’s happiness. Elizabeth Eckford, an African American woman who faced a rebellious experience in a racist community followed her own passion by attending school. She knew that if she goes to school, there is a chance that her dream of becoming a lawyer would be effective.

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In now days, many people do not know what does the word “happiness” means or feels, some people may think it is when they are in a good mood or when something happens and they feel very good about it. Aristotle said: "Every man has a right to be happy because happiness lies in the leisure spirit.” To get there people must have pass through a bad time or situation because happiness is where there is virtue and true effort, because life is not a game. Being honest, I had never seen happiness from a point of view as clear as Aristotle did. Happiness is a subject that has preoccupied man since its inception, and in the same way, to philosophy.

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809 Words | 4 Pages

The world tell us that happiness is found in success and accomplishment.

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People miss the fact that happiness comes from within. In an attempt to find joy – we must also be cautious about over excessive desire to acquire material objects and wealth. There is a delicate balance that must be reached between the pursuit of happiness, satisfaction, and contentment. While there are many conditions that fulfill ones emotional wellbeing, happiness and how we acquired it, depends upon the

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