What Does The Uncharted Forest Symbolize In Anthem

“It takes a courageous fool to say things that have not been said and to do things that have not been done” is truly a point to ponder by Criss Jami. In Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem, Equality 7-2521 is drowning in a society flooded by collectivism and obedience. Equality’s life is decided for him by the Council, who understands his intelligence and handicaps him by assigning him as a street sweeper. All his life, Equality is taught to follow the rules and blend in with the crowd. Striving to do something with his life that makes him feel whole, Equality re-discovers electricity. Equality presents his invention to the Council, who threatens him with his life for bending the rules. Without authorization, he runs into the Uncharted Forest where he

Equality was living in a world where citizens were suffocated with the concepts of altruism and collectivism, and where conformity conquers all. In the Uncharted Forest, Equality stumbles upon hundreds of novels, full of words desperate to be read, and forbidden phrases frantic to be brought to the surface. Equality states to Liberty that they should “forget all things save that we are together and that there is joy as a bond between us…It is own our world, Golden One, a strange unknown world, but our own” (83-84). Equality becomes inspired to go back to the Home of the Street Sweepers to build a vengeful army of vigorously robust go-getters that will build their own empire, based on the fundamentals of independence and

Equality has always been one step ahead of his superiors, and understands that the others in his previous society are the real Damned ones. Equality is able to continue growing from the harsh experiences he suffers through in his previous society. Equality continues to chuckle at being Damned, since he ran away with his invention into the Uncharted Forest, all the while free from living in a society burdened by altruism and conformity. Not only can he quench his lifelong thirst for knowledge, Equality can continue to bring back the advancements of the Unmentionable Times. Equality learns to think for himself, and to not let others creep into his mind and prevent him from achieving what is deemed as impossible. He understands that his “happiness is not the means to any end. It is the end. It is its own goal. It is its own purpose” (95). One can only be Damned if he or she does not color outside the lines. So what if one is Damned? Equality proves that it is much better to shout the verses of a hymn, than to just sing along with the