Ayn Rand and James Dashner each wrote a dystopian novel that was back set in the future. Ayn wrote a book called Anthem and James wrote a book called the Maze Runner. Both of these books have a lot of comparison and a lot of differences. These books have a little different writing style and Anthem is most definitely a harder read. The first American publication of Anthem was in 1946. The first publication of the Maze Runner was in 2006. The novels Anthem and Maze Runner, dystopian novels, are popular among teens because of the high expectations put among them and the oppression.
This first book, is Anthem by Ayn Rand. This story is written in a way the author doesn’t use the word “I”. Everyone refers to themselves as “we” and refers to others as “they”. Or they refer to the men as brothers, everyone must respect their brothers and never be mean or you are given a consequence. This book is a harder read because you can’t totally grasp what was happening because of all the we and they, it was hard to understand. In Anthem, all the characters have a name that got assigned to them along with some numbers. The main character in this book is named Equality 7-2521 and he likes this girl named Liberty 5-300. They don’t pick their
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names or their jobs, the Council of Vocations practically chooses everything for them. Equality, along with everyone else, got assigned a job and are not allowed to leave the place they live at. Equality got assigned as a street sweeper because the Council knew he was smarter than all the others and put him at the lowest job possible because they are all taught that all men are equal and no one is smarter. The council doesn’t want anyone to feel bad or think they are dumber. Everyone is taught that no one is better than anyone and they are all equal. Equality 7-2521 repeats to himself in the story, “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, One indivisible and forever”(Rand 19). No man is stronger, wiser, braver,they are all equal. This next one, Maze Runner, I saw as a movie, but there is also a book I haven’t yet read. This book is similar, but different in many ways. The people in this movie somehow end up getting dropped off in this big box and the only way to get out, is through a maze. The maze changes every night, so nobody can get out and memorize the maze. This “box”, only has men and one lady. When the men very first come in this box, they don’t remember anything, not even there own name, but throughout the movie, they begin to remember all that has happened. The main character in this movie is a young boy named Thomas. When Thomas came in the box, it changed everything. He was almost “special” and knew a lot already about this place and the maze. Once a month, a new person would get dropped off in the box. Some men would die because of the harsh life and getting attacked by Grievers. Grievers are a wicked type animal that lives in the maze and come out in the dark. When the men try to find a way out of the maze and stay in there overnight, they never return, they get attacked by the Grievers. The director, Wes Ball, one of the characters explains to Thomas, “No one has ever survived a night in the maze”(Ball ). Thomas was the first ever to make it a night through the maze and the first to figure out a way out of the maze, he was very special. Anthem and the Maze Runner are very similar. To start off, they are both dystopian novels, and they are both set along way in the future. Both of these novels, the characters can’t leave this place they are at, and they are controlled by others and taught that no man is stronger and that they are all equal. There is no technology in any of these dystopian novels, even though it is in the future. A really big difference between these two novels are the names of the characters. Anthem has names with letters and numbers, like Equality 7-2521. Maze Runner has actual names, just like Thomas. Also, teens are often most interested in these types of books and movies because they can relate to them. With getting bossed around and not getting to do what they want. Both Anthem and the Maze Runner are really good books and movies and I enjoyed both. The novels Anthem and Maze Runner, dystopian novels, are popular among teens because of the high expectations put among them and the oppression.
Anthem, of course has a different writing style, without being able to use the word “I”. Maze Runner does say “I”, and is a lot easier read. I based my essay on the movie of Maze Runner and on the book Anthem. Movies and books are very different, so the book of Maze Runner could have been more like Anthem. Overall, Anthem was a good book and was very interesting because of the no “I” rule. The Maze Runner was a very good movie and also I normally don’t like dystopian novels or movies because I don’t really care for the mystery and misery, but this one was pretty good, I enjoyed both of them
greatly.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world where everyone was forced to be exactly alike? Well in Ayn Rand’s novel Anthem she directly confronts this topic through the main character named Equality 7-2521. Equality 7-2521 faces challenges directly relating to the issue that the government has been trying to address for many years. Equality 7-2521 is not like his brothers, he is smarter, wiser and even taller, therefore, his brothers think that he has “evil in his bones” (Rand 18). The book Anthem is the firsthand account of how Equality 7-2521 finds the word “I” amongst the word “We”. He does not agree with these rules that the government has put into place, these are the rules that held him back for a time, but in the end, pushed him forward to be his own person.
In the book Anthem, written by Ayn Rand, Equality 7-2521 had never seen his physical appearance. He was surprised seeing such a strong individual staring at him. One day after escaping into the woods, he finally met himself at a flowing stream and gained new confidence. This was an essential part to the theme of "Anthem." This shows how Equality finally found himself as an "I" in order to help others see themselves as an "I." This is an important part of "Anthem" since it reveals Equality 7-2521's determination, bravery, and development as a person.
One being the fact that this book is a collection of her essay and speeches. But the main one is how this book discusses her own Philosophy. She first explains the importance of philosophy and how it used in the real world unknowingly today, but she then says the philosophy most people follow today, Altruism, as irrational. “Altruism is the rationalization for the mass slaughter in Soviet Russia – for the legalized looting in the welfare state – for the power-lust of politicians seeking to serve the common good” (Rand 27) Altruism is basically the thought of having selfless actions and to serve others. This completely contradicts Ayn Rand’s philosophy of living, Objectivism. This is where the book becomes different form other books and even the entire world. Many people and religions are taught to help others. This follows Altruism in the fact that we are serving others and being selfless. Objectivism has many different layers to it but one of the most important parts to it is the concept that man should be self-serving. That we should be selfish and live for ourselves only under the condition that it doesn’t harm others. This is extremely different from everything we are taught since we were
Rand criticizes Marxist ideals throughout her novel, Anthem, as she demonstrates socialist failures to remedy the social issues they oppose. Worsened atrocities within this futuristic world demean the ideals of socialism. Rand demonstrates the innate evils of socialist concepts through denial of life, progress for the betterment of society, and identity to the individual.
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
In the book Anthem by Ayn Rand. The book is about a dude named Equality 7-2521.
“Love is like wind, you can’t see it, but you can feel it”- Nicholas Sparks. Anthem and “Harrison Bergeron” takes place in the future, in collective societies. In Anthem everything is done for the good of society and the group, no one is an individual. While in “Harrison Bergeron” people have handicaps to make everyone mentally and physically equal. The main characters in each story, Equality 7-2521 and Harrison Bergeron, are both tall, athletic, tenacious and intelligent men, who are threats to the collective societies. Although “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and Anthem by Ayn Rand are both pieces of dystopian literature, their portrayal of family differs greatly.
Anthem, by Ayn Rand, is a very unique novel. It encircles individualism and makes the reader think of how people can conform to society and do as they are told without knowing the consequences and results of their decisions. Also, it teaches the importance of self expression and the freedom that comes along with being your own person and having the power to choose what path to take in life. Figurative language is used often in this book and in a variety of quotes that have great importance to the theme, plot, and conflict of the novel.
In Ayn Rand’s famous, or in some circles, infamous, story Anthem, the differing ideologies of objectivism and collectivism are pit against each other. With objectivism being so tight knit and different from the society in the book, it seems that it would be almost impossible to truly follow in its entirety. However, Anthem, as a whole, doesn’t violate the ideals of Rand’s philosophy of objectivism.
Ayn Rand, a contentious woman, the new favorite author to multiple people’s list. People who have read her magnificent book, Anthem, understand how exquisite and meaningful her words are. Books like Anthem are worth reading because it gives the reader more knowledge about controversial topics and it takes the reader to experience new places and new adventures. Equality, the main character, is a symbol. He represents many people today, living in countries like his society. Equality has to find his true identity first before helping the others. People are not allowed to believe in individualism, they should not have a identity of their own. Each person has a monotone routine to follow every single day of their lives. Each step a person takes
Anthem and Fahrenheit 451 both hit a very similar theme. The theme in Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, and Anthem, by Ayn Rand can be connected to a universal theme, Equality has limits. Both books support this theme by supporting an idea of a utopia, and both failed in its own way.
The books Brave New World by Aldus Huxley and Anthem by Ayn Rand are both valuable twentieth-century contributions to literature. Both books explore the presence of natural law in man and propose a warning for what could happen when man's sense of right and wrong is taken from him. In this essay, I hope to show how these seemingly unrelated novels both expound upon a single, very profound, idea.
Ayn Rand’s Anthem is a politically satirical novel set in a future society that is so highly collectivized that the word “I” has been banned. The world is governed by various councils who believe that man’s sole reason for existence is to enforce the Great Truth “that all men are one and that there is no will save the will of all men together” (Rand, 20). Any indication of an individual’s independent spirit is swiftly and brutally put down, with the transgressors being punished with severe prison sentences or even death. It is this dysfunctional world that Equality 7-2521 is born into. The novel begins with Equality 7-2521 alone in a dark tunnel, transcribing his story.
with the criminal and decided to go on a personal crusade to restore individualism to his world.
Anthem is a story of man’s struggle to be free and to fight the masses of conformity. It tells of human nature and the want to gain all the knowledge that one could possibly attain. Man loses his safe haven and his security when he lets this lust for knowledge overpower him and lets it be seen by others. He becomes vulnerable Like Johann Faust, Prometheus sells his life for wisdom. Unlike Faust, however, Prometheus is expelled from his society but gains his freedom of individuality and his freedom of knowledge and the ability to understand. In Anthem, Prometheus and Gaea sin against society to become singular and understanding much like Adam and Eve’s sin against God when they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge to gain wisdom; as a result, they can be compared to each other by there desire for learning and by their damnation.