Chapter Summary Of Chrysanthem, By Ayn Rand

In the beginning of chapter 8, Equality 7-2521 wakes up in the forest and observes it in some detail. He comes to a river, where he stops for a drink, but suddenly he sees himself for the first time. He is shocked in front of the stream staring at his own image. Equality stated, “ And we thought that we could trust this being looked upon us from the stream, and that we had nothing to fear with this being” (Chp 8). Prior to that moment, Equality had never seen his own reflection.
He observes that he looks different from his brothers; they are all shapeless and repressed, while on the other hand, he is thin, strong and lithe. He finally understood why he always felt different. He never fully felt comfortable with them. Equality always felt like

the “odd one out”, mostly because no one thought the way he did. It initiated curiosity about the world, and he wanted to learn more.
“Our faces was not like the faces of our brothers, for we felt no pity when looking upon it” (Chp 8) Pride was awakened in him, and it was a feeling he never felt before. He felt superior to his brothers due to his intelligence and knowledge. He discovered self-confidence and an ego, but he didn’t yet know the name for it. Equality always thought he was just a regular street sweeper, but after that, he realized he was so much more. This is an event used to build up his perception of the word “I”, which you’ll see later in the story.
Hence, he realized that he was truly an individual. He started appreciating the beauty of being himself. In order for someone to trust themselves, they must know themselves, and that’s exactly what happened within Equality. Equality laughs because he got the better end of the deal, which was individuality and freedom. He recognized that the evil thoughts he was taught, were wrong. In the end, he saw the truth; he finally understood that it’s okay to be different, despite what his society believes. He’s grasped that fact.