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What message is ayn rand trying to say in anthem
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In the Anthem, by Ayn Rand Equality 7-2521 wants to be a free man, but he must be free of his brothers first. Equality 7-2521 has a lot of primary focuses. His most primary focus that is motivating him is becoming free and loving Liberty 5-3000 “To be free, a man must be free of his brothers”. This quote means, to be free, Equality must break the rules which he has lived by for his whole life. Everyone in Anthem is equal and nobody is greater than anyone else. Everyone has certain jobs they must do everyday, and nobody breaks the rules. “We are one in all and all in one. There are no men but only the great WE, one, indivisible, and forever” (chapter 1, paragraph 8) In order for Equality 7-2521 to be free he must get away from his brothers. Everyone lives for their brothers, because that’s who they are, and Equality must live for himself and not for his brothers. “We are nothing, mankind is all. By the grace of our brothers are we allowed our lives. We exist through, by, and for our brothers who are the state.Amen.”(chapter 1, paragraph 15) …show more content…
Equality had more than one primary motivation on his mind. I think the world would be a better place if everyone were motivated in the same way. Equality had more than the light on his mind. Equality started looking at Liberty 5-3000 and called her the ‘Golden One” “You are Beautiful, Liberty 5-3000” ( Chapter 2, Paragraph 17) I think Equality is allowed to feel this way. He should have the right to like a person more than he likes another person. He cared about Liberty and was glad she was only seventeen, so she didn’t have to go to the Palace of Mating. “How old are you?” we asked “Seventeen” they whispered “And we sighed, as if a burden had been taken from us, for we had been thinking without reason of the Palace of Mating.” ( Chapter 2, paragraph
Equality 7-2521 is rebellious. If a person is rebellious, he shows a desire to resist authority. This authority is most commonly a government that runs its territory in a way which the rebellious person does not support. Rebellious people argue for changing or replacing this authority because they often view it as corrupt or ineffective. Due to their desire for change, these people are often the most dangerous to governments that wish to retain power and control. Equality 7-2521 shows this desire to defy authority in Anthem. The society that he lives in forbids writing unless it is first approved by the Council of Vocations. However, he has done exactly
In the book Anthem, written by Ayn Rand, Equality 7-2521 had never seen his physical appearance. He was surprised to see such a strong individual staring at him. One day after escaping into the woods, he finally met himself at a flowing stream and gained new confidence. This was an essential part of the theme of "Anthem." This shows how Equality finally found himself as an "I" in order to help others see themselves as an "I." This is an important part of "Anthem" since it reveals Equality 7-2521's determination, bravery, and development as a person.
Equality expresses his love for science and aspiration to be a Scholar throughout the book and talks of how he wished to be sent to the Home of Scholars so badly his hands trembled under the blankets at night and he had to bite his arm just to stop the pain of wanting something so much (Rand 24). To want something so badly and have to conceal it everyday with no one to share it with is a very difficult thing for someone to have to do. Equality also struggled with concealing his friendship,“International 4-8818 and we are friends. This is an evil thing to say, for it is a transgression, the Great Transgression of Preference, to love any among men better than the others, since we must love all men and all men are our friends.” (Rand 30). It is impossible to not prefer one person more than the other, which is why all the men are afraid to defy their leaders by committing a transgression such as this. Equality knows he has a connection with International 4-8818, but he has to once again hide his emotions, and only know in his heart that they are friends. Later on in Anthem, Equality takes notice of a beautiful woman named Liberty 5-3000, who he immediately falls head over heels for, which is a transgression. “We stood still; for the first time did we know fear, and then pain. And we stood still that we might not spill this pain more precious than pleasure.” (Rand 39). Equality cannot even pursue the
Equality 7-2521 aspires to be a self-proclaimed individual. In the novella, Anthem, Ayn Rand discusses of a dystopian society in which every man and women are set equal to each other. Equality is damned by the World Council after a discovery of light and electricity, and a contradictory belief in individualism. Freedom is an essential factor in the happiness of man. Equality is scorned for his different looks, mental competence, and independent beliefs but laughs when he recognizes that he should be glorified for understanding that his perception of life leads to contentment.
One day, Equality is supposed to be in the theater, but he is not there. Consequently, Equality is imprisoned to the Palace of Corrective Detention. Oddly, the prison does not have many restrictions, so easily Equality escapes. After his departure, he goes directly to the Council of Scholars, which is where a group of people have a job to gain more intelligence. Intentionally, Equality goes here because he wants to reveal his new discovery of electricity to the scholars. In effect, they denounce him for carrying out a discovery because it is contradicting to the laws of their society. After this happens, Equality bolts to the Uncharted Forest, he begins to actualize that people should live as individuals instead of one group. Liberty follows Equality and, eventually, catches up to him. In the Uncharted Forest, they find a sublime house on top of a mountain. Once they examine the house, Equality and Liberty decide to live in it. Uninhibited, they develop a more profound relationship along with a newly-founded liberated life. As an individual, Equality wants to free the people of his society and eventually begin his own. Equality says, "We matter not, nor our transgression. It is only our brother men who matter. Give no thought to us, for we are nothing, but listen to our words, for we bring you a gift such as has never been brought to men. Listen to us, for we hold the future of mankind in our hands" (70; ch. 7). Equality's life dramatically changes as he extends his life as a
Right from the beginning we learn that Equality 7-2521 is breaking an important law. He is in a society that is tightly protected and there is not much freedom to do anything. Everything is fixed and there is no changing. Also, we see that no one can be alone and there is no freedom if there isn’t any alone. We find out that Equality 7-2521 can break some rules and will.
In a word where the past is the future and every individual strives to be like all their brother men, there is no room for difference. From the time he was five, Equality knew he was different from his classmates. However, he was not the only one who knew of his difference. The teachers and the leaders of the community frequently reminded him that he was not like everyone else. They “ frowned and said: ‘There is evil in your bones, Equality 7-2521, for your body has grown beyond the bodies of your brothers’ ”. (Rand 18). He was taller and much smarter than everyone, and this was considered a burden. When the Council of Vocations decided to make Equality a Street Sweeper, their choice was not due to error or incompetence, but fear. They were frightened of what could happen to their society if Equality became a Scholar. There were many reasons for the choice they had made.
The natural desire of Equality 7-2521 is knowledge who is born with a curse of uniqueness. He abides within the walls of a collectivist society. The citizens of this society prioritize the good of society over the welfare of the individual. In the beginning of the novel, Equality confesses that “[He] have broken the laws. The laws say that men may not write unless the Council of Vocations bid them so” (Anthem 17). Equality is asking for forgiveness and proves this by quoting “[I] strive to be like all our brother men, for all men must be alike” (Anthem 19). Through Equality’s journey of self-discovery, he gradually starts changing his mind on how he perceives of how critical the Council truly is. He begins rebelling without a care and denounces
In the novel, Anthem, written by Ayn Rand takes place when mankind has entered another dark age. A man named Equality 7-2521 lives in a society where he struggles to live equal within the brotherhood. In the world he lives in people are told they exist only for the sake of serving society, and have no other purpose. Therefore, each individual is assigned a vocation as a permanent life career which determines who they socialize and live with. However, Equality being very different from his brothers, believes in individualism and rejects the collectivism society around him. The concept of individualism vs collectivism is portrayed in the story because individuality is unknown to the people where no one is unique or excellent in any way. The people
“For the coming of that day shall I fight, I and my sons and my chosen friends. For the freedom of Man. For his rights. For his life. For his honor.”(page 104). In the novella Anthem by, Ayn Rand, the main character Equality, fought for a way to be himself and help mankind. Rand clearly made Equality’s primary motivation joining The Council of Scholars as a creator, and through the course of two years, due to Equality conducting experiments in all of his spare time until he discovers a method of harnessing the power of electricity to use it to light the community. Equality confirms the right to his motivation. What was Equality’s primary motivation, is he right to be motivated in this way, and what would the world be like if everyone was
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
He defends not only his rights but his society’s. There is a quote by a Greek poet, Sappho, that says “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” The Council of Scholars gives every resource available to the society so they will be able to survive in a world where the word “I” does not exist. A person should not go against someone that has done everything for them. It is supporting that Equality should not become critical of his leaders, but his moral values were stronger than the fact that the Council helped him to become the human he is today. The leaders of Anthem select the best decisions according to them to be able to provide resources for people. Equality decides go to against them and bring a new perspective to his society, which puts the leaders’ moral reputation in doubt about how secluded they keep the society. Furthermore, Rand stated in her essay, “There is no escape from the fact that men have to make choices; there is no escape from moral values; ...” (Rand, 7). It does not matter the situation, men have to make choices even if others disagree with them. Equality makes multiple choices to improve his society, while the leaders make choices that only helps them to be in control of every single thing happening in Anthem. At some point Equality started to realize that there was more to learn and enjoy, it was not just to work with his “brothers” and support each other. He
When Equality 7-2521 turned fifteen, he writes that he was told that “you shall do that which the Council of Vocations shall prescribe for you” (Rand, 22). He says that although he knew it was sinful, he had a desire to become a scholar and learn the “science of things.” In Equality 7-2521’s world, it was immoral and illegal to prefer one subject or person over another because everything was supposed to be equal. Equality...
By the end of the novella Equality comes upon a house from the Unmentionable Times for him and the Golden One to live in. Equality is in love with the Golden One who followed him to the forest after he was gone from the city. Later Equality 7-2521 gives the Golden One a new name: Gaea. They live in harmony together and finally discover the meaning of the Unspeakable Word “I” instead of which they always used the word “We” to refer to themselves like all the other collectivists did. After finding everything Equality searched for, he is a happy individual living in a perfect place with the woman he loves.
A young man lives in a place where the word "I" does not have meaning. It is a society where there are no individuals. It is, however, a place where you strive to serve your brothers. Equality 7-2521 was taught from birth that the individual is not important. He is in a crazed society where the only form of government is collectivism.