Prometheus vs. Equality When people are born they don't usually get to choose their names, as for Equality things were slightly different. In the book Anthem by Ayan Rand, the story of Equality takes place in a dystopian society, that has entered a new dark age.The name Prometheus could be the perfect name for Equality because of the similarity in their rebellious personality, their desire to benefit mankind, and their punishment as an outcome for what they’ve done. Equality was a rebellious person who was punished for trying to benefit mankind. Equality has always been “odd” in his society. He was tall and better looking than his “brothers” (80); moreover he always acted on his own, and he had his own mind-set. Equality opposed his society’s authority by …show more content…
committing many transgressions such as finding The Tunnel without reporting it (33). At this tunnel, he committed greater transgressions such as stealing candles and paper. At the age of 10, Equality witnessed a scene where The Saint of Pyre was getting executed (55). However that changed and justified some of his transgressions later on. As he spent some time in his sanctuary, Equality has learned so many things that the Council Of Scholars were unaware of. Due to his interest in what he called “The Science of Things”(23). He has discovered electricity that can light a bulb (59). On the other hand, and as a result of his concern to others, Equality decided that his discovery could better the society survival by giving a cleaner and brighter light (60). Eventually he decides to leave to the World Council of Scholars to introduce his discovery as a gift (61).
Hoping to be one of the Scholars instead of being a Street Sweeper. Yet, Equality was harshly opposed by The World Council of Scholars, as it seems they decided that Equality must be burned at the stake for all the laws he has broken(72). But before getting a hold of him, Equality managed to escape with his “Electricity Box” (72). Although he committed many great transgressions, he didn’t regret doing them. Hence the fact that he at least escaped from punishment ,Equality wasn’t able to reintroduce light to his society as they believed that what's done individually but not collectively cannot be Likewise, Prometheus was a rebellious person that wanted to benefit mankind. Prometheus was very independent and has always done things he wanted, as he was entrusted with the creation of humans. Just like Equality, Prometheus has committed many transgressions. For instance, tricking Zeus into choosing between two offerings, an ox’s stomach, and bones covered with glistening fat. Zeus chose the bones leaving the meat to prometheus to acquire it for men. Thus, Zeus became angry and as a punishment he hid fire from mortals.
Prometheus in effort to help mankind again stole the fire back and gave it to humans. Once more Zeus learned about what happened, so he decides to punish Prometheus by chaining him to rock, where an eagle ate his regenerating liver. Prometheus has helped mankind by showing great gratitude and concern toward them. He was well aware of the future, in fact Prometheus meant forethought, careful consideration in what's going to happen in the future. Although Equality managed to escape, Prometheus was punished severely for eternity by Zeus, due to his immortality. Overall Prometheus managed to give mankind light, but he couldn’t manage to Prometheus is the ideal name for Equality because Equality and Prometheus have similar personality, qualities, and nature. Equality has managed to escape but not share his creation. Prometheus on the other hand was completely the opposite. Both of them introduced light, but they received a different outcome.
Inference- The reader does not know what occurred for Equality to get to this point. The most logical solution would be he was banned from his home because of the sinful discovery he made. What about the Golden One? What about the light? He doesn’t seem like the type to give up what he believes. I infer he will go back and stand up for what he believes is right with the Golden One by his
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.
A society where people lack individualism and the government has suppressive control, ultimately restrains its citizens. Those who rebel from oppressive authority and redefine themselves are those who remain unconquered. To be unconquered is to be uncontrollable, undefined, and in no form abide by social normality. In the poem, “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley, and the novella Anthem, by Ayn Rand both protagonist, Invictus and Equality portray determination and vigor.
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
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
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. He begins with a declaration that “It is a sin to write this… [because] men may not write unless the Council of Vocations bid them so” (Rand, 17). Equality 7-2521 writes that he was born with a curse: He is different than the other men in his society. He laments that “the learning was too easy. This is a great sin, to be born with a head too quick” (Rand, 21). From the youngest age children were taught that ability is a vice, not a virtue. They were to be embarrassed of their superiority because “it is not good to be different from our brothers” (Rand, 21). Equality 7-2521 writes that he tried to stifle this fault but was unable to do so.
...st and saw many problems with capitalism in the world; he believed it meant that wealthy people could live good lives at the expense of other less fortunate people.
Equality fights in what he believes in just like Prometheus. He wants Liberty to conceive his child and help create a new society for themselves and others. Equality has many similarities to Prometheus. In Greek Mythology, Prometheus brought fire to mankind. Likewise, Equality had brought fire to his town through a light bulb. It was made to show his light and power. (Ayn Rand Anthem Pg 52) “We Equality 7-2521, have discovered it alone, and we are alone to know it.”
One reason why Equality 7-2521 wanted to banish the council’s rules was because he wanted people to have more freedom. “To be free, a man must be free
From the moment Equality was born, the Council attempted to disadvantage him. He was obligated to believe that: “there is no transgression blacker than to do or think alone” (Anthem 17). Equality had no individuality; he was taught that doing anything alone was horrendous. Once he had realized the error in this thinking, he decided to change his city. After he accepted the fact that no one would ever welcome him or his philosophies, he “listened” to Rand when she wrote, “…one must speak up in situations where silence can objectively be taken as agreement with or sanction of evil” (How Does One… par. 13). Equality did exactly as Rand stated, he stopped suffering in silence and made a stand against his government, albeit his stance wasn’t well known by the people of that society. In addition, he concocted a plan to take up arms more in the future. The moment that Equality discovered the truth, he gained the right to denounce his leaders because they nearly stole his life away from him. The Council deserved to be judged because they subjugated others and restrained people from expressing their true
And so for men Zeus plotted grief and trouble. He hid fire. And Prometheus, bold son of Lapetus, stole it back from the side of wise Zeus, in a fennel stalk, and gave it to men and Zeus who delights in the thunder did not notice” (Bauschatz, ). Clearly, disobedience and deceiving the gods leads to chaos because Prometheus who tried to steal the fire from Zeus enraged him and therefore ordered the creation of Pandora as punishment and evil delivered to men.
Before this transgression, it is apparent that Equality has some regret for his actions, even saying after he was assigned to be a street Sweeper that, “...we were happy. We know we had been guilty, but now we had a way to atone for it.” However after Equality 7-2521 names Liberty 5-3000 the “Golden One” he feels no regret whatsoever. This is proved by his words when he says, “And we take no heed of the law which says that men may not think of women,” his choosing to say that he takes “no heed” indicates that he was fully aware of the implications of what he had done, but he did not care. The stark contrast between Equality 7-2521’s thoughts in regard to the discovery and Liberty 5-3000 show that it was Liberty 5-3000 that changed him, not his
rules and made up his own rights, which he lived by, and would set the tone
believed he could not be stopped and that rules did not apply to him. By being