Equality 7-2521 In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Aristotle once said “the worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.” As demonstrating in the powerful novella Anthem, Equality 7-2521, like many others in his community, is a victim of this. Ayn Rand’s writing depicts a strict collectivist society in which there is absolutely no individual expression. The lives of these people are controlled by the Council of Vocations, a powerful group which dictates the occupations held by every individual until the age of forty, when they enter the Home of the Useless. The Council of Vocations is supposed to assign jobs according to specific talents and skills that could benefit their society as a whole. However, as demonstrated many times, it is also used as a way of control. Even

It was not that the learning was too hard for us. It was that the learning was too easy. This is a great sin, to be born with a head which is too quick. It is not good to be different from our brothers, but it is evil to be superior to them. The Teachers told us so, and they frowned when they looked upon us…” (21). “No single one can possess greater wisdom than the many scholars who are elected by all men for their wisdom, yet we can. We do. We have fought against saying it, but now it is said. We do not care. We forget all men, all laws and all things save our metals and our wires. So much is still to be learned! So long a road lies before us, and what care we if we must travel it alone!” (54). Equality 7-2521 was born with a curse, the desire to know. He was always unsatisfied by the finite amount of education given to him at the Home of the Students. He craved more knowledge, to learn and discover more about the world and himself. However, these urges are strongly frowned upon in Equality’s society, as any new information and discoveries could disrupt the way of life that the Councils have tried so hard to maintain. The Council of Vocations felt threatened by Equality’s amount of knowledge and quick wit because he didn’t fit into society’s typical “norm”. They feared that he was a potential individual and that if he was put into a high position, such as a Scholar, that he would

As a student, Equality was often reprimanded by both his teacher and his classmates at the Home of the Scholars because he was too tall. Equality’s height showed a strange sort of superiority and inequality over his brothers, being physically different. “…Ever have the Teachers and the Leaders pointed to us and frowned and said: “There is evil in your bones, Equality 7-2521, for your body has grown beyond the bodies of your brothers.” But we cannot change our bones nor our body…” (18). In the society of Anthem all men must strive to be exactly alike to sustain their collectivist society. However, because Equality’s body has grown beyond those of his brother, he is unable to fit into this idea of perfect conformity, which according to the state, makes him