Literary Analysis
Anthem and Station Eleven are both dystopian novels. Both books relate to the citizen having little to no freedom with the government that is controlling them. Anthem was written by Ayn Rand, she wrote about how the government in this area controls what each person is destined to be whether you like it or not. Whereas in Station Eleven the world has practically ended due to a deadly flu virus and, somehow, ended up with a man as many know as the Prophet attempting to rule the word. Both dystopian novels have a very unfair dictatorship type government. How do you think life would change if there was no structure of government?
In the book Anthem, the people in this community are brought up to be single minded and to fulfill
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John Mandel, is a very similar to Anthem in odd ways. Station Eleven is a book about how a terrible illness erupted called the Georgia Flu, this flu whipped out nearly the entire world. Since the whole world is not functioning like it used to, this means no electricity, no cars, no pure water the characters in the story are starting from scratch. “I stood overlooking my damaged home and tried to forget the sweetness of life on Earth,” (Mandel 34.) They now had to face the fact that life will most likely never going to be the same again. “The more you remember the more you lost,” (Mandel 60.) They way that many of the surviving citizens thought so they wouldn't think of the life they had lost. “No more internet. No more social media, no more scrolling through litanies or dreams and nervous hope and photographs or lunches, cries for help and expressions of contentment and relationship status updates with heart icons whole or broken, plans to meet up later, please, complaints, desires, pictures of babies dressed as bears or pepper last for Halloween, no more reading and commenting on the lives of others and in so doing, feeling slightly less alone in the room. No more avatars.” Page 34. In the generation today many could never imagine life before internet or social media. They couldn't even imagine not having a phone in your hand 24 hours a day. Obviously nobody wants to see the word come to an end, but it seems like that is the only way anyone would put down their phone
Anthem is a book full to the brim of symbolism. Some of it is clear to see and others you have to really pay attention to capture. Anthem is not a hard book to understand, but it can still be difficult to grasp the full meaning of it. The meaning of which is elusive at points, slipping between your fingers and resting on the pages in plain view. Unity, we, I, Ego, it all plays a major part in this book along with the symbolism of things.
Many people seem to get entangled into society's customs. In the novel Anthem, the protagonist, Equality 7-2521, lives a period of his life as a follower. However, Equality eventually, tries to distant himself from his society. He is shaped to be a follower, but eventually emerges in to an individual and a leader. On his journey, he discovers the past remains of his community. Ayn Rand uses Equality's discoveries of self to represent the importance of individuality in a functional society.
The book Anthem is a book that can be perceived many various ways. To me, Anthem is about an outstandingly smart young man, named Equality 7-2521
Anthems society is controlled by their government in which there are different levels that control different parts of your life. There is a council where everypart of your life is decided. You start of in a place for children. as you grow up you are taught not think about yourself and that everything you do is for your brothers. Your job ( you do not have a say in) starts around 16 years of age and end around 40. Once you are 40 you go to the home of the the useless to die. There is no k=modern technology in this society, only candels and very basic types of
In Anthem there are so many rules and controls, yet there is one that truly rises above it all. And that word is “I”. There is no “I” only “We”, for the great “We” is what they follow. And they are one not individual, they are one. And poor Equality can’t seem to understand that the rules are rules, but in a way he’s making his own rules. And he is mistreated for his looks and appearance and dosen’t seem really one with his brothers. And he’s curious and most don’t even question life, and he notices the little things, “Yet as we stand at night in the great hall, removing our garments for sleep, we look upon our brothers and we wonder. The heads of our brothers are bowed. The eyes of our brothers are dull, and never do they look one another in the eyes. The shoulders of our brothers are hunched, and their muscles are drawn, as if their bodies were shrinking and wished to shrink out of sight. And a word steals into our mind, as we look upon our brothers, and that word is fear.”(Rand 46). He has a wanting to learn and build his knowledge, but the rules don’t permit his decisions.
Ayn Rand wrote Anthem as a critique of Communism, yet along with that she demonstrated her own belief system of individual ideals. Objectivism was aptly shown throughout the entire novella with the thoughts and actions of the main characters, Equality and Liberty in contrast with the universal thought of the city and society. Rand clearly showed her philosophy well in this story.
In Anthem, the narrator, Prometheus, lives in a community in which all of the children born that year live in the same house until they turn fifteen. Then they are assigned a job and live with the people that share that occupation. This keeps the people from having an emotional attachment to someone like they would have with a family. Totalitarian rulers often control the thoughts and beliefs of people as well. The citizens of the community are forbidden to question or explore things that are unknown to other citizens.
An anthem is a sacred composition set to words from the Bible. This may have significance with the title that Ayn Rand has given the book by paralleling the story of Prometheus and Gaea to that of Adam and Eve. In the bible, Adam and Eve were given everything that they needed by God with the one exception of not to eat from a specific tree. They were told by the devil that this tree was the tree of knowledge and to eat of it would give them knowledge equal to God’s. In Anthem, Prometheus and Gaea are told that they have everything that they will ever need or desire by the council. They are forbidden to gain knowledge that is not permitted by the council but only to do as they are told. Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the pursuit of knowledge and ate of the tree in order to gain equality to God. When they did this God found out and so condemned them and punished them for all eternity. God banished them from paradise in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were no longer given anything as they were in the garden but instead were forced to suffer and survive on their own. In Anthem, Prometheus and Gaea go against the will of the council and Prometheus yearns to gain knowledge that he realizes is being hidden from him. Prometheus hides his studies at first but then wants to share them with the council for the betterment of society but is instead condemned.
As one reads Ayn Rand’s significant quotes from the story of anthem, there is always a main theme that is trying to escape, just as Prometheus escaped in her story. All three of the listed quotes work as a trio to sing that We; as society, works to defeat individuality. The quotes emphasize that we cannot survive without individualism and being alone brings out our unique personalities. It is true that all the quotes work as one, but at the same time they have their own individualism. Each quote holds a purpose of its own and the author wants to express the quote to each persons understanding.
In the story Anthem by Ayn Rand, it takes place during a totalitarian world of the future. The leaders of society of complete control of everything. Equality 7-2521 is the narrator and the protagonist. He tells about his life in this totalitarian world and what it is like to live in it. Equality says “It is a sin to write this.” at the beginning the story, by the end of the story he different moral assessment of his actions. Equality’s assessment of his sin is correct, because he finally realizes that he is smart enough to do things he was told he couldn’t do.
STUDY GUIDE ----- The Anthem Chapter 1 1.a. What is the difference between a and a? The society that is represented in the novel is futuristic in terms of the actual date, yet incredibly underdeveloped to what we experience today. The political structure obviously works, because there doesn't seem to be much discontent among the citizens.
In the novel, Anthem, written by Ayn Rand takes place when mankind has entered another dark age. A man named Equality 7-2521 lives in a society where he struggles to live equal within the brotherhood. In the world he lives in people are told they exist only for the sake of serving society, and have no other purpose. Therefore, each individual is assigned a vocation as a permanent life career which determines who they socialize and live with. However, Equality being very different from his brothers, believes in individualism and rejects the collectivism society around him. The concept of individualism vs collectivism is portrayed in the story because individuality is unknown to the people where no one is unique or excellent in any way. The people
In Anthem, Amy Rand’s inspirational novella, Equality 7-2521 lives in a future where there is no “I” or “mine.” Members of this Orwellian society work together in groups, which answer to the greater good. When Equality 7-2521 is forced to clean the streets, he rebels against this idea of collectivism by conducting illegal scientific activity. He rediscovers electricity, but when he showcases his invention of the light bulb, he is forced to flee. Joined by his love, Liberty 5-3000, he flees to the wilderness. There, he discovers the true meaning of the word “individual,” shattering the shackles of collectivism he has worn since birth. Equality 7-2521 renames himself Prometheus and his love Gaea, and they dream to create a society based on individual freedom.
The book Anthem and the song 2112: Overture have many similarities throughout the stories they portray. Anthem is a book by Ayn Rand it tells the story of Equality 7-2521 and his life. The book is very interesting from the way they get a job to how they find a spouse. Equality is pro said to be an evil man. He doesn’t like the rules, he never has, and probably never will. 2112: Overture is a song by rush is a story about a young lad who enjoys music. The song is around 20 minutes long and tells an amazing story of him as he tries to find his way. There are several connections between the two. The way the characters act and are treated by others is so similar which is surprising due to how different their life really is.
Anthem was a somewhat hard read for most. The author Ayn Rand wrote the book using no I. When Equality was talking about himself he would say we or us. There is also no control for what you do. You have the city council who picks the job you do for the rest of your life. Equality job he was chosen to do was a Street Sweeper. Equality wanted to be a Scholar but was too “smart.” You are not allowed to talk to anyone outside your vocation and you cannot talk to a girl. it was simple against the rules. Equality like I said before was a very smart man and often broke rules. He found this beautiful girl working in a field next to his and he