Following the Rules in Ayn Rand's 'Anthem'

406 Words1 Page

In the novella “Anthem” by Ayn Rand she displays how the people in this futuristic setting live by rules and are suppose to strictly follow these rules. In one instance International 4-8818 didn’t agree with the choice that Equality 7-2521 about exploring because it was forbidden. Then, Equality discovered something and told International not to say anything. International felt guilty because he knew it was wrong but out of loyalty to Equality he said nothing. The author Ayn Rand is trying to convey that the loyalty we feel to people can lead us to do things that we know are wrong. Sometimes we let the love we have for people cloud our judgement and make emotional decisions. This can lead to problematic outcomes in the future. Ann Rand chooses

Show More
Related

  • Character Analysis Of Equality 7-2521 In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the novella Anthem, by Ayn Rand, expressing individuality is a sin. Ayn Rand creates the main character, Equality 7-2521, to show that a Rational society cannot keep someone from being who they are and having moral judgements without becoming an Irrational Society itself. This is further explained in her short essay, “How Does One Lead a Rational Life in an Irrational Society?”. Equality 7-2521 would second Ayn Rand’s advice on moral judgement being a big responsibility and a determining factor of moral character. He would also agree that there is government brainwashing, due to his personal experience in life. Equality is different from the other men in his world, and because of this he has lived most of his life concealing his emotions,

    Read More

  • Equality, S Self Journey In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    975 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Themes Of Individualism In Anthem, By Ayn Rand

    815 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Individualism in "Anthem" by Ayn Rand

    814 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Essay On Equality In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    955 Words  | 2 Pages

    At the start of Anthem, Equality is a collectivist who knows there is something wrong with the world he lives in. This allows him to evolve into an individualist. Equality says , “It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper no others are to see. It is base and evil. It is as if we were speaking alone to no ears but our own” (Rand 17). Equality admits he has committed a transgression and hopes to be forgiven. Equality, at this moment, is living to the standards of others because he lives in a society where no man is to think differently than another. This contradicts Rand’s philosophy because she says that a man is entitled to his own happiness and that you are in charge of it, but since Equality is living to the rules of his society, he cannot find his own happiness, for he is almost forbidden to do so. Likewise, it states in the text, “I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask none to live for me, nor do I live for any others. I covet no man’s soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet” (Rand 96). Equality realizes that he is not to live nor commit himself to the standards of others. He has come to the understanding, as Ayn Rand says in her interview, “That he cannot demand that others give up their lives to make him happy, nor should he wish to sacrifice himself for the happiness of others.” Equality finds his own happiness because he has found himself, and he has learned that he cannot put his happiness in the hands of others nor put the happiness of others in his own hands. This allowed him to find himself, and to find

    Read More

  • Ayn Rands’s Anthem: The Transformation of Equality 7-2521

    635 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Society of Anthem is a striking instance of a dystopian society in which daily life is dominated by fear. The society is headed by a group of elders, who attempt to destroy the concept of individuality and promote the idea of collectivism. The society controls all aspects of life including roles and profession, emotions, mating and the freedom of choice. Equality 7-2521 undergoes a transformation that is contrary to the principles of Anthem’s society. In Anthem by Ayn Rand, Prometheus (formerly Equality 7-2521) should not feel guilty when he writes “why the best in me had been my sins and transgressions; and why I had never felt guilt in my sins.” because what he learned about himself over the course of the story.

    Read More

  • Collectivism vs Individualism in Ayn Rand’s Anthem

    2519 Words  | 6 Pages

    Ayn Rand’s Anthem is a politically satirical novel is 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.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Objectivism In Anthem

    756 Words  | 2 Pages

    The dystopia depicted in Anthem could quite easily be considered Ayn Rand’s commentary on society. It puts into perspective the downfalls of societal trends and putting others above oneself. The novella itself is a satire of Collectivism, which can be seen in examples of Communism. Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism includes ideas of immutable facts, rationalist mentality, self-prioritization, and a capitalist society (ARI, n.d.). Her ideas are shown in a variety of aspects throughout the novella. Oppression felt due to the collective mentality is the most prominent of the ideas shown. Another aspect that is important to note is Equality 7-2521’s natural tendency to struggle against the restrictions set upon

    Read More

  • Equality 7-2521

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    Anthem is a novella written by Ayn Rand, in which Equality 7-2521, the protagonist, struggles for self-identification living in a collectivist society. Equality believes that individuality is an eminent aspect of one’s life because individuality defines and outlines who man is. He endures all the hardships in his life living with people who support collectivism, and who reject his ideas. For example, when Equality 7-2521 invents and exhibits the light bulb, the World Council rejects it and tells him that it is selfish to work on something alone instead of working with his brothers. The World Council threatens to destroy the light bulb but Equality does not let that happen and rebels, so he is forced into exile from his society. Equality realizes that he is different from others because he cares about his happiness unlike others who are convinced to believe that a group’s happiness counts more than an individual’s happiness.

    Read More

  • Conformity In Anthem By Ayn Rand

    697 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many people have trouble being apart of a society. These troubles come from trying to fit in, which is also known as conforming. Another trouble is trying to express one’s own style with one’s own opinion. This is a trouble due to the fact that many people have the fear of being frowned upon when being the black sheep of the group if one’s opinion does not correspond with other opinions. This is where one’s own sense of who they are, individuality, and trying to fit in, conformity, can get confused. A nickname for conformity is “herd behavior” which is the name of an article where the author relates animals that herd with people that conform. Many people have a different philosophy of this topic which will be expressed in this essay. An important

    Read More

  • Rules And Control In Ayn Rand's 'Anthem'

    885 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the book “Anthem” the city has many rules and controls. Such as, not loving any person over another. Not saying the forbidden word “I”. Not stealing from another. With these rules and controls, Ayn Rand created a collective society, but with the idea of a utopian society.

    Read More

  • Humanity Exposed In Anthem, By Ayn Rand

    591 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the novel Anthem by Ayn Rand you have a situation where most of humanity is recovering from a drastic disaster. If you were to research more about the trouble with the world today, you would understand that there has been major errors with only mankind to blame. Much of Anthem describes Earth, not a pretty sight from what I could picture. Being told to do everything as one or not using the word “I”, I’m sure that most people today wouldn’t agree on such a law. The way Anthem’s story line goes, you could tell that Earth had perished and human civilization was trying to be kept under control. With so many high powered groups, you would want to question if Earth would ever end up in a predicament like that. Also having people escape such

    Read More

  • Moral Struggles In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    875 Words  | 2 Pages

    Living in a world controlled by the government limits the thoughts of citizens. In a book Anthem written by Ayn Rand, a man named Equality 7-2521 is born into a Dystopian future in which the government controls life. He is different from his brothers; he is an individualist. This prods him to escape his government's grasp and rethink his moral assessment. After escaping the government Equality rethinks all the lies his people sold him on At the beginning Equality believes that his thoughts and actions are sins to his government and his brothers, but his eventual assessment of his sins is correct. Equality is a young man who is good-natured, a good thinker, and he challenges himself to become a better person.

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of Ayn Rand's Anthem

    598 Words  | 2 Pages

    People living in this collectivist society have been indoctrinated into believing in, and only in the power of “we”. Ayn Rand communicates in the novella Anthem, that despite the indoctrination process, individualism will break through the chains of collectivism.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Individualism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imagine a society where individualism is frowned upon. Where self gain and expression are outlawed and imagination is considered a sin. Ayn Rand’s dystopian novel Anthem paints an interesting picture on a society that is all about selflessness. In this novel Ayn Rand warns against blindly depending on your government for everything and the consequence of a society that has done everything to make everyone equal. But is striving to be concerned for our fellow man really all that bad or is it actually the most glaring fault in our government.

    Read More

More about Following the Rules in Ayn Rand's 'Anthem'

Open Document