The Theme Of Dystopian Society In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Imagine a world where the right to choice your own ideas and ideals are stripped away from your being and you are forced to live like a robot without the joys and the rewarding aspects of life. The leaders in this dystopian society believe that they are doing this for the progress of society and the to avoid regression. In Anthem, Ayn Rand uses the progress and the regression of society as one of the central themes because the society faces regression and they try to progress into a better future. In the Giver, Lois Lowry also shows the progress of society because they take precaution to further better society but also faces dramatic regression.

In Anthem and the in the Giver the citizens of society are assigned jobs instead of their own desire

to work for the job of their choosing. Ayn Rand states, “This was the only thing which moved, for the lips of the oldest did not move as they said: “Street Sweeper." We felt the cords of our neck grow tight as our head rose higher to look upon the faces of the Council, and we were happy. We knew we had been guilty, but now we had a way to atone for it (Rand 62, 63)”. This shows that Equality in front of a higher power is more accepting to the assigned job but in his mind he knows he has committed a transgression because he wanted to be a scholar. This is going against society because when Equality-2521 thinks his own opinions this expresses difference and therefore leading into rebellion which halts the progress of society. In the Giver, Lois Lowry states, “In a firm, commanding voice she announced, "Jonas has been selected to be our next Receiver of Memory (Lowry 63)”. In the Society in the Giver, Jonas is selected to be the receiver of memory which is the best honor in their society. When you give a such a big and heavy job to Jonas then at certain point he would break because Jonas did not want this job in the first place therefore resulting in the incapability to perform their job which is unbeneficial for the advancement of society. Therefore, when you give an unsuitable or undesirable job to someone it causes conflict or rebellion which is unbeneficial to the advancement of society.
Another example of progress of society is when the kids of this society are sent and assigned into family groups or houses into crowded and unloving environment.

In the Giver, Lois Lowry states, “When adults of the community became older, their lives became different. They were no longer needed to create family units. Jonas's own parents, when he and Lily were grown, would go to live with the Childless Adults (Lowry 102)”. The families in this society are assigned and they are not meant to show affection only guidance and when the kids grow up the assigned parents go to the live with the childless Adults. This helps the society progress because without affection the kids will have no attachment to their parents and become successful in their jo which is beneficial to their society. In Anthem, Ayn Rand states, “We remember the Home of the Infants where we lived till we were five years old, together with all the children of the City who had been born in the same year. The sleeping halls there were white and clean and bare of all things save one hundred beds (Rand 2)”. The kids in this society are living and treated like a robot because they are sent into crowed house full with other kids. This would help the society progress because the kids will less likely to think on their own and agree to the assigned job that they are given without a second thought, though we can see that Equality is an exception. The kids are sent into houses in a way in which they would be less likely

to dislike the job that they are assigned and affection is not needed only guidance to benefit the societies and the child’s future.
The final example is when the main characters of the two dystopian stories runs off with valuable memories and an invention that could have progresses the technology of society tenfold.
In the Giver, Jonas runs away with something precious, “Then they call upon me to use the memories and advise them.

The community where his entire life had been lived lay. Before he had left the dwelling, he had laid his hands firmly on Gabe's back and transmitted to him the most soothing memory he could: behind him now, sleeping (Rand 168-169)”.

The Receiver of Knowledge is to the next Giver and the Giver can give the society solutions to the answers unknown or from another generation. Jonas leaves the society behind his back and takes Gabriel with him. This affects the progress of society because when the people of the society are faced with a problem which requires knowledge from other generations such as an natural disaster, then the people with not know how to react, but furthermore the only person retaining that knowledge which is Jonas decides to leave his community and home.

In the Anthem, Ayn Rand States, “"We give you the power of the sky!" we cried. "We give you the key to the earth! Take it, and let us be one of you, the humblest among you. Let us work together, and harness this power, and make it ease the toil of men. Let us throw away our candles and our torches. Let us flood our cities with light. Let us bring a new light to men!" "No," said Collective 0-0009, "we cannot decide upon this, our brothers”. We swung our fist through the windowpane, and we leapt out in a ringing rain of glass (Rand

22,24)”.
Equality-2521 offers the idea of electricity and lightbulb to the council of scholars but they refuse him and at this betrayal Equality punches through the window to escape. Equality-2521 offers the idea of electricity and lightbulb to the council of scholars but they refuse him and at this betrayal Equality punches through the window to escape. The memories were the valuable aspect lost in the Giver and the lightbulb and what is offered was regressed in Anthem in these two societies things of importance was lost due to negligence and the unwillingness to change.
In the Giver and Anthem there are times when the progress of the society effected in order to advance and sometimes regressed by society. In Anthem, Equality offers a chance to change and revolutionize technology but the council and the community were unwilling to change. In the Giver, Jonas runs away with the memories that can help his society from unknown dangers but instead he run off for a new life with a baby name Gabriel. The more society forces a utopian society the more likely it will be dystopian society, where people are stripped of their freedom and the right to choose their own job and ideals