The Role Of Individualism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

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Pride. Selfdom. Conceit. Ego. I.
Ages have come and gone, and independence has been something people strive to have, but cannot always possess. An innumerable amount of men and women alike have searched their entire lives for the idea of a personal sovereignty for themselves. Anyone can find an idea of individuality for themselves, but finding yourself can be challenging in a society without the word I. In such a world very few people find the word egotistical a compliment, however Prometheus, the main character in Ayn Rand’s Anthem, considers the word sacred. Prometheus is an altruist with an egoist attitude, which results in a story about how a boy raised to be altruist, can sway himself to become an egoist, a person who cares for themselves before they care for others... Because according to Anthem and The Soul of …show more content…

The societies of Anthem and The Fountainhead are altruistic in nature, and this is why the societies are held back from advancement both mentally and physically. In The Fountainhead, the protagonist highlights the ignorant man’s fear of progress by suggesting that “Thousands of years ago, the first man discovered how to make fire. He was probably burned at the stake had he taught his brothers to light.” And prevented from sharing this knowledge because he is seen as “...an evildoer who had dealt with a demon mankind dreaded.” People want power and control and the easiest way for all men to unite and gain power is to find a common enemy -- the individual. When a man discovers fire he makes a major leap for science and life, but society can’t comprehend that another man would make an achievement better than what they can do. Therefore, someone discovering fire is made out to be an evil wrongdoer, or in other words, the individual is heinous. Likewise, in Anthem the power of the

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