Theme Of Individuality In Ayn Rand's Anthem

“Unlike a drop of water, which loses its identity when it joins the ocean, man does not lose his being in the society, in which he lives. Man's life is independent.

He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of himself too” (B.R. Ambedkar). In a society that controls a person's life they don’t have the chance to find out who they are and what they’re capable of. The story Anthem by Ayn Rand, takes place in a futuristic society where no one has rights; they only serve their society. Equality 7-2521, is a brilliant young man who becomes a scientist, but is forced to be a Street Sweeper by a council that fears individualism. The word “I” makes one an individual, but the individual cannot survive in this

He felt jubilant that his invention would help the society. The council of scholars did not like the idea of his invention for many different reasons. The main reason is that they didn’t believe in that individuals ideas don’t exist. The knowledge of individualism and creativity is not allowed. “Our blessing upon you, our brothers! Tomorrow, you will take us back into your fold and we shall be an outcast no longer. Tomorrow we shall be one of you again. Tomorrow. . .”(67). Even though the council didn’t like Equality 7-2521 ideas, his determination to show his box to the World Council of Scholars shows that he still believes in some collectivism. His determination is what pushes him to live in his own society and have his own freedom. “But what is freedom? Freedom from what? There is nothing to take a man's freedom away from him, save other men. To be free, a man must be free of his brothers. That is, freedom. That and nothing else”(101). Freedom is the individual's ability to be alone, to do what he wants, and not what other men want. Equality 7-2521 feels that there is something more to life, which is hidden in the

In his new society, it will be free from all controls and rules. He was enslaved by the council, butt he broke their chains. He was also enslaved by his birth, by his kin, by his race, but he broke their chains. “He declared to all his brothers that a man has rights, which neither god nor king nor other men can take away from him, no matter what their number, for his is the right of man, and there is no right on earth above this right”(101-102). After long periods of being enslaved to a higher power, as an individual; now, he finally is fully free to pursue his happiness. In his world free from rules, he decides the word “I” will be part of his new society. “We looked into each other's eyes and we knew that the breath of a miracle had touched us, and fled, and left us groping vainly”(87). In his new society Equality 7-2521 can be with the love of his life and not have rules that will stop him. In his society he will not have the same controls and rules that controlled half of his life. He wants people to become one and be their own self, not a person that is controlled by someone else. There will be some rules so there isn’t chaos, but not where he controls where people live, what they eat, who they love, and children will know who their parents are. Equality 7-2521 will have a society based around love,