Theme Of Individualism In Ayn Rand's Anthem

The idea of individualism has been a main part of Ayn Rand’s life because she accomplished so many things during her childhood. She grew up in a time when russia was beginning to control what their people did. The government would choose what jobs they would have and what food that they would eat. Ayn Rand realized that this was wrong and separated herself from the group and tried to convince others that this was the wrong thing to be doing. In her book “Anthem”, it takes place in an undated era where the concept of individualism has no place and is almost forgotten. Man and Woman do not have names, instead they have numbers to identify themselves. In this world the common people have no power in what they do or influence. Although this book

is about informing people on individualism it is also about her past and what she had to live in during her time in Russia.
Individualism is the theory of favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control. In a nutshell it is the idea of being yourself and choosing the way that you want certain idea or actions to be done. In the novella “Anthem”, children start at a young age by attending a school until they are to the point where they are ready to start working for the rest of their lives. The main character in the book, a boy who has some differences from the rest, realizes that he is an outcast and unwanted because of his height and build. He is said to be towering over the others and incredibly smart which is not something to be proud of in those times. No one has names or any form of identification except a number that they are given when they are old enough to memorize. Once they are done with their schooling, they are presented in front of high up officials that will decide what they will be doing for the rest of their lives. Equality7-2521 and his bunch were called to be street sweepers which do all the landscaping and street cleaning. Although this was the job he was assigned to do, eh believes that he could make it as a scholar and prove that people like him can make it into places like the scholar house and not be cast out and seen as the dirt of the civilization. This is the task that every single person living in those times have to go through.
When Equality 7-2521 realizes that he can accomplish more than what the higher ups think he can do, he starts to gather up bits and scraps of anything that he can find and store them.

On day when he was out sweeping the streets, he found a tunnel that was forgotten and old. Equality 7-2521 and the rest of his group decide that this is going to be the place where they will finally be alone and be able to do their own thing. This is leaning towards rebellious action because they are not listening to what their overseers say. Although many have tried to break apart from the pack and try to do their own thing, they have been shut down immediately and silenced. Ayn Rand believed that when you put your heart to something that you should not quit trying to achieve your goal. “I understood that centuries of chains and lashes will not kill the spirit of man nor the sense of truth within him.” (Ayn Rand, Anthem) That whatever the case may be that that certain someone should not stop fighting for that cause. She believes that happiness is the key to success and prosperity so that way you can never look back and realize all that things that were not

accomplished.
The main point about “Anthem” is to teach people about the idea of individualism and what would happen if the government were to take away that idea. “I am. I think. I will.” (Ayn Rand, Anthem) She believed that the government does not know what we are capable of and what could achieve if we are to go off and do our thing at our own pace. She set the standard for all people to be able to choose and pick what they do in their lives. She showed other countries what russia was doing to their people and showed the limited possibilities that on has in the Russian community. Once she told others countries about what Russia was doing, they wanted to be better and not follow after the Russian ways. She gave the Russian people hope and sparked that plug that would then turn the engine to success. Once the Russian government saw what Ayn Rand had done, They started to back down from the way of the government and started give their people back their freedom and their way to choose what they want. Ayn Rand changed the way of how the Russian government went about and how they changed how they would govern their people.
On the contrary, many people believe that what Ayn Rand is wrong on the way that she goes around teach people about individualism.

They don't want their children to learn about all this and to grow up in a perfect world where everyone gets along in peace and harmony. Well the problem about that is that by not teaching their offspring about the idea of individualism they are actually being sucked back into the idea of people not being able to choose what they will be able to do. They are recreating the Russian way and in one hundred or so years, the United States will be just like them. People are getting too offended and shy to able to to do anything because their parents are fine with doing their work for them. People need to realize that fighting their own fight is good for them and they need to carve a path for themselves and not on the back of

others.
In conclusion, Ayn Rand was a very intelligent and persuasive person. She helped shape the way many countries governed their people and she helped free people from the government that would go around and cause this. Ayn Rand was a master in the way she would write her books to persuade people to not go and follow what Russia did. She was a stepping stone for all the Russian people and she made it possible for those people in Russia to be able to go and choose what they want and live however they want. Her idea of individualism provides the idea that man and woman and free to choose the way that they want to go and how they want to go about and live it.