Theme Of Dictatorship In Ayn Rand's Anthem

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Equal Society or Dictatorship?

As the people we are now, we take everything for granted such as freedom and our individuality. But what if we lived in a restrictive society like Ayn Rand's Anthem. Would we be broken down until we could no longer think or be able to do anything for ourselves? Would they keep us so exhausted to the point they knew we wouldn't have the energy to rebel and form a new society better fit for man? What had to have happened in Ayn Rand's Anthem to make the people abandon everything of the past civilization and burn every piece of its existence? Why is everyone treated equal except but the few who run the society? As far as I'm concerned and having read all of the book, I get the impression that Ayn Rand's Anthem …show more content…

From the moment they are born, the children are placed in homes with other kids their age. They are taught that "we" is the only acceptable word to use when speaking about themselves or their brothers. They are punished when they act out or do transgressions against their brothers. Those who the leaders know are more intelligent and surpassing than the average citizen are treated with cruelty so the will in them is shattered and they think they can't do anything without others with them.

Even though it wasn't really mentioned in the book, I believe there may have been handicaps placed on people who were too intelligent, tall, and beautiful. For example Equality was a very handsome, tall, intelligent man that the leaders knew would be dangerous if he ever figured out he could do tasks on his own, so that's why they gave him the job as a Street Sweeper rather than appointing him to a position on the Council of Scholars. But is this a fair thing to do to others just because they might be better? No it's not but they did it to protect the society from any …show more content…

In the leaders minds being alone to yourself could allow you to be able to think on your own and form ideas that could possibly ruin the society. So the leaders decided that since some people are so curious to be alone and do things on their own, they would be punished. But some citizens pushed their limits even more. Those that showed too much individuality and decided to learn the forbidden word were burned at the pyre in front of the whole town so that everyone could see what might happen to them if they step out of line. Children were brought to these as well so they could learn to be proper citizens and have fear in their hearts to not act out against the society that "cares" and "cherishes"

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