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Who Is The Antagonist In 'Anthem' By Ayn Rand?

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In Ayn Rand's novella "Anthem," the story unfolds in a future society known as the "dark ages of the future." In this world, individuality is buried in favor of collective identity. The characters are taught not to think for themselves and not to pursue their own thoughts, goals, and values. “We are nothing” – we are nothing. Mankind is all about us. By all the grace of our brothers, we are allowed to live our lives. We exist through, by and for our brother, we are the state. Amen.” (Ayn Rand 21) Instead, they are expected to conform to the power of collectivism, as it is considered a grave offense to think or act independently. “There is no transgression blacker than to do or think alone.” (Ayn Rand 17). The antagonist in the novella is portrayed …show more content…

However, this divergence is perceived as a curse rather than a blessing. Unlike his brothers, Equality 7-2521 was born with a preference for knowledge and a natural curiosity. "We were guilty of the great transgression of preference." (Ayn Rand 22) Equality 7-2521 had a deep love for the study of science and a belief in the mysteries of the natural world. “We asked so many questions that the Teachers forbade it” (Ayn Rand 23) and wished to be a Scholar. Equality 7-2521 was motivated to think, which is the things that changed his life, although his whole entire life was planned out by the ruling authorities from the start to finish, he chose to stand out and commit many crimes, sins and transgressions for the sake of self-hood and individualism, after being selected as a Street Sweeper, with the wish of being a scholar and exploring the unknown and the lost, he continued on with his journey, breaking many laws, and viewing himself as a sinner and transgressor. Throughout his journey, he made a series of discoveries, both scientific and philosophical, which ultimately led him to find his own happiness, joy, and

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199 Words | 1 Pages

One important quality that Equality 7-2521 shows is curiosity throughout the novel. He shows curiosity by questioning his transgression leading to the actions he portrays. Rand states, “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One, indivisible

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665 Words | 3 Pages

In the book, “Anthem” we explore inside the mind of Equality 7-2521 and how his mindset changes from “We” to “Me”, making him a very dynamic character. Equality 7-2521 is in a sense a more “Superior” being to his peers and those around him. He possesses a bright and adventurous mind; it’s almost like he doesn’t have any weaknesses at all. The only visible trace of weakness is the guilt inherited from his society about pursuing his own happiness. As the story progresses Equality starts to evolve beyond the guilt which he has endured for so long.

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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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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).

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1043 Words | 5 Pages

Ayn Rands novella, Anthem, displays the influence a collective society has on an individual while bringing attention to the flaws of a system where individualism is forbidden. The main character, Equality, exhibits freethinking and curiosity, which is dangerous in a community that strives for uniformity and passiveness. In Anthem, Equality’s assessment of his transgression is justified because the council used his “sin” to contain his desire to learn in order to maintain a balance in their collectivist society. Equality is deeply passionate about gaining and spreading information, which goes against the status quo of conformity and one mindedness, because of this he is isolated from others in his community. Intelligence is restricted in this

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799 Words | 4 Pages

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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For example, Equality realizes that although he was “born with a curse” of being different, he possesses “no will…to resist it” (Rand 18). Unlike everyone else, Equality does not try to fit in; instead, he accepts—and even prefers—his peculiarities. Rand uses Equality’s stubbornness to argue her point against conformity, as his situation shows that having differences is not a reason to be forced to change. When Equality discovers electricity, his skepticism towards the society multiplies because it becomes clear that the Council of Scholars, despite their claims, does not know everything. Upon this epiphany, Equality begins to understand that his leaders are either dishonest or ignorant; therefore, neither their words nor their laws should be believed or followed.

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795 Words | 4 Pages

Equality shows little regard for the people around him and even when he makes claims of wanting to help his brothers by lighting his tunnel, the cities of the world and giving a new superior light to his brothers, he holds a selfish hidden motive to be sent to the Home of the Scholars. Equality’s overall assessment of his sins ignores these three actions that are considered to be immoral in modern

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1128 Words | 5 Pages

In Ayn Rand’s novella, Anthem, mankind is a philanthropic machine. The brotherhood nobly works together to achieve a common goal. In doing so, each man is asked to disregard his own personal means and goals. For every decision must be a collective thought and every advancement, a joint action. However, one man in this machine malfunctions.

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295 Words | 2 Pages

In order to counteract this sociological phenomenon, the late Ayn Rand’s Anthem should be required reading for all high school students. Although I have several intellectual qualms with the book’s author, its core message is incredibly powerful: even in the midst of oppressive powers, individualism is the most important aspect of the self. The main character discovers in his brief adventure that his ultimate purpose in life can only be created by himself, not by anyone else. He learns that it is more important to be a freethinking individual with a unique personality than to become one of the many impressionable robots of which his society is

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681 Words | 3 Pages

In the book he talks about his experiences and how he is just supposed to live to serve the council who is in charge of him. If collectivism was spread throughout the world our society would end up like Anthem, on page 21, Equality says, “We are nothing, we exist through and for our brothers who are the state”. Equality and all the people in this society are so easily brainwashed to think like this it makes it seem possible for our world to end up like theirs too. Equality 7-2521 is just a number to the people in charge, he is nothing more than a slave of the collectivist world. In Anthem no one can have a preference or that would mean they have an identity which is a sin, “We wished to know about all the things which make the earth around us, we asked so many questions that the teachers forbade it”(23).

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993 Words | 4 Pages

Individuality is defined as the quality that makes one person or thing different from all others. However, individuality does not exist in all societies. Anthem by Ayn Rand, is set in a dystopian society where collectivism is believed to be supreme, and individuality is considered taboo. Equality 7-2521 is a Street Sweeper who questions the collectivist society that he lives in. Equality 7-2521 is a gifted individual who is different from his peers in the fact that he has personal interests.

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940 Words | 4 Pages

(Rand 18) Equality had not been born with a sin he had a desire to learn and seek knowledge. “We loved the Science of Things. We think that there are mysteries in the sky and under the water and in the plants, which grow.” (Rand 23) “And questions give us no rest.

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594 Words | 3 Pages

Collectivism and Selfishness in Anthem Imagine living in a world where everybody's lives are completely mapped out by the government. Where every decision is made without the input of the citizens it affects. In the novella Anthem, Ayn Rand depicts a completely collectivist society, where every idea, action, and invention is purely for the benefit of society as a whole. Everything is done with the entire population in mind, and individuality is extremely frowned upon.

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1223 Words | 5 Pages

This quotation of the main protagonist, Howard, presents to the reader that altruism is the true enemy of mankind. In works such as Anthem we see how the desirable selfless society has crumbled into communism. “For the word 'We ' must never be spoken, save by one 's choice and as a second thought. This word must never be placed first within man 's soul, else it becomes a monster, the root of all the evils on earth, the root of man 's torture by men, and of an unspeakable lie” (Rand 6). Seen within the culture of the publication Anthem and speech from The Soul of an Individualist we notice that Rand applies good vs evil into a format of egotism vs

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